Gordon Joseloff, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who founded the WestportNow hyperlocal news site and served for eight years as Westport first selectman, passed away on Nov. 9 at the age of 75 from complications related to myelofibrosis, a blood cancer.
Born in New York City in 1945, Joseloff was raised in Westport. In 1961, he teamed up with three Westport teenagers in starting WWPT, a student-run radio station. Also during his teen years, he began his professional journalism career with reporter jobs at the Westport Town Crier and WICC-AM.
Following his 1967 graduation from Syracuse University, Joseloff worked as a reporter and editor for UPI and joined CBS News in 1975. During his 16 years at CBS News, he was stationed in Moscow and Tokyo; he covered the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the rise of the Polish trade union Solidarity and the overthrow of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos. His coverage of the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi earned him an Emmy in 1984.
Joseloff left CBS News in 1993 to join Wilton-based Simba Information, where he was the founding editor of trade journal Media Daily. In 2003, he became the founding editor and publisher of WestportNow, one of the first hyperlocal news sources based in Connecticut.
Joseloff first became involved in Westport politics in 1991, when he was elected to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). A Democrat, he served on the RTM for 14 years and was elected moderator in 1995.
In November 2005, Joseloff was elected Westport first selectman. Upon taking office, he resigned as WestportNow editor but remained as publisher. Joseloff served as first selectman until 2013, returning as editor of WestportNow after leaving elected office.
Outside of journalism and politics, Joseloff was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician and served on the advisory board of the Westport Historical Society. He was active in local nonprofits including the Westport/Weston First Night Advisory Board, the Westport League of Women Voters, the Westport Arts Center, the Westport Rotary Club and the Friends of Sherwood Island State Park.
Joseloff”™s successor as first selectman, Jim Marpe, received permission from Gov. Ned Lamont to have flags in Westport lowered at half-staff for the remainder of this week in tribute to Joseloff.
