Philly Inquirer owners suing paper

And this just in.
Statement from the Majority Owners on Today’s Decision to Re-Install Marimow as Editor of the Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA: The following is a statement from Dan Fee, the spokesman for the majority owners, who together own 58% of IGM and represent four of six directors.

“Interstate General Media and General American Holdings, representing George E. Norcross, III, will be filing an appeal on an expedited basis of today’s decision to reinstate Bill Marimow.

The decision to return Marimow to the Inquirer as a lame duck editor – his contract ends April 30th – will have the effect of risking chaos in the company, restoring an editor who consistently resisted needed changes to the paper and who is in open conflict with the Publisher, Bob Hall, who the court decreed will remain in his position. The ruling ensures that every newsroom decision will require the joint agreement of the Managing Members, subjecting the company to paralysis.

Minority owner Lewis Katz, who brought the lawsuit, testified under oath that he believed it appropriate for an owner to be able to influence the operations of the newsroom, including the hiring and firing of journalists, with no set standards for how far or how often they can reach in to influence coverage. That would render the non-interference pledge meaningless because the power to fire is the power to influence coverage. Given that Nancy Phillips, Katz’ girlfriend, testified under oath that she created an “official version” of how Marimow was hired, it is difficult to understand how they can continue to assert they are protecting the ‘integrity’ of journalism.

We believe today’s decision is wrong and will harm the journalistic independence and operations of the newsroom. In newspapers across the country, it is the Publisher who has the right to make personnel
decisions, including the hiring and firing of the editor as Publisher Bob Hall did when he removed Bill Marimow as editor of the Inquirer. The court affirmed that Hall was the Publisher and his authority to
remove Marimow should have likewise been affirmed.”

 

And the hits just keep on coming for this once proud publication.
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20140103_ap_9a158ef3b2bf44259836f95d7aff97c5.html

 

I haven't read any of his other books but Homicide is a great book (and I haven't heard any quibbles about his reporting in it.) He might be a blowhard but at one time at least, he was also a really, really good journalist.