Career
Gingras has been an outspoken proponent for journalistic innovation on the Internet. Gingras is currently senior director of news and social products at Google where he oversees Google News and various areas of product development relating to Google’s social products. Until July, 2011, Gingras was Chief Executive Officer of Salon Media Group which operates the news site Salon.com and the pioneering virtual community The Well.
Gingras has had a long association with Salon having assembled its initial seed financing in 1995.
During 2007 and 2008, Gingras served as a strategic advisor to the executive team at Google focusing on strategies relating to the evolution of news and television In 2002, Gingras co-founded Goodmail Systems and served as its Chief Executive Officer and chairman.
Goodmail Systems developed certified email services offered through large email providers including Yahoo and America Online. Gingras also served as interim president of MyPublisher from 2000-2001 and guided the design of a custom hardcover photo book service introduced by Apple Computer as part of iPhoto.
From early 1996 to mid 2000, Gingras led online service efforts at ExciteHome as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company"s consumer-focused product division, Excite Studios.
At Apple Computer in the early 1990s Gingras led the development of the online service eWorld. A pre-Web online service, eWorld was considered innovative for its time, but it was expensive and failed to attract a high number of subscribers. The service was only available on the Macintosh, though a Personal Computer version had been planned.
Following the merger of Home with Excite, Gingras became Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company"s consumer-focused product division, Excite Studios.
Gingras"s work in interactive digital media began In 1979, when he produced one of the first interactive online news magazine which was delivered to several hundred test households using interactive television technology known as broadcast teletext. Gingras led the effort for the Public Broadcasting Service service (KCET in Los Angeles) which also included service components for use in schools.
From 1983 to 1986, Gingras assembled and managed a network of television stations in the top fifty United States markets to provide sideband data distribution for a news and advertising service, Silent Radio, that was presented on electronic displays in retail locations.