PRESS RELEASE:Hearst Newspapers Announces Management Realignment as Part of Its a oe100 Days of Changea Initiative
February 05, 2009 10:39 AM Eastern Time
NEW YORK--Hearst Newspapers today announced a realignment of its newspaper management as a part of its “100 Days of Change” initiative. The following promotions are effective today:
Mark E. Aldam, publisher of the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., becomes senior vice president of Hearst Newspapers with responsibilities as group publisher for eight daily newspapers and six Connecticut weeklies.
George R. Hearst III, vice president, associate publisher and general manager of the Times Union, succeeds Aldam as publisher of the Albany newspaper.
John J. DeAugustine, circulation director at the Times Union, becomes publisher of the Connecticut Post in Bridgeport. He succeeds Robert H. Laska, who retired.
Michelle R. McAbee, currently general manager of the Hearst-owned Brooks Community Newspapers in Fairfield County, Conn., takes on the additional duties of publisher of The Advocate of Stamford and Greenwich Time.
She succeeds John M. Dunster, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.
The announcements were made by Frank A. Bennack, Jr., vice chairman and chief executive officer, Hearst Corporation, parent company of Hearst Newspapers; and Steven R. Swartz, president of Hearst Newspapers.
“These four outstanding executives are each innovators and agents of change,” Bennack said. “They will harness the ideas and energy of our talented colleagues to make sure that, even in these tough times, we deliver superior value to our readers and advertisers, while also taking the tough steps necessary to get our costs in line with new economic realities.”
Swartz added: “‘100 Days of Change’ is something that all of our newspapers are invested in. We will not stand idle; we have been working for some time on reinventing our businesses while demonstrating to advertisers and readers the exceptional value that newspapers deliver. We believe in the future of newspapers—in print and online—and I'm confident that the management team we’re announcing today will tackle the challenges we face.”
The “100 Days of Change” initiative, launched December 17, is aimed at challenging traditional thinking across Hearst Newspapers in order to retool the business of newspaper publishing.
Mark E. Aldam
In addition to the Times Union, Connecticut Post, The Advocate and Greenwich Time, Aldam’s management purview includes The News-Times in Danbury, Conn., Huron Daily News and Midland Daily News in Michigan, Edwardsville Intelligencer in Illinois and six weekly newspapers in Fairfield County. Aldam will continue to report to Swartz.
Aldam was named publisher of the Times Union in March 2006 and was formerly senior vice president and chief operating officer of The Hartford Courant, owned by the Tribune Company.
He joined The Courant in 1994 as advertising director and was named senior vice president and chief operating officer in 2005. Prior to that, he spent almost four years as senior vice president and general manager of the newspaper. Over the course of his career at The Courant, Aldam held positions overseeing sales, marketing and advertising. Before going to Hartford, he served as chief financial officer and assistant treasurer of Eagle Publishing Company in Pittsfield, Mass.
George R. Hearst III
“George has demonstrated great leadership at the Times Union for the past 20 years and I congratulate him on his new position as publisher,” Swartz said. “He possesses an impressive depth of knowledge in the business and editorial aspects of journalism, as well as a deep commitment to leading Hearst in this new media environment.”
George Hearst was promoted to vice president, associate publisher and general manager of the Times Union in March 2006. Prior to that, he served as the Times Union’s vice president and associate publisher beginning in 1998, where he provided leadership to the strategic development and marketing areas and information technology departments. George Hearst also led several multi-million dollar capital renewal programs during this period, including the implementation of digital publishing standards and content systems for news and advertising.
His experience at the Times Union dates back to 1989 when he joined the company to lead its operational divisions. An advocate for the community, George Hearst is an active board member of several local organizations covering health and human services, education and the cultural arts.
John J. DeAugustine
Before joining the Times Union in 2005, DeAugustine was the vice president of circulation at the York Newspaper Company in Pennsylvania. He started his newspaper career at the Tribune Review Publishing Company in Southwestern Pennsylvania at the age of 19 while still in college at the University of Pittsburgh.
Michelle R. McAbee
McAbee has held a variety of sales executive positions in the newspaper industry, including positions at the New Haven Register and Miami Herald. She became general manager of Brooks Community Newspapers in 2008 after 10 years at Roy Publishing Company in Trumbull, Conn., where she was general manager.
“Bob Laska has served our readers and advertisers with great distinction over his 43-year career at the Connecticut Post,” Swartz said. “We thank him for that service and are pleased that he will continue to serve our Connecticut communities as a consultant to Hearst Newspapers. We also thank John Dunster for his years of service to the Connecticut newspapers and wish him well in his next endeavors.”
Hearst Corporation (http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hearst.com&esheet=5889385&lan=en_US&anchor=www.hearst.com&index=1) is one of the nation’s largest diversified media companies. Its major interests include ownership of 16 daily and 49 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Times Union; as well as interests in an additional 43 daily and 72 non-daily newspapers owned by MediaNews Group, which include the Denver Post and Salt Lake Tribune; nearly 200 magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations through Hearst-Argyle Television (NYSE:HTV) which reach a combined 18% of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, History and ESPN; as well as business publishing, including a minority joint venture interest in Fitch Ratings; Internet businesses, television production, newspaper features distribution and real estate.
Contacts:
Media
Hearst Corporation
Debra Shriver, 212-649-2461
or
Paul J. Luthringer,
212-649-2540
PLEASE SEE:
UPDATE:
12:41
Kristen Zimmer The Greenwich Post Publisher Is Also On Top Of This Story:
But The Greenwich Citizen And Greenwich Time Are Silent On The Matter
According to a press release from Hearst Newspapers, Michelle R. McAbee, currently general manager of the Hearst-owned Brooks Community Newspapers, will take on additional duties of publisher of The Advocate in Stamford and Greenwich Time. Brooks publishes the Greenwich Citizen, among other weeklies in Fairfield County....
ALSO FROM THE GREENWICH POST:
Written by Kristan Zimmer, Editor
Wednesday, February 04, 2009 14:13
Greenwich native John Dunster finished his last day as publisher of The Advocate and Greenwich Time Monday, according to a memo obtained from a staffer at Greenwich's daily newspaper.
The memo, dated Feb. 3, said Hearst expects to name a new publisher soon, “possibly by the end of the week.”
The Time has seen significant turnover in the last two years. Among the changes, The Advocate and Greenwich Time were acquired by Hearst Corp. from Tribune Co. in November of 2007. Hearst also bought Brooks Community Newspapers, which includes the Greenwich Citizen. Time editor Joseph Pisani was replaced by David Warner in June 2008. Time columnist Sarah Littman was fired in July 2008. In Jan. 2008 Jim Zebora, whose business coverage as editor of that section for the Time and The Advocate, was named managing editor. Then in January of this year he was tapped to head business coverage as the regional business editor for the Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, the Time and The Advocate. Mr. Zebora was replaced by John Breunig at The Advocate and Bruce Hunter at the Time, a former employee.
This week’s memo said upon leaving, Mr. Dunster expressed “confidence that The Advocate and Greenwich Time would weather the current financial climate.”
COMMENT:
GREENWICH POST EDITOR KRISTEN ZIMMER FORGOT ABOUT EDITOR DAVID WARNER WHO LASTED ABOUT 100 DAYS LAST SUMMER
Mr. Warner Served As Editor Between Joe Pisani And Jim Zebora.
While The Local Hearst Newspapers Have Been Silent Greenwich Blogger Chris Fountain Has Been Covering The Story At His For What Its Worth Blog
Personally I Can't Wait To Read What Bill "The Scribe Of Greenwich" Clark Writes About The New Developments At The "Yellowich Time" In His Greenwich Gossip Blog.
Here Is What Bill Said About Bruce Hunter Becoming The Fourth Greenwich Time Managing Editor In Less Than A Year.
Change, it seems, is the only constant at the Local Rag, aka Yellowwich Time. Having already announced that they will be cleaning house between now and April 1st, the Hearst Corporation is further roiling the waters by bringing back a veteran hack who was downsized over a year ago. What gives?
Bruce Hunter has long been tied to the coattails of recently-fired editor Joe Pisani, and was one of his chief underlings in the "See no evil, write no evil" school of Greenwich journalism.....
....But whatever the reason for the change, one thing is sure to remain constant: the indescribably pathetic writing, the slanted coverage, and the ongoing failure to report the real news in our fair Town.....
UPDATE #2:
1:40 PM
Local Hearst Newspaper Starts To Report On The Story
THE GREENWICH TIME
IS ONCE AGAIN
BEHIND THE TIMES:
Connecticut Post Staff
Posted: 02/05/2009 12:31:07 PM EST
Posted: 02/05/2009 12:31:07 PM EST
NEW YORK -- Hearst Newspapers on Thursday named John J. DeAugustine as publisher of the Connecticut Post and Michelle R. McAbee as publisher of The Advocate of Stamford and Greenwich Time.
Hearst promoted Mark E. Aldam, the Times Union's publisher, to senior vice president of Hearst Newspapers. He will be group publisher of eight daily newspapers and the company's six Connecticut weeklies.....
.....McAbee will add the publisher's duties to her current position as general manager of Brooks Community Newspapers, a chain of five weekly newspapers in Fairfield County, Conn. She succeeds John M. Dunster, who is leaving Hearst to pursue other opportunities.....
COMMENT:
It Looks Like New Greenwich Time Publisher Michelle McAbee Did Not Trust Failed Greenwich Time Managing Editor Bruce Hunter's Staff To Report On John "I Can't Pick A Winning Team" Dunster's Firing.
So She Had The Conneticut Post Staff Do The Reporting.
This Makes One Wonder If The New Rumor Around Town Is True.
Some Are Already Saying That Greenwich Citizen Editor And Founder Don Harrison Might Soon Be Replacing Thin Skinned Greenwich Time Managing Editor Bruce Hunter.
The Greenwich Time Soap Opera Continues.....
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