Ryan Nerz is joining the ABC/Univision network Fusion as Chief Cannabis Correspondent. It’ll be the first such job title at a news network. Nerz, who has written for NPR, Esquire, and the History Channel, will contribute regularly to Fusion’s digital and TV platforms. The Yale-educated Nerz is the author of MARIJUANAMERICA: One Man’s Quest to Understand America’s Dysfunctional Love Affair with Weed.
Nerz’s hire comes a few months after the legalization of recreational marijuana in two states: Colorado and Washington. Nine other states allow medical marijuana use and decriminalize recreational use. In November, The Denver Post named entertainment reporter Ricardo Baca to the marijuana beat.
The coverage of cannabis has also been a boon to networks like CNBC which have generated strong ratings for documentaries on the subject.