Corey Friedman is editor of The Wilson Times and executive editor of Restoration NewsMedia, a family-owned company working to restore and preserve community journalism in the digital age.
In addition to his work for the Times, he writes a weekly column for Creators Syndicate that features solutions-based commentary on politics, open government and First Amendment issues.
Through his role overseeing the Times’ opinion page, Friedman has led successful editorial campaigns to save the Brewmasters mural, improve the Wilson County Board of Education’s public comment policy and secure full funding for the new Wilson County Animal Shelter.
Friedman has received numerous state and national honors for editorial writing, commentary, political coverage and news reporting. In 2019, his work earned the News Leaders Association’s Burl Osborne Award for Editorial Leadership. Other honors include a National Headliners Award and a Green Eyeshade Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
He worked as the Times’ online editor from 2012-14, then served as editor of the Richmond County Daily Journal in Rockingham before returning to Wilson to lead the Times’ newsroom in May 2016. Previously, he worked for Freedom Communications as city editor of The Star in Shelby and a reporter at The Gaston Gazette, Havelock News and Sun Journal in New Bern.
A self-described local news evangelist, Friedman served on the North Carolina Press Association board of directors from 2015-18 and is a state and national SPJ member. He was named to Editor & Publisher magazine’s “25 Under 35” list of up-and-coming newsroom leaders in 2019.
As a reporter, Friedman has flown in a Russian fighter jet, fired sniper rifles under the watchful eye of police weapons instructors, covered an NFL game and felt the heat of a 1,000-degree inferno in full turnout gear alongside local firefighters. His remaining human guinea pig goals include being shocked with a stun gun and sampling the world’s hottest chili pepper.
