In addition to its local southern California edition, InFocus will begin publishing InFocus National, which will pilot in cities around the nation as the first step toward taking InFocus nationwide.
Other localized editions are expected to follow in the future.
In order to accommodate the new growth, InFocus is also undergoing organizational structural changes.
Former InFocus board president Saaqib Rangoowala has been hired as the newest addition to the InFocus staff team to serve as the new full-time managing editor for the newspaper.
Rangoonwala will be responsible for coordinating the InFocus National effort.
Rangoonwala has nearly 15 years of experience in the journalism field, including management.
Most recently, he served as news editor and news production agent at KFWB News 980, southern California’s only all-news radio station, and as news production agent and field reporter at KNNZ news radio.
Rangoonwala’s journalism skills are accented with his experience in business as a partner in managing an ultrasound facility in the Redlands.
"Being involved with InFocus as president and a longtime contributor over the years has been very rewarding. I’m very proud of the job our staff has done in giving a voice to the more than 600,000 Muslims living in southern California. Elected officials, civic leaders and members of the mainstream American media have taken notice," Rangoonwala said.
"Our vision is to expand into a respected, nationally recognized medium. I’m honored to be named managing editor, and with the continued support of the Muslim community, will help guide our team in taking InFocus to the next level, in sha Allah."
Former managing editor and co-founder of the newspaper, Asma Ahmad, will oversee the expansion of the newspaper as the new board president.
"As InFocus approaches its third anniversary in February, I am very happy and grateful to God for helping us come this far," Ahmad said. "InFocus was created to fill a void in the local Muslim community, we now hope to fill that void at a national level by providing quality journalism and a much-needed voice for American Muslims."
Anaheim-based Southern California InFocus was launched in February 2005 by a group of Muslim activists who wanted to make a difference by empowering the Muslim community with its own media outlet.
Through feature stories, mosque profiles, interviews of individuals who have made a difference and in-depth coverage of news stories affecting Muslims, InFocus is the first localized effort in southern California to record the American Muslim experience.
On the Web: www.infocusnews.net
