Michael McCarter

Michael McCarter is the Vice President and Group Editor of the Opinion sections for USA TODAY Co., the parent company of USA TODAY. In this role, Michael oversees editorial strategy for the opinion teams and leads initiatives around Standards & Ethics across the USA TODAY Network, working with more than 2,000 journalists nationwide to uphold integrity and foster facts-first storytelling.

With over 25 years in journalism, Michael has held leadership roles that shaped newsrooms and opinion content at several publications. Before joining USA TODAY, he served as Executive Editor of the Evansville Courier & Press and Senior News Director at the Cincinnati Enquirer, following earlier editorial and photojournalism positions at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Shreveport Times, and Pensacola News Journal.

Beyond his editorial leadership, Michael has served on advisory boards for academic and tech organizations, contributing expertise on media ethics and consumer experience. He is a frequent speaker on topics such as journalistic standards, diverse viewpoints in newsrooms, and the evolving role of opinion journalism.