Who is Jason Snell from Jeopardy? Meet the Veteran Apple Journalist, Podcaster, and Founder of Six Colors

Jason Snell is an American journalist, editor, podcaster, and digital publisher based in Mill Valley, California. Widely known for his coverage of Apple, Macintosh computers, and the broader technology industry, Snell has spent more than three decades working in technology journalism and online publishing. His work spans magazines, websites, podcasts, and digital media platforms, where he has built a reputation as one of the most recognizable voices covering Apple and consumer technology.

In addition to his technology reporting, Snell also writes and podcasts about pop culture topics including science fiction, television, movies, and streaming media. His appearance as a contestant on Jeopardy brings attention to a long career that began in the early days of internet publishing and evolved into leadership roles at major technology publications.

Early Life and Education

Jason Snell was born on October 6, 1970, in Oakland, California. He spent much of his childhood in Sonora, a town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada about 100 miles east of San Francisco. He attended Sonora High School and graduated in 1988 before continuing his education in Southern California.

Snell enrolled at Revelle College at the University of California, San Diego, where he studied from 1988 to 1992. While attending UC San Diego, he became heavily involved in campus journalism. He worked for the UCSD Guardian newspaper for three years and eventually served as editor in chief. His involvement in student journalism helped shape his early career interests in media and publishing.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication before continuing his education at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. At Berkeley he earned a Master of Journalism degree in 1994, gaining formal training that helped launch his professional career in technology reporting.

Early Internet Publishing and Digital Projects

While still a university student, Snell became involved in early online publishing during the formative years of the internet. In 1991 he founded InterText, an online fiction magazine that published short stories and literary works on the internet. InterText became one of the early digital literary magazines and continued operating until 2004.

During this period he was also involved in several other early internet publishing projects. These included work connected to online publications such as Quanta, Athene, and FSFnet, all part of the experimental online publishing landscape of the early 1990s.

In 1996 he also co-founded TeeVee.org, an internet site dedicated to television commentary and humor. The site gained a following among early internet users interested in television criticism and pop culture discussion.

These projects demonstrated Snell’s early interest in digital media, long before online publishing became the dominant platform for journalism and entertainment commentary.

Career at MacUser, Macworld, and IDG

Jason Snell began his professional journalism career in 1994 at MacUser magazine. After completing an internship and freelance work with the publication, he joined the magazine’s editorial staff full time.

In 1997 MacUser was absorbed into Macworld, another major publication focused on Apple products and the Macintosh ecosystem. Snell moved to Macworld and began what would become a long career with the publication and its parent company, IDG.

Over the course of more than two decades, he held numerous editorial leadership positions. These roles included Senior Associate Editor, Senior Editor, Executive Editor, Editor of Macworld.com, Editor, Editor in Chief, Editorial Director, and eventually Senior Vice President and Editorial Director for IDG Consumer & SMB.

In these positions he oversaw editorial teams responsible for publications including Macworld, PCWorld, TechHive, and Greenbot. His leadership helped shape the editorial direction of some of the most influential technology publications covering personal computing.

In 2006 he was named the sixth most powerful or influential person in the world of Macintosh computing by the MDJ Power 25 list, reflecting his influence in the Apple journalism community.

Founding Six Colors and Independent Publishing

After leaving IDG in 2014, Snell launched an independent editorial website called Six Colors. The site focuses primarily on Apple news, technology analysis, and podcasting.

Six Colors operates on a member-supported model, allowing readers to financially support the publication directly. The site provides in-depth reporting and commentary about Apple products, software updates, and industry developments.

Snell serves as founder and editor of Six Colors and remains actively involved in writing and editing content for the site. In addition to his work there, he continues to contribute as a columnist for Macworld.

He is also the author of the technology guide Take Control of Photos, which provides detailed instruction on using Apple’s Photos software.

Podcasting and The Incomparable Network

In addition to journalism, Jason Snell has built a large following as a podcaster. In 2010 he launched The Incomparable, originally a weekly panel podcast discussing science fiction, fantasy, comic books, books, movies, and television.

The show later expanded into a full podcast network that includes more than twenty different programs covering technology, television, movies, and pop culture. The network has attracted a large audience of listeners interested in geek culture and entertainment media.

The Incomparable won the Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Fan or News Podcast in 2012, 2015, and 2016. These awards recognize excellence in speculative fiction and science communication podcasts.

Across The Incomparable network, Relay FM, TWiT, and Six Colors, Snell has hosted or co-hosted numerous podcasts. These include Upgrade with Myke Hurley, Downstream, Liftoff, Robot or Not?, The Incomparable Mothership, Six Colors, and MacBreak Weekly.

He has also hosted seasonal podcasts focused on television series such as Star Trek, Doctor Who, For All Mankind, and Magnum, P.I.

Board Leadership and Industry Influence

Beyond journalism and podcasting, Snell has also been involved in nonprofit and literary initiatives. He served on the board of National Novel Writing Month, often referred to as NaNoWriMo, from 2011 to 2017.

During that time he also served as board chair from 2016 to 2018. The organization supports writers around the world who participate in the annual November challenge to write a novel within one month.

His broader professional specialties include technology journalism, editorial management, online publishing, podcast production, and digital media development.

Personal Life

Jason Snell lives in Mill Valley, California, with his wife and their two children. His online presence often references the location as “Monkeyhouse, Mill Valley, CA,” a playful nickname used in his public profiles.

He is active on social media under the handle @jsnell and maintains a strong following among technology readers and podcast listeners.

In March 2026, Snell announced that he had been selected as a contestant on Jeopardy, with his episode scheduled to air on March 19, 2026.

Name: Jason Snell
Location and Residence: Mill Valley, California, United States. Born in Oakland, California. Grew up in Sonora, California in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Profession and Jobs: Journalist, podcaster, writer, editor, technology columnist, digital publisher. Founder and editor of Six Colors. Founder and host of The Incomparable podcast network. Macworld columnist. Former Senior Vice President and Editorial Director at IDG Consumer & SMB and Editor in Chief of Macworld. Author of Take Control of Photos.
Gender and Sex: Male
Age and Date of Birth: Born October 6, 1970. Age 55.
Nationality and Ethnicity: American
Education and School: Sonora High School (1988). University of California, San Diego, Revelle College (B.A. in Communication, 1992). University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism (Master of Journalism, 1994).
Relationships (Married/Dating/Sexuality) and Family: Married, lives with his wife and has two children.
Biography and More Details: Veteran technology journalist known for covering Apple, Macintosh computers, and the broader tech industry. Founder of Six Colors and host of The Incomparable podcast network. Former longtime editorial leader at Macworld and IDG. Early internet publisher who launched the online fiction magazine InterText in 1991 and co-founded TeeVee.org in 1996. Podcast host across multiple networks including Relay FM and TWiT. Winner of multiple Parsec Awards for podcasting and recognized as one of the most influential figures in Macintosh journalism.