Niccolo Raffaele Barbaro (born 1952), better known as Nick Barbaro, is an American journalist and businessman who is the co-founder of The Austin Chronicle and co-creator of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival. Barbaro's contributions have helped define the Austin, Texas music community.[1]
He co-owns the South by Southwest festival, which he co-created with Roland Swenson, Louis Black and Louis Jay Meyers in 1987.[2][3] He was also the publisher of The Austin Chronicle, an alternative weekly newspaper, which he founded in 1981 with Louis Black.[4] In March 2025, Barbaro retired after 46 years and named Cassidy Frazier as the new publisher. Barbaro will remain as president of the Austin Chronicle Corporation.[5]
Barbaro is the son of Marilyn Buferd (Miss America 1946) and Francesco Barbaro, a WWII Italian submarine commander, movie agent and producer.[6] Barbaro grew up in Los Angeles and also Dallas. He attended UCLA where he developed his interest in cinema.[1]
In the mid-1970s he moved to Austin and enrolled in the University of Texas. There he earned a graduate degree in Radio, Television, and Film. While at UT he worked on The Daily Texan where he served as film critic.[1]
He lives in Austin with his wife Susan Moffat.[3]
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