Mountain Journal Adds Managing Editor To Expand Its Impact

“We are thrilled to have Joe join our team,” said Mountain Journal founder Todd Wilkinson. “I’ve had the pleasure of being around many talented reporters and editors in my career. He is what I’d call a natural and it won’t be long before our readers come to fully appreciate his considerable skillset as we expand our coverage.”

Until recently, O’Connor served as vice president of media and editor-in-chief for Outlaw Partner publications, a multimedia company located in Big Sky, Montana, whose portfolio includes newspapers, magazines, video and online platforms.

“The opportunity to help MoJo grow its readership and impact at a pivotal time in the history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is an honor,” O’Connor said. “In a remarkably short amount of time, I, along with a huge following of others, have witnessed the rise of MoJo as the preeminent journalistic voice in Greater Yellowstone and watch it become touted as a model for how nonprofit, public interest journalism can ambitiously get millions of people to appreciate the value of a globally important bioregion.”

When O’Connor begins in mid-October, he will work alongside Wilkinson in ramping up MoJo’s focus on vital issues shaping the most wildlife-rich ecoregion in the Lower 48 states. The move is also intended to allow Wilkinson more time to write, pay more visits to far-flung Greater Yellowstone communities and have to contend less with  day to day administrative responsibilities.

“As Co-Chair of Mountain Journal’s board I am delighted to have Joe O’Connor join us in our cause, which is providing the best journalism to discuss the future of our beloved Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem," said Hank Perry. "Joe has been overseeing some of the most in-depth conservation journalism in the area and he is a perfect choice to work hand in hand with our founder as both of them continue to bring to the public attention issues regarding the preservation of this one-of-a-kind ecosystem, which we need to always remember is a national treasure." 

The announcement comes as Mountain Journal reaches its fifth year of operational existence. “These early years were momentous in that we’ve proved that millions of nature-loving people are hungry for the stories we deliver, which offer a perspective about the Yellowstone region not found anywhere else," Wilkinson said. 

O'Connor's addition is part of a larger strategy, Perry noted. "We will be making other announcements pertaining to that soon."

O’Connor has earned widespread respect in Big Sky, both among readers and professionals in the community, Wilkinson says. “He’s been able to pull that off while leading his teams to write about contentious issues that have made Big Sky a lightning rod for discussion of hyper-development and growth issues occurring inside an ecosystem renowned for its wildlife. He has been on the front lines; he brings a valuable, informed perspective that can be applied to every valley and town in the Rockies.”

Wilkinson noted that what separates Greater Yellowstone from the Colorado and southern Rockies, Wasatch, Sierra and Cascade ecosystems is they no longer are home to their full complement of native wildlife, most notably grizzly bears, wolves and vast migrations of terrestrial species.

Although headquartered in Bozeman, Montana—Greater Yellowstone’s largest city—MoJo’s emphasis is on the vast region, which has Yellowstone National Park as its geographic heart and sprawls across a tapestry and mountains, valleys and watersheds found at the intersection of three states: Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

“Joe has incredible instincts, a drive to keep pushing until he gets closer to the truth. He knows what is necessary for good stories to come together and he’s shown the ability to be a good editor working with seasoned writers and aspiring reporters just getting their start,” Wilkinson said. 

O’Connor’s ability to land interviews with people ranging American news legend Tom Brokaw (who considers Greater Yellowstone his home in the West) to bison rancher Ted Turner and multi-Grammy award-winning musician Brandi Carlile is evidence of his knack of winning the trust of people who might otherwise be guarded.  Read the heartfelt farewell letter he wrote recently to readers at Explore Big Sky. And here's a piece he wrote about public trust and the media.

MOUNTAIN JOURNAL: You're joining Mountain Journal in October. Let's start with this: why are you making this move?

JOSEPH T. O’CONNOR: I've long been interested in the Mountain West but in living in Big Sky and producing journalism here for the past decade, I've become more familiar with the issues prevalent in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Todd, you and I have worked closely together over this time and I'm thrilled to join forces with you and produce more hard-hitting journalism in Greater Yellowstone, the kind that has distinguished MoJo in its first five years.

MOJO: We've watched both your thinking and grasp of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem expand. You understand why it stands as a global bellwether for pondering whether humans can indeed co-exist harmoniously with nature, seeing it not only as us immersing ourselves in nature but that we are an extension of it. And we walk with a heavy footprint. How would you explain what motivated you to reach out to us and want to join our team?

O’CONNOR: The evolution has been gradual but has increased quickly over the past few years as Big Sky and southwest Montana have witnessed a startling change and a growing influx of visitors and transplants, especially since the pandemic hit in 2020. The ecosystem is interconnected on multiple levels and I've watched and reported as increased traffic has impacted wildlife migration routes in the region, rivers have seen greater pressure, and persistent development has affected water supply. This place is changing fast and I want to help increase awareness about the critical intersection of humanity and wild places.

MOJO: We've discussed the fact that both journalism reporting, empirical science and private land conservation efforts are unable to keep up with the pace of profound transformation occurring in the landscape. How do you see the challenge?

O’CONNOR: I don't believe traditional journalism is failing, per se, but I do believe that more persistent and pointed coverage can accelerate the dissemination of science and the urgent issues facing Greater Yellowstone. Look at the de-wilding of wildlife habitat for example. Or consider my own special area of interest—thinking about wildfires that stretches back to when I was a member of a wildfire crew. As it relates to climate change, drought, fire management and a growing wildland-urban interface, wildfire coverage in the media needs to be more consistent and has to convey to the public what can be done and that our window for dealing with change is diminishing.

MOJO: For the last decade you've worked at Outlaw Partners. This summer, Mountain Outlaw magazine and MoJo worked together on a printed edition called "The Action Issue." I give your former boss, Eric Ladd, a lot of credit for bringing important issues to the forefront. It was courageous, especially for a businessperson like him. Strangely, many in the business community profit from the benefits of conservation and healthy landscapes yet they challenge laws and regulations designed to protect the irreplaceable ecological things that are essential to our region. Share a bit about the importance of your tenure at Outlaw Partners and what you learned.

O’CONNOR: I owe a great deal of gratitude to Eric and my colleagues with the Outlaw Partners team. In 2012, they took a bet on a kid coming out of j-school in Boston and gave me the chance to help build on the success of Explore Big Sky and Mountain Outlaw. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to conduct some important interviews and cover critical stories for Outlaw's publications over the years. Eric is a big-ideas guy and has helped me understand the connection of issues in southwest Montana and the multitude of ways journalism and events can increase awareness of those issues. I look forward to working at MoJo and building on the skills and knowledge I acquired from my time at Outlaw.

MOJO: As wonks of journalism, believing in its mission of keeping people informed, presenting facts that have a basis in truth and can be corroborated, especially with issues they would rather avoid, we've had many chats with colleagues across the country about the problems of "he said, she said" journalism, also known as "bothsides-ism." It's the presumption that with any subject there are two equal sides holding equal merit. We at MoJo do not believe that equal rationalization exists when it comes to protecting or plundering wild nature, of the high caliber that exists in Greater Yellowstone. Share with readers some of your thoughts?

O’CONNOR: I believe in fairness in journalism, but not that it's necessarily a 50-50 split. Take climate change: data supports the science that we are living in a world that is changing based on the impacts that humanity is having on climate. If I interview 10 scientists and nine say human impacts are warming the Earth, causing bigger and hotter wildfires, heating oceans leading to increased storms, and disrupting weather patterns, I believe in giving these fact-based assessments the merit they deserve. That's not to say we as journalists shouldn't give a voice to dissenting studies or opinions, but again it's not a 50-50 split in a story. Credit where credit is due.

The GYE

MOJO: It's poignant that you and your wife presently live in Big Sky and have witnessed astonishing change. How has that shaped your desire to do meaningful journalism without fear that advertisers in the real estate, construction and tourism trades might retaliate if you write a story that angers them? 

O’CONNOR: Journalism has always seen pressure from outside interests to toe the line or pull punches, whether it's from developers, advertisers, politicians or other interest groups. I believe in holding power to account and that there are ways to do that the right way. Transparency to sources about what a story is actually about and offering folks an opportunity to respond is, in my mind, responsible journalism. It's just as important as transparency to readers. Basing articles in data and facts is critical.

MOJO: There is a somewhat prevailing perception from outside Big Sky that residents and visitors there don't know enough or care about the environment—that all of the focus is on making money, having fun without reflection on cost, and promoting an industrial strength tourism infrastructure. I have encountered many people who buck that perception, who are in love with Greater Yellowstone because of its wildness, because it stands apart as a region from Colorado and Utah. Hailing from across the political spectrum, they identify unflinchingly as conservationists wanting to protect this place. What's your take?

O’CONNOR:  I don't believe most people in Big Sky dismiss the environment. I believe there are influences that can cloud judgement and that priorities can be skewed, but there's also a component of not understanding, or perhaps not having a complete set of facts. People need accurate information and it's our job to provide that and help educate them so they can make informed decisions. We live in a special place and the time is now to make sure we can protect it.

MOJO: We have a lot of impactful reporting in store for MoJo readers and driving it forward is the urgency that is now irrefutable. Conservation biologists and other leading thinkers tell us that unless we make a course correction in dealing with growth issues, particularly in protecting the base of public lands and engage in better planning, we're going to lose the essence of this place. What excites you and leaves you daunted about the challenge before us?

O’CONNOR: I've always been motivated by informing an audience through bold, thoughtful and accurate reporting. Storytelling is the oldest form of education and the passing along of information. I'm thrilled to focus my work with MoJo on the issues in the GYE and to bring to life stories that inform and educate. The challenge is for an audience to listen but also to hear. Change can be difficult to grasp and confront, and it's incumbent on all of us to listen, hear and take action to preserve this special region. We won't have a second chance.

MOJO: One last editorial comment. Behind every great writer, putting up with their deadlines, their time away, their angst, and their sometimes overbearing passions, are the people who matter most in their lives. We would be remiss if we didn't mention your wife, Emily Pallo O'Connor. With bringing you on board, we get to spend more time with her.  She is a tour de force in her own right.