Cyril Josh Barker is an award-winning digital editor and journalist for the New York Amsterdam News and has been at the over 110-year-old African-American newspaper since 2007. He’s reported on a wide range of topics including politics, social justice, profiles, crime, education and arts and entertainment.
Josh serves as the newspaper’s digital editor for its online platforms. On the digital media landscape, he produces content, breaking news, uses social media to engage readers and tells stories using multimedia tools including photography, video and audio formats.
Josh is a co-host/commentator on 107.5 FM WBLS and WBAI 99.5 FM with radio legend Imhotep Gary Byrd. On the air, Josh discusses community, political, education and social issues. He has also made appearances on 1690 AM WVON in Chicago, National Public Radio (NPR), Arise News and the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN).
His writing has appeared in news outlets across the nation including the CNN News Wire, Politico, 420 Magazine, Manhattan Times, BlackPressUSA, Philadelphia Tribune, Final Call, Washington Informer, Chicago Crusader, Black Voice News, Milwaukee Courier, Baltimore Afro-American, Los Angeles Sentinel, Chicago Citizen, Dallas Weekly, Louisiana Weekly, Sacramento Observer, The Savannah Tribune, Target Market News, The Muslim Journal , African Globe, Toledo Journal, The Skanner News, The Austin Villager, Kolumn Magazine, The Jacksonville Free Press, and The New Pittsburgh Courier.
He has won several awards from the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) including first and second place awards for Best Spot/General News Story. Josh earned a first place award for his coverage on a grand jury’s decision not to indict the NYPD officer who fatally shot Ramarley Graham. He was also recognized by the Center for Community and Ethnic Media (CCEM) for his work on the Amsterdam News’ website.
Prior to working at the New York Amsterdam News he was a crime, real estate and general assignment reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser (part of the USA Today network) in Montgomery, Alabama.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Josh is a 2006 graduate of Alabama State University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Sociology.