David Teeuwen
- November 4, 2015
- 45 years
- intestinal cancer
About David Teeuwen
David Teeuwen was a notable figure. Teeuwen died in 2015 at the age of 45.
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60 Seconds Life Story
David Teeuwen was a visionary American newspaper editor who helped pioneer the transformation of USA Today
David Teeuwen
d. 2015
60 Seconds: David Teeuwen's Life Story
A profile of David Teeuwen, the USA Today editor who pioneered digital news, and his struggle with cancer.
Transcript
David Teeuwen was a visionary American newspaper editor who helped pioneer the transformation of USA Today into a digital-first news organization. Born in 1970, he grew up in Canfield, Ohio, and studied journalism at Ohio State and Miami University. His professional journey began in radio before he joined USA Today in 1999 as a multimedia producer. Teeuwen thrived as digital and print newsrooms merged, becoming a key leader in real-time news management. In 2006, he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, a condition he courageously navigated while maintaining his demanding career for nearly a decade. Despite his persistent efforts to overcome the illness, he passed away on November 4, 2015, at the age of 45. Today, his legacy is honored through a student journalism award established at the University of Southern California.
Play the illustrated life story above, or read the full biography on this page.
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Full Biography
|David Teeuwen (June 26, 1970 – November 4, 2015) was the managing editor of USA Today where he helped pioneer digital news.[citation needed]
Early life and education
Teeuwen was born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1970, but grew up in Canfield, Ohio. He received a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Ohio State University and a master's in mass communications at Miami University in Ohio.
Career
Teeuwen began his career in radio. He worked for Radio America in Washington, D.C., hosting a daily news program. He was hired by USA TODAY, a Gannett-owned newspaper in 1999 as a multimedia producer, specializing in audio in the dotcom department which at the time was separate from the print newsroom.
Teeuwen advanced his career in the dotcom department, and was promoted to senior producer of rich media. He later became deputy editor of the design department. In the early 2000s, the department experimented with visual tools and interactive tools. He was viewed as open to new platforms and experimentation, and as one with a good sense of news and a no-nonsense approach.
In 2006, the print and dotcom news departments combined at USA TODAY. Unlike other employees with habits of the daily print cycle who struggled with embracing the digital mindset, Teeuwen who combined digital savvy with journalism seized the opportunity to advance. After the integration, he became website manager and oversaw the site's presentation and functionality.
In 2012, Teeuwen was named managing editor of real-time news by David Callaway, who himself was named editor in chief in July 2012 with a mandate to accelerate the transformation to digital-first. The newsroom was to function more like a wire service.
Illness and death
Teeuwen was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2006 which was supposedly cured after surgery and treatment. However, two years later, the cancer returned and doctors told him he would have less than 18 months to live. He continued to work while seeking other opinions and undergoing treatments. On November 4, 2015, he died of intestinal cancer at the age of 45.
A student journalism award at USC has been named in his honor.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Teeuwen
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
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