Finding the person who holds the title of Head of Production at the NYT isn't as simple as checking a single LinkedIn profile. You’d think a legacy institution like The New York Times would have one person sitting in a high-backed chair overseeing every single thing that gets printed or posted. Reality is messier. Much messier.
The Times is a sprawling machine. It’s a newspaper, sure. But it’s also a massive podcast network, a streaming video house, a gaming app, and a recipe box. Because of that, "production" is split into different kingdoms. If you're looking for the person who makes sure the physical paper hits your doorstep or the digital code doesn't break during an election night, you're looking at several different executives depending on whether the product is video, audio, or the "Daily" itself.
The shifting roles of NYT production leaders
For a long time, the name most associated with the core of NYT’s creative output was Stephanie Preiss. As the Senior Vice President of Video and Audio Speech, she essentially acted as the head of production for the New York Times' most modern assets. Think The Daily. Think The Weekly on FX and Hulu. She wasn't just checking mic levels; she was overseeing the business strategy and the actual "making" of the content that saved the Times from the slow death of print-only media.
But then things changed.
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In the last couple of years, the Times has restructured. They move people around like chess pieces to keep up with the fact that everyone is watching news on TikTok or listening to it while they do the dishes. Sundeep Mullangi took on a massive role as the Head of Product for the Newsroom. Now, is "Product" the same as "Production"? In the tech world, yes. In the old-school journalism world, maybe not. Mullangi’s job is basically ensuring that the way you consume news—the actual digital interface—is produced flawlessly.
Why the distinction matters
If you’re a filmmaker or a producer trying to pitch a show, you aren't looking for a "Head of Production" in the traditional Hollywood sense. You’re looking for someone like Kelly Alfieri, who has spent years as the Head of Video Operations. Or you’re looking at the executive producers of specific desks.
The New York Times doesn't really have a "Chief Production Officer." They have a Chief Product Officer, currently Alex Hardiman. Hardiman is a powerhouse. She’s the one who bridges the gap between the journalism (the "what") and the delivery (the "how"). Under her, the "production" of the Times has shifted from just ink on paper to a multi-platform experience that includes Wordle and NYT Cooking.
Honestly, it’s kind of a maze.
The logistics of "The Daily" and high-stakes audio
Let's talk about the audio side, because that’s where the real production heavy lifting happens now. The "Head of Production" vibe lives within the audio department. Theo Balcomb was the pioneering producer who helped launch The Daily, but as the show grew into a monster with millions of listeners, the leadership expanded.
Production at this level is insane. You’ve got:
- Engineers who handle the "technical production."
- Story editors who handle the "editorial production."
- Executive producers who handle the "money and people."
When you hear people talk about the Head of Production at the NYT, they are often referring to the leadership within NYT Audio. This department is currently overseen by people like Paula Szuchman, the Director of Audio. She’s essentially the one making sure the trains run on time for every podcast the company puts out. If the audio is fuzzy or the story structure is weak, it falls on that team.
Modern production isn't just about printing presses
It used to be simple. The head of production was the person who ran the printing plants in College Point, Queens. They dealt with ink costs, paper weight, and delivery trucks.
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That still exists! Someone still has to make sure the physical paper is printed. But the "Head of Production" in 2026 is much more likely to be a software engineer or a video executive. The Times has leaned so hard into their "Digital First" strategy that the "production" team now includes hundreds of developers.
Shailesh Prakash, who came over from the Washington Post to be the Chief Product and Technology Officer (though he eventually moved on), represented that bridge. The production is now the code. If the website goes down, the "production" has failed.
The creative side of production
Then you have the NYT Licensing Group and the T Brand Studio. These are the folks who produce "native advertising" or "branded content." It’s still production, but it’s for clients.
The leadership there is entirely separate from the newsroom. This is a crucial "church and state" divide at the Times. The person producing a documentary for the newsroom is not the same person producing a sleek video for a luxury car brand in the T Brand Studio.
How the NYT organizes its top-tier talent
To understand who is actually in charge, you have to look at the masthead. The masthead is the holy grail of NYT hierarchy.
- A.G. Sulzberger: The Publisher. He’s the boss of everyone, but he’s not "producing" the day-to-day.
- Meredith Kopit Levien: The CEO. She’s the business mind. She decides if they should buy The Athletic or Wordle.
- Joseph Kahn: The Executive Editor. He’s the head of the news, but he’s not a "producer."
The "Head of Production" equivalent usually sits just below these names. They are the "VP of Operations" or the "Head of Newsroom Strategy." It’s the people like Monica Drake, who was the first Black woman on the masthead and has a huge hand in how the Times projects itself to the world.
What people get wrong about the role
People often think the "Head of Production" is a creative director. It’s not. A creative director cares about the font and the vibe. A production head cares about the delivery.
Can we scale this?
Is the budget blown?
Do we have the rights to this music?
Did the push notification go out to 10 million people at the exact same time?
It’s a high-stress, behind-the-scenes role. You only notice them when something breaks. When the New York Times app crashed during the 2020 election results? That was a production nightmare. When the print edition was delayed because of a software glitch? Production nightmare.
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Actionable insights for dealing with NYT Production
If you’re trying to land a job or pitch a project to the Times, stop looking for a "Head of Production" title. You won't find it in a way that makes sense. Instead, do this:
- Identify the Vertical: Are you pitching audio? Look for the Executive Producer of Audio. Are you pitching a visual investigation? Look for the Head of Video.
- Follow the Product Team: If you’re a tech person, look at the "Product" team, not "Production." That’s where the software and app magic happens.
- Check the Masthead Regularly: The Times updates its leadership more often than you’d think. People get promoted, desks get merged, and new roles are created (like "Head of Generative AI Strategy") that take over old production duties.
- Understand the "Desk" System: The Times is still divided into desks (National, International, Climate, etc.). Each desk often has its own "Deputy Editor for Operations" who acts as a mini-head of production for that specific topic.
The Head of Production at the NYT is essentially a phantom title. It’s a decentralized responsibility shared by tech geniuses, seasoned audio veterans, and the remnants of the old-school print world. To navigate it, you have to know which "Times" you're actually talking to.
The reality of 2026 is that "production" is no longer a department. It is the entire business. From the moment a reporter types a word in a CMS to the moment a "breaking news" alert hits your Apple Watch, a dozen different "heads of production" have touched that piece of information. It’s a symphony of moving parts where no one person holds the baton for every instrument.
If you want to track these movements, the best place is actually the NYT Co corporate site under "Press Releases." They announce every major leadership change there. Or, just watch the credits at the end of their documentaries—that's where the real "Head of Production" names are hiding in plain sight.