The Ross School of Business recently welcomed Ben Collins, journalist and CEO of The Onion, as the speaker for the fourth annual Mitchell Lecture Series. Collins previously worked as a senior reporter at NBC News, where he won an Emmy and Walter Cronkite Award. He also worked as a senior editor at The Daily Beast.

In a conversation with Sharon F. Matusik, Edward J. Frey Dean of Business, Collins described his early career as a journalist, how he founded Global Tetrahedron to purchase The Onion in 2024, the business practices and strategies he has implemented since becoming CEO, and his recent and highly-publicized bid to purchase Infowars.

Collins discussed the importance of doing the right thing in business, journalism, and satire. He explained how The Onion staff navigates ethics while incorporating humor into stories and how satire and humor can be used to emphasize the truth. 

Throughout the talk, Collins often drew on his life experiences to illustrate how his commitment to the truth has guided his career. He shared the story of when he received the Walter Cronkite Award and how, in his acceptance speech, he encouraged others to always pursue the truth, even if it is contrary to what the leaders around you are saying. He ended that story by offering the following advice to the audience:

“Sometimes you have to do the scary and right thing, even if there is no next step out there,” said Collins. “When it comes down to sacrificing your ethics for a job, do not do it.”

The Mitchell Lecture Series highlights industry and thought leaders who demonstrate the importance of ethics in their work and who are making an impact in media and business.

The Mitchell Lecture, funded by the Patricia W. Mitchell Trusts, honors the legacy of John H. Mitchell, the founder of Columbia Pictures Television, and his wife, Patricia Mitchell. In 2019, Patricia W. Mitchell Trusts endowed $5 million to the University of Michigan to establish the Mitchell Program, which supports students at Michigan Ross and the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts through internship and scholarship opportunities to support students in the entertainment industry and students who are dedicated to ethical business practices.