Ray Marcano

{{short description|American journalist}}

{{short description|American journalist}}

'''Ray Marcano''' is an American journalist, music critic, and musician known for his work as a medical reporter, editor, and later a music critic, for the ''[[Dayton Daily News]]'' in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a leader in the nascent internet business for Cox Media Group. In 2000, he became president of the [[Society of Professional Journalists]] (SPJ), the largest journalism organization in the United States, only the second black president of the organization in its history. He was one of the directors of the Cox Media Group, which owns the ''Dayton Daily News''.

'''Ray Marcano''' is an American journalist, music critic, and musician known for his work as a medical reporter, editor, and later a music critic, for the ''[[Dayton Daily News]]'' in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a leader in the nascent internet business for [[Cox Media Group]]. In 2000, he became president of the [[Society of Professional Journalists]] (SPJ), the largest journalism organization in the United States, only the second black president of the organization in its history. He was one of the directors of the Cox Media Group, which owns the ''Dayton Daily News''.

==Early life and work==

==Early life and work==

In 2000, he became president of the [[Society of Professional Journalists]] (SPJ), the largest journalism organization in the United States with 300 chapters and 10,000 members. He was only the second black president in the history of the organization, which was founded in 1909.{{cite book|title=Jet|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SsQDAAAAMBAJ|date=27 November 2000|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SsQDAAAAMBAJ/page/n39 40]|issn=0021-5996}}{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B5OfAAAAMAAJ| title=The Sigma Delta Chi Story (1909–1949)| author=Glenn, William Meharry| year=1949| accessdate=August 21, 2010}} He became the director of digital audience growth for Cox Media Group, a company which owns the ''Dayton Daily News''.{{cite news|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/centerville-man-lectures-in-iceland/ndzqP/|title=Centerville man lectures in Iceland|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|accessdate=18 August 2015}} He was a lecturer at [[Wright State University]] and left in 2023.{{cite web|url=http://people.wright.edu/ray.marcano|title=Ray Marcano|publisher=Wright State University|accessdate=18 August 2015|archive-date=20 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120114546/https://people.wright.edu/ray.marcano|url-status=dead}} Marcano received a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright]] Special Grant at the [[University of Iceland]] in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.fulbright.is/en/about_fulbright/recent_grantees/fulbright_grantees/|title=Recent Grantees|publisher=Fulbright.is|accessdate=18 August 2015|archive-date=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829222825/http://www.fulbright.is/en/about_fulbright/recent_grantees/fulbright_grantees/|url-status=dead}}

In 2000, he became president of the [[Society of Professional Journalists]] (SPJ), the largest journalism organization in the United States with 300 chapters and 10,000 members. He was only the second black president in the history of the organization, which was founded in 1909.{{cite book|title=Jet|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SsQDAAAAMBAJ|date=27 November 2000|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SsQDAAAAMBAJ/page/n39 40]|issn=0021-5996}}{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B5OfAAAAMAAJ| title=The Sigma Delta Chi Story (1909–1949)| author=Glenn, William Meharry| year=1949| accessdate=August 21, 2010}} He became the director of digital audience growth for Cox Media Group, a company which owns the ''Dayton Daily News''.{{cite news|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/centerville-man-lectures-in-iceland/ndzqP/|title=Centerville man lectures in Iceland|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|accessdate=18 August 2015}} He was a lecturer at [[Wright State University]] and left in 2023.{{cite web|url=http://people.wright.edu/ray.marcano|title=Ray Marcano|publisher=Wright State University|accessdate=18 August 2015|archive-date=20 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120114546/https://people.wright.edu/ray.marcano|url-status=dead}} Marcano received a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright]] Special Grant at the [[University of Iceland]] in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.fulbright.is/en/about_fulbright/recent_grantees/fulbright_grantees/|title=Recent Grantees|publisher=Fulbright.is|accessdate=18 August 2015|archive-date=29 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829222825/http://www.fulbright.is/en/about_fulbright/recent_grantees/fulbright_grantees/|url-status=dead}}

In 2014, he became editor of the sports website [https://fanbuzz.com/voices/ray-marcano/ FanBuzz.com] where he served for three years. Starting in 2017, he began freelancing for some of the country's largest brands as an editor, including CNN and the Southern Poverty Law Center. As a writer, his editorial work has appeared in [https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/09/14/covid-vaccines-just-tell-the-truth-about-why-you-arent-vaccinated-nicki-minaj/8333968002/ USA Today], the [https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2021/11/05/ray-marcano-voters-punish-dewine-come-election-moderates-rule/6237019001/ Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch] and [https://news.yahoo.com/agent-helping-level-playing-field-110000119.html Yahoo News]. He has written [https://www.daytondailynews.com/ideas-voices/marcano-enforce-the-law-whether-you-like-it-or-not/2YW2COMKXZBGXALN44MPSH2KRA/ a weekly Sunday opinion column] in the [[Dayton Daily News]] since 2021 and continues to write freelance news articles for several national publications.

In 2014, he became editor of the sports website [https://fanbuzz.com/voices/ray-marcano/ FanBuzz.com] where he served for three years. Starting in 2017, he began freelancing for some of the country's largest brands as an editor, including CNN and the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]]. As a writer, his editorial work has appeared in [https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/09/14/covid-vaccines-just-tell-the-truth-about-why-you-arent-vaccinated-nicki-minaj/8333968002/ USA Today], the [https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2021/11/05/ray-marcano-voters-punish-dewine-come-election-moderates-rule/6237019001/ Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch] and [https://news.yahoo.com/agent-helping-level-playing-field-110000119.html Yahoo News]. He has written [https://www.daytondailynews.com/ideas-voices/marcano-enforce-the-law-whether-you-like-it-or-not/2YW2COMKXZBGXALN44MPSH2KRA/ a weekly Sunday opinion column] in the [[Dayton Daily News]] since 2021 and continues to write freelance news articles for several national publications.

In 2025, he was named the best columnist in Ohio by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists [https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/cox-first-media-brands-will-multiple-awards-in-statewide-journalism-contests/W6OOFSQESFHZ5KAN5AYAVGG3M4/#:~:text=The%20Ohio%20Society%20of%20Professional,Nick%20Blizzard%2C%20London%20Bishop] He began writing a Fine Wine and Dining column for the Dayton Daily News in 2026. [https://www.daytondailynews.com/food/a-bourbon-lovers-leap-into-wine-and-daytons-finest-dining/PJ7V3L4SIJH5FMO4RG7UJIG4SE]

In 2025, he was named the best columnist in Ohio by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists [https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/cox-first-media-brands-will-multiple-awards-in-statewide-journalism-contests/W6OOFSQESFHZ5KAN5AYAVGG3M4/#:~:text=The%20Ohio%20Society%20of%20Professional,Nick%20Blizzard%2C%20London%20Bishop] He began writing a Fine Wine and Dining column for the Dayton Daily News in 2026. [https://www.daytondailynews.com/food/a-bourbon-lovers-leap-into-wine-and-daytons-finest-dining/PJ7V3L4SIJH5FMO4RG7UJIG4SE]