John Light

Based in New York, NY

Org Talking Points Memo (TPM Media LLC)

Role Executive Editor

Notable work and positions

Talking Points Memo (TPM) — Executive Editor
Moyers & Company / BillMoyers.com — former reporter and digital producer (2012–2014)
WNYC — former public radio producer

Biography

John Light is the executive editor of Talking Points Memo (TPM), based in New York, where he oversees the outlet's daily news coverage. He is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Before TPM, he worked as a public radio producer at WNYC in New York, and from 2012 through 2014 as a reporter and digital producer for Bill Moyers' public-television program and companion website, Moyers & Company and BillMoyers.com, covering subjects including media consolidation, Federal Communications Commission policy and the environment. His freelance journalism has appeared in The Atlantic, Grist, Mother Jones, Salon, Slate, Vox, Reuters and Al Jazeera, and has been broadcast on Public Radio International.

Light rose through TPM's editorial ranks over several years, serving as the outlet's special projects and prime editor before being named managing editor, a title he held as of TPM's masthead in December 2024. He was later promoted to executive editor, the role in which he now oversees TPM's daily report, including its morning news roundup, The Brief. He is a member of the Writers Guild of America - East, which represents TPM's editorial staff. Light has continued to write regularly for TPM and, in June 2026, appeared as a guest alongside publisher Joe Ragazzo on an episode of the outlet's podcast, The TPM Social Club.

Career highlights

1. Moyers & Company / BillMoyers.com, 2012–2014 Reported and produced multimedia journalism for Bill Moyers' PBS program and its companion website, covering media-policy stories such as FCC rulemaking and broadcast consolidation.

2. Rise through TPM's editorial ranks Advanced from special projects and prime editor to managing editor (as of December 2024) to executive editor, TPM's senior newsroom leadership position under founder and editor-in-chief Josh Marshall.

3. Freelance journalism across national outlets Published work in The Atlantic, Grist, Mother Jones, Salon, Slate, Vox, Reuters and Al Jazeera, with reporting also broadcast on Public Radio International.