Lara Setrakian
Lara Setrakian | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 4, 1982 United States |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, entrepreneur, digital strategy expert |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Known for | CEO and Executive Editor of News Deeply; Middle East correspondent |
Lara Setrakian (born February 4, 1982, in the United States) is an Armenian American journalist, entrepreneur, and expert in digital strategy. She serves as the CEO and Executive Editor of News Deeply, a digital media enterprise that develops specialized platforms focused on a single subject, providing in-depth journalistic coverage, expert insights, and forums for knowledge sharing. Prior to launching News Deeply, Setrakian reported from the Middle East for five years, contributing to outlets such as ABC News, Bloomberg Television, the International Herald Tribune, Business Insider, and Monocle magazine. Her coverage included significant regional events like Iran’s election protests and the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Her journalism concentrated on political upheavals, conflicts, and economic developments across the Middle East. Notably, she was instrumental in Bloomberg Television’s live reporting of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Following the removal of Tunisia's President Ben Ali during the Arab Spring, Setrakian provided live updates from Tahrir Square in Egypt amid President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation. While reporting on piracy near the Horn of Africa, she became the first American journalist to interview Somalia’s newly elected president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
A graduate of Harvard University, Setrakian holds the distinction of being a Young Global Leader recognized by the World Economic Forum and is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She was listed among Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business and appeared in Marie Claire Magazine’s Women on Top feature.
In 2013, News Deeply received the National Press Foundation’s Excellence in Online Journalism Award.
In 2017, Setrakian presented a TED talk highlighting three strategies to enhance the journalism industry. She previously delivered a speech at TEDxYerevan discussing her experience as a Middle East correspondent and the important insights gained throughout her career. She regularly speaks about transforming news into a public service tailored for the digital age.
Amid widespread sexual misconduct accusations within media organizations, Setrakian publicly accused Mark Halperin of harassment during her tenure at ABC News, drawing attention to pervasive systemic problems in journalism that demand change.
Early life and education
Originally from New Jersey and New York City, Setrakian attended both the Elisabeth Morrow School and the Horace Mann School located in Riverdale, New York. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College, earning a degree in Government. After completing her studies at Harvard, she worked as a business analyst with McKinsey & Company. Setrakian is fluent in Arabic, Armenian, English, French, and Spanish, and has also studied Persian and Portuguese.
News Deeply
In 2012, Setrakian established Syria Deeply, a platform designed to fill the gap in comprehensive media coverage of the war in Syria, catering to an audience seeking thorough conflict analysis. Building on this success, she introduced Ebola Deeply to focus on the West African Ebola virus epidemic. The News Deeply network grew to encompass platforms addressing geopolitical, health, and environmental topics, creating what has been described as a “new model of impact journalism.” As a 2014 Columbia University Journalism Fellow, Setrakian produced a significant study on vertical, single-topic news websites—a rising phenomenon in digital media.
During her January 2017 TED presentation, Setrakian characterized journalism as “adult education,” urging the acceptance of complexity to better manage today’s crisis-heavy news landscape. She also spoke out about pervasive sexual harassment within the media sector following accusations against political journalist Mark Halperin, drawing attention to widespread cultural issues in the industry. In September 2018, News Deeply underwent staff reductions and ceased operations of certain platforms such as Oceans Deeply and Peacebuilding Deeply; Setrakian emphasized that the company’s adaptable structure permits thematic outlets to “emerge and dissolve,” though layoffs remain challenging.
By December 2018, she co-founded Press Forward alongside female journalists aiming to transform newsroom culture into safer and more equitable environments at both local and national levels.
ABC News
Setrakian delivered extensive coverage of the Middle East, reporting from across the Arab world and Iran. She digitally covered the Iranian presidential election, 2009, earning recognition from prominent aggregation blogs. Her reporting included Lebanon’s violent upheaval in May 2008 and Saudi Arabia during the summer oil price turmoil. She produced a notable story on a $3 billion collection housed at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and was uniquely embedded with the US Navy’s counter-piracy Combined Task Force 151 during its inaugural capture of alleged pirates in the Gulf of Aden. During this mission, she became the first American journalist to interview Somalia’s newly appointed president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
Before her Middle East assignment, Setrakian reported for ABC News out of New York, with her work broadcast on programs like “Good Morning America,” “World News,” "This Week," and “Nightline.” She covered major U.S. legal stories such as the Duke Lacrosse case and secured an exclusive interview with five Chinese men released from Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 2006.
ABC News' Mid East Memo
Promoted by ABC News as "weekly analysis and top stories from one of the world’s most volatile regions, presented by ABC’s Lara Setrakian," this blog offered detailed insights into Middle Eastern affairs. Setrakian’s multi-platform strategy—spanning television, online content, Twitter, and blogs—was recognized as an exemplary approach for contemporary foreign correspondents.
Bloomberg Television
Setrakian officially joined Bloomberg Television in early 2011 after contributing while at ABC News. She spearheaded coverage of the Middle East during the Arab Spring and its aftermath, reporting on events in Libya, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, and Bahrain. Her interviews included prominent figures such as Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Monocle
Lara contributed human interest features for Monocle Magazine and Monocle TV, reporting from the Middle East with content designed to engage their worldwide readership.
Foreign Policy
For Foreign Policy's Mideast Channel, Lara authored pieces focusing on Lebanon, the role of media during the Arab Spring, and the financial aspects of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Additionally, she was interviewed by Parag Khanna of Foreign Policy regarding Al Jazeera's influence on the uprisings.
Business Insider
Her contributions to Business Insider covered topics related to Middle Eastern commerce, political economy, and international oil markets.
Awards and affiliations
In 2007, Lara was awarded a fellowship through the Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution at the National Constitution Center. She was recognized by The Diplomatic Courier as one of the nine most impactful Young Professionals in Foreign Policy under 33. In 2011, she appeared in Foreign Policy's FP Twitterati 100 list as a significant foreign-policy voice. Lara holds memberships with both the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
External links
- American television reporters and correspondents
- Harvard College alumni
- McKinsey & Company people
- American people of Armenian descent
- Living people
- Bloomberg L.P. people
- Horace Mann School alumni
- 1982 births
- American expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
- American women television journalists
- Journalists from New York City
- American women chief executives
- 21st-century American women