Hello!

My name is John Ferrannini and I’m an assistant news editor with the Bay Area Reporter, the newspaper-of-record of San Francisco’s LGBTQ community and America’s oldest continuously-published paper of its kind. Since starting at the B.A.R. in 2019, and with a brief stint at KRON4.com as a morningside digital producer in 2022, I’ve extensively covered crime, courts, policymaking, local and state politics, nonprofits, small businesses, county commission and City Hall meetings, neighborhood groups, religion and spirituality, sports, and education, particularly though by no means exclusively with an eye toward the LGBTQ community.

In the lead up to the 2024 election, I had the opportunity to interview the leading candidates for San Francisco mayor as they campaigned in the Castro,  as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. I also traveled to Israel and East Jerusalem to cover the war in Gaza.

 This year, I’ve been at the forefront of reporting on how the Lurie administration, allies and stakeholders attempt to follow through on their stated goal of returning San Francisco — felled amid voter rage over crime and corruption —  to preeminence. I also covered the most recent of the recalls that has embroiled the city.

I’ve won numerous awards from the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association and the San Francisco Press Club, including first place for election 2024 coverage, first place for faith and religion coverage, and first place for newspapers non-daily news stories. I have also twice been selected as a fellow with the Gerontological Society of America.

My work has also been featured in the Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, the Noe Valley Voice, the Potrero View, J. The Jewish News of Northern California, The Hill, EDGE Media Network, Philadelphia Gay News, Out in Jersey, and Out South Florida.

I’ve also been a featured guest on TV and radio; specifically, KQED News and Out Cincinnati.

Prior to moving to San Francisco in 2018, I graduated Sacramento State University, where I served as co-editor-in-chief, among other roles, at The State Hornet, the student-run newspaper. Prior to that l also served as editor-in-chief The Current at American River College (fall 2015) and The Mirada at Rio Americano High School (Aug. 2012-May 2013). The State Hornet won the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker in 2017 for the semester I served as editor-in-chief, and The Current won the Journalism Association of Community Colleges Pacesetter Award in 2016 for the semester I served as editor-in-chief — the first times in recent memory those programs had been so awarded.

Under ‘Portfolio’ you can see samples of my work. Thank you for visiting and contact me if you have news tips or other comments or questions.