# Chris Coates

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{{Short description|American journalist and editor}}
{{for-multi|the Royal Canadian Air Force officer|Christopher J. Coates|the United States lawyer|Christopher Coates}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox journalist
| name = Chris Coates
| birth_place = Trenton, Michigan, U.S.
| education = Columbia College Chicago (BA)
| occupation = Journalist
| employer = Lee Enterprises
| title = Senior director of local news
| years_active = 2004–present
}}
'''Chris Coates''' is an American journalist who serves as senior director of local news at [Lee Enterprises](/source/Lee_Enterprises). He previously served as executive editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Virginia state editor for the company. He has held editorial leadership roles at multiple regional newspapers and has been recognized for newsroom leadership and innovation, including being included in Editor & Publisher’s Editors Extraordinaire list.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Peck |first1=Gretchen |title=Local voices, lasting change: How a Reader Advisory Board transformed the Richmond Times-Dispatch's connection to the community |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/local-voices-lasting-change,256808 |access-date=25 July 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Coates was born in [Trenton, Michigan](/source/Trenton%2C_Michigan). He graduated from [Trenton High School](/source/Trenton_High_School_(Michigan)) and earned a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from [Columbia College Chicago](/source/Columbia_College_Chicago) in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Virginia Press Association welcomes two new members to board of directors |url=https://www.vpa.net/articles/virginia-press-association-welcomes-two-new-members-to-board-of-directors/ |website=Virginia Press Association |date=July 8, 2022 |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> While at Columbia, he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, ''[The Columbia Chronicle](/source/The_Columbia_Chronicle)''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Myer |title=Chronicle, Columbia alum Chris Coates awarded Editor of the Year in Illinois |url=https://columbiachronicle.com/campus/chronicle-columbia-alum-chris-coates-awarded-editor-of-the-year-in-illinois/ |access-date=1 July 2025 |publisher=The Columbia Chronicle |date=25 September 2020}}</ref>

==Career==
Coates began his journalism career in California in 2004, reporting for the ''[Los Angeles Downtown News](/source/Los_Angeles_Downtown_News)'' and later the ''[San Fernando Valley Business Journal](/source/San_Fernando_Valley_Business_Journal)'' in Woodland Hills, California, where he covered healthcare, biotechnology, and government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roderick |first1=Kevin |title=Media note |url=https://www.laobserved.com/archive/2006/05/friday_52606.php |website=LA Observed |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref>

He later joined the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis as a reporter and editor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Coates named managing editor of Illinois Journals |url=https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/life/coates-named-managing-editor-of-illinois-journals/article_5f7bfc58-1dd0-11e0-8587-00127992bc8b.html |website=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=January 11, 2011 |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> From 2011 to 2016, he held editorial leadership positions at the ''[Sioux City Journal](/source/Sioux_City_Journal)'' in Iowa, including as editor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Future of newspapers and politics |url=https://www.c-span.org/person/chris-coates/77487/ |website=C-SPAN network |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> During that time, the paper received General Excellence awards from the [National Newspaper Association](/source/National_Newspaper_Association).<ref>{{cite web|title=NNA awards General Excellence winners in 2013 newspaper contests|url=http://www.nna.org/nna-news?articleTitle=nna-awards-general-excellence-winners-in-2013-newspaper-contests--1378842331--637--1top-story}}</ref>

In 2015, Coates became a content coach at ''[The News Journal](/source/The_News_Journal)'' in Delaware, part of the [USA Today Network](/source/USA_Today_Network), with a focus on investigative reporting.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Adreana |title=Beware of dog: Meet Chris Coates, Delaware News Journal's new watchdog content coach |url=https://ia601702.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/20/items/sim_editor-publisher_2015-09_148_9/sim_editor-publisher_2015-09_148_9_jp2.zip&file=sim_editor-publisher_2015-09_148_9_jp2/sim_editor-publisher_2015-09_148_9_0009.jp2&id=sim_editor-publisher_2015-09_148_9&scale=4&rotate=0 |access-date=12 June 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |date=1 September 2015}}</ref>

In 2017, Coates became executive editor of the ''[Herald & Review](/source/Herald_%26_Review)'' in Decatur, Illinois. In 2019, the paper was included in ''Editor & Publisher''’s "10 Newspapers That Do It Right," a feature recognizing newsroom innovation and performance.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yang |first1=Nu |last2=Mateos |first2=Evelyn |title=10 newspapers that do it right 2019: Honoring innovative revenue strategies, impactful journalism and creative audience Growth |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/10-newspapers-that-do-it-right-2019-honoring-innovative-revenue-strategies-impactful-journalism,86432 |access-date=25 June 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |date=4 May 2019}}</ref>

He later served as Central Illinois editor for Lee Enterprises, overseeing multiple publications including the ''[Pantagraph](/source/Pantagraph)'' in Bloomington, Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|title=Petty to lead Lee's Central Illinois newsrooms, Coates headed to Virginia|url=https://illinoispress.org/Home/tabid/105/ArticleID/2173/Petty-to-lead-Lees-Central-Illinois-newsrooms-Coates-headed-to-Virginia.aspx|publisher=Illinois Press Association}}</ref>

In 2022, Coates became executive editor of the ''[Richmond Times-Dispatch](/source/Richmond_Times-Dispatch)''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sillick |first1=Bob |title=Richmond T-D expands news leadership with video production and content |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/richmond-t-d-expands-news-leadership-with-video-production-and-content,243305 |access-date=2 July 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |date=27 April 2023}}</ref> in Richmond, Virginia, and was promoted the following year to Virginia state editor for Lee Enterprises. In 2023, he was appointed senior director - local news for the company.<ref>{{cite web|title=Richmond Times-Dispatch editor named senior director-local news by Lee Enterprises|url=https://www.vpa.net/articles/richmond-times-dispatch-editor-named-senior-director-local-news-by-lee-enterprises/|publisher=Virginia Press Association|date=December 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Blinder |first1=Robin |title=Meet the changemakers redefining journalism's future: The 2025 "Media That Matters" |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/2025-media-that-matters,256797 |access-date=25 July 2025 |issue=July 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher}}</ref>

==Professional involvement==
Coates has presented at training sessions for the [News Leaders Association](/source/News_Leaders_Association), Illinois Press Association, [New York Press Association](/source/New_York_Press_Association), [https://onlinemediacampus.com/ Online Media Campus], Virginia Press Association<ref>{{cite web|title=Chris Coates will discuss 'Balancing Print & Digital in the Newsroom' at VPA Conference|url=https://www.vpa.net/2038-2/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Spring conference |url=https://nynewspapers.com/2024-nypa-spring-conference/ |website=New York Press Service |date=March 7, 2023 |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref> and [Society of Professional Journalists](/source/Society_of_Professional_Journalists).<ref>{{cite web |title=Sessions |date=July 24, 2025 |url=https://mediafest25.com/sessions/}}</ref>

He has served on the boards of the Virginia Press Association and Illinois Associated Press Media Editors, as well as on the advisory board of Capitol News Illinois and the [https://www.spj.org/journalism-education-committee/ Journalism Education Committee], [Society of Professional Journalists](/source/Society_of_Professional_Journalists).<ref>{{cite web|title=Coates named Illinois Associated Press Media Editors president|url=https://www.illinoispress.org/Home/tabid/105/ArticleID/2003/Coates-named-Illinois-Associated-Press-Media-Editors-president.aspx}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Mari |title=A new effort boosts a diminished Illinois statehouse press |url=https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/capitol-news-illinois.php |access-date=1 July 2025 |publisher=Columbia Journalism Review |date=14 May 2019}}</ref>

Coates has judged national journalism competitions, including the [Online News Association](/source/Online_News_Association) Online Journalism Awards, the ''[Editor & Publisher](/source/Editor_%26_Publisher)'' [https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Editor+%26+Publisher+EPPY+2018+Awards.-a0566262606 EPPY Awards], [Report for America](/source/Report_for_America), and the [Gannett](/source/Gannett) [https://www.tegna.com/detroit-reno-and-east-brunswick-lead-first-quarter-awards-of-excellence/ Awards of Excellence].

==Recognition==
In 2013, Coates was included in ''Editor & Publisher''’s “25 Under 35” list.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ackermann |first1=Kristina |title=25 under 35: The rising stars of newspaper publishing |url=https://ia801707.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/33/items/sim_editor-publisher_2013-04_146_4/sim_editor-publisher_2013-04_146_4_jp2.zip&file=sim_editor-publisher_2013-04_146_4_jp2/sim_editor-publisher_2013-04_146_4_0058.jp2&id=sim_editor-publisher_2013-04_146_4 |access-date=21 June 2025 |publisher=Editor & Publisher |date=1 April 2013}}</ref> He was named Editor of the Year by the Illinois Press Association in 2019 and was on ''Editor & Publisher''’s 2024 “Editors Extraordinaire” list.<ref>{{cite web |last=Blinder |first=Robin |date=2024-05-07 |title=Meet E&P's 'Editors Extraordinaire' class of 2024 |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/meet-eps-editors-extraordinaire-class-of-2024,249590 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Editor and Publisher}}</ref>

In 2014, he was named a Chamberlin Fellow at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at [Iowa State University](/source/Iowa_State_University).<ref>{{cite web|title=Speakers at IPA Conference|url=https://www.illinoispress.org/Portals/1/Speakers.pdf}}</ref>

In 2026, Coates was named a Kiplinger Fellow by the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism at [Ohio University](/source/Ohio_University).<ref>{{cite web |title=Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism announces 2026 fellows |url=https://www.ohio.edu/news/2026/02/kiplinger-program-public-affairs-journalism-announces-2026-fellows |publisher=Ohio University |date=February 5, 2026 |access-date=February 19, 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coates, Chris}}
Category:American newspaper editors
Category:People from Trenton, Michigan
Category:Columbia College Chicago alumni
Category:21st-century American journalists
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Living people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chris Coates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Coates) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Coates?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.