For nearly three decades, in both print and electronic journalism, I wrote about politics, social issues and more. Now I add occasional thoughts on music, books and theater to my portfolio and hope you’ll join in.

Readers in Massachusetts and  New England will remember my career as Director of Editorials at WCVB-TV, Channel 5, Boston’s ABC affiliate.  For 20 years starting in 1979, I produced and often hosted Five on Five, at one time the nation’s longest running, locally produced public affairs discussion program, and I regularly appeared as a commentator on local broadcast and cable stations. Since 2010, I have blogged on politics, public affairs, culture and more.  For many years, I also produced the station’s political candidate forums.  I still find time to serve as a public speaker and forum moderator.

From 2001, I was president of Barron Associates Worldwide, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in communications, which in 2015 formed a strategic partnership with Denterlein, Inc. of Boston.  My practice focused  on communications strategies, including media relations, public affairs and reputation management, executive coaching, media training, and crisis communications. Immediately after I left Channel 5, I served as executive director for media communications at BankBoston, where I headed the bank’s in-house public relations agency, directing media relations strategies and professionals serving the bank’s businesses in North and South America.

Prior to working at Channel 5, I was an associate producer of PBS Television’s The Advocates, a national political affairs writer for The Boston Phoenix, a reporter for WGBH-TV’s Ten O’Clock News and political editor of The Newton Times.

I am very proud of the numerous awards I won in journalism, including three New England Emmy Awards and, for five consecutive years, the National Award for Excellence in Television Editorials from the National Broadcast Editorial Association. In 2015,  Regis College conferred on me an honorary doctorate of humane letters, and, in 2019, I was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame.  I am also pleased to have been honored by others, including United Press International (UPI). Associated Press, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association, the Massachusetts National Guard, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the YWCA and the Big Sisters Association of Greater Boston.

Today, I am an adviser emerita of the Boston Symphony Orchestra  and serve on the Editorial Advisory Council of The Newton Beacon. I am a former trustee of the Association of Opinion Journalists Foundation (founded in 1947 as the National Conference of Editorial Writers Foundation, now part of The News Leaders Association), a former board member of The Boston Club and member of its Corporate Board Committee, and a former president of the National Broadcast Editorial Association.

I graduated with honor from Wellesley College and am married to James Barron, an attorney, journalist and consultant whose real-life political thriller, The Greek Connection: Elias Demetracopoulous and The Untold Story of Watergate  is now available on Amazon and elsewhere.

– Margie Arons-Barron