New Washington Post Executive Editor

[MileHigh]

Marcus Brauchli is out and Marty Baron comes down from the Boston Globe. Before Boston, Marty ran the newsroom at the Miami Herald.

http://jimromenesko.com/2012/11/13/baron-named-washington-post-executive-editor/

 

[Drip]

Comment Moddy?

 

[Moderator1]

Why on earth would I comment?

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Speaking strictly as a reader, not as a former journalist, the Globe under Baron has slipped gently but markedly in quality in his tenure. There are still plenty of good journalists doing fine work at the paper, but overall, the fact is Boston is a much more interesting place than you would think if your only exposure to it was the Globe.

 

[Drip]

Why on earth would I comment?

Just thought you might have a take on it.

 

[Moderator1]

I don't work at the Post (though it has been one of my favorite papers my entire life and remains one of my favorites). I don't know any of the people involved.

 

[Drip]

I don't work at the Post (though it has been one of my favorite papers my entire life and remains one of my favorites). I don't know any of the people involved.

Good enough. From a competition standpoint, I was curious to see if you had a take. Nothing more.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Speaking strictly as a reader, not as a former journalist, the Globe under Baron has slipped gently but markedly in quality in his tenure. There are still plenty of good journalists doing fine work at the paper, but overall, the fact is Boston is a much more interesting place than you would think if your only exposure to it was the Globe.

Is that because Marty Baron is a bad editor or inevitable given the cutbacks all papers have faced?

 

[Tom Petty]

I don't work at the Post (though it has been one of my favorite papers my entire life and remains one of my favorites). I don't know any of the people involved.

Good enough. From a competition standpoint, I was curious to see if you had a take. Nothing more.

all that much more reason for him to say: "Why on earth would I comment?"

 

[Drip]

I don't work at the Post (though it has been one of my favorite papers my entire life and remains one of my favorites). I don't know any of the people involved.

Good enough. From a competition standpoint, I was curious to see if you had a take. Nothing more.

all that much more reason for him to say: "Why on earth would I comment?"

Not really TP but just wanted to see if he had a take on it.

 

[Riptide]

What was the take on Baron inside the Globe, and inside the Miami Herald before that?

 

[Tom Petty]

I don't work at the Post (though it has been one of my favorite papers my entire life and remains one of my favorites). I don't know any of the people involved.

Good enough. From a competition standpoint, I was curious to see if you had a take. Nothing more.

all that much more reason for him to say: "Why on earth would I comment?"

Not really TP but just wanted to see if he had a take on it.

ok, bud.

 

[Drip]

What was the take on Baron inside the Globe, and inside the Miami Herald before that?

What foolishness are you trolling about?

 

[steveu]

Have a take, don't suck. <jimromereference>

Seriously, one of the things I had read... and I'm pretty sure this pertains to local NEWS coverage in the Post... is the incoming editors felt there wasn't enough local copy. Metro usually has 8-10 pages and only five or six stories are locally based, or something like that.

I don't think we're going to start seeing high school football and such in the Post (their varsity coverage is usually web-only, I believe... correct me if I'm wrong), but maybe we may see a local-local-local push.

 

[Drip]

Have a take, don't suck. <jimromereference>

Seriously, one of the things I had read... and I'm pretty sure this pertains to local NEWS coverage in the Post... is the incoming editors felt there wasn't enough local copy. Metro usually has 8-10 pages and only five or six stories are locally based, or something like that.

I don't think we're going to start seeing high school football and such in the Post (their varsity coverage is usually web-only, I believe... correct me if I'm wrong), but maybe we may see a local-local-local push.

Many have been calling for that for years Steve. If that happens, perhaps there would be some employment possibilities.

 

[Riptide]

What was the take on Baron inside the Globe, and inside the Miami Herald before that?

What foolishness are you trolling about?

Sorry to interrupt, Cronkite. Please, return to your interview with Moddy.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Have a take, don't suck. <jimromereference>

Seriously, one of the things I had read... and I'm pretty sure this pertains to local NEWS coverage in the Post... is the incoming editors felt there wasn't enough local copy. Metro usually has 8-10 pages and only five or six stories are locally based, or something like that.

I don't think we're going to start seeing high school football and such in the Post (their varsity coverage is usually web-only, I believe... correct me if I'm wrong), but maybe we may see a local-local-local push.

They do a lot of preps stuff in the sports page. Especially on Saturday mornings during football season. Not at all web-only.

But the Metro section has really taken a dive. Content is a lot thinner than it should be, and to call one of the Metro columnists a total bore still makes her appear more interesting than she is. Some of the writers are really good and do a great job. There's just not enough of them.

 

[Hoos3725]

I believe 3 of the 4 prep positions turned over during the summer. And, they just got a new editor this week. Their prep staff has done some great enterprise work in the past. It's just been a rough few months for them as they've gone through so many transitions.

 

[steveu]

Thanks for the preps clarification. It didn't seem like many prep events were covered the last time I was there, but it was spring break week for most schools.

 

[TheHacker]

If this is accurate, there's now an internal Post memo that says they have an "urgent need to reduce costs."

Not good.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2012/12/04/washington-post-vp-paper-faces-urgent-need-to-reduce-costs/