Courier-Post Publisher Tim Dowd is no longer publisher at the newspaper in Cherry Hill, N.J., according to a Gannett Blog reader. He's been replaced by Executive Editor Gene Williams, who will be the paper's general manager -- the downsized version of a publisher's job, my reader tells me.
Dowd had been publisher since August 2009. Williams has been the newsroom's top executive since May 25. Previously, he was executive editor and general manager at The Star Press in Muncie, Ind.
Dowd had been publisher since August 2009. Williams has been the newsroom's top executive since May 25. Previously, he was executive editor and general manager at The Star Press in Muncie, Ind.
Dowd was a dud! He did not appear interested in his job nor the property and was vocal about not liking the area. Now they need to clean house in the ad sales department starting with the AD and the two direct reports.
ReplyDeleteWe seem to be cleaning out a lot of publishers who, in previous years, I think would have coasted in their posts. I really don't understand the need for this position since the Crystal Towers calls all the shots.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Cherry Hill is going to join the fold.
ReplyDeleteCherry Hill is circling the drain!
ReplyDeleteThe way things have been going at Cherry Hill there's hardly a need for a general manager.
ReplyDeleteIt's clear the Cherry Hill has been downgraded. It's the only paper of its size in Gannett that does not have a publisher, perhaps because the paper is losing money and the company isn't keen on investing in the property.
ReplyDeleteThere has been no spark of interest in South Jersey from Williams, who trots out tired ideas -- topics rather than stories -- that could be launched anywhere. The highlights in his meetings with editorial: his fondness for cake and his impending retirement.
This is the second publisher to be ousted in NJ in a month. Even though Cherry Hill is in a different reporting scheme (it is under the control of Wilmington), this month's departure of Cavone in Morristown is the second signal the bench is thin and the need for a top-level leader is minimal at best. Combine with the ouster of Westchester, perhaps it's just time for Gannett to give up on this neck of the woods
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Joe Cavone, he was nothing more than a classic empty suit who slung the crap in a classic way: say nothing, do nothing and a former water-boy for the tyrant Bob Collins when at the Asbury Park Press.
ReplyDeleteDowd is another story. He was sent into Cherry Hill after Gannet got rid of Walt Lafferty. Still can't decide which of them was/is more useless and incompetent. Gannett just needs to close or sell (if anyone would pay) the courierpost. It has been completely destroyed over the last 5 years or so. Any quality employees are long gone and the place is loaded with losers who keep hangining on because (many) have their noses firmly planted you know where.
Dear friends at C-P:
ReplyDelete1. Be the print newspaper you are. Print first, digital later. Stop chasing digital nickels instead of print dollars.
2. Re-invest in editorial, especially sports. It'll bring readers back.
3. Cut the strings between sales and editorial. This will free up reporters to do real news stories instead of advertorials dictated by relationships with advertisers.
4. Cut the booty photo shots taken in bars from your website and respect yourself a little bit.
5. Stick to your own coverage area in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. People read your paper for local coverage, not retread stories from sister papers in NJ. Local, local, local!
2:12 p.m. agree with everything you say, but, alas, it will not happen.
ReplyDeleteWonder if this means Williams will have more or less time for his movie/entertainment blog and whether he will be spending more or less time in South Jersey.
isnt the problem with Cherry Hill that it goes back to when Bob Collins left and he tried to continue to run it his way from afar? that approach never let that propery run on its own to really compete with the Inky and dominate the market. collins went to asbury, saw some fat and chopped away at it, gutting the paper there. at the same time, his star started to rise again so the cutting mentality went statewide and that's when the paper lost its way, lost the marketplace and lost its purpose. too bad the perfect storm continued with the internet exploding and newspapers started to really tank. with the inky on the ropes, they had a perfect opportunity to win and instead they petered out, lost good people, went through publishers like it was a drive-through at mc donald's. it's a shame, because the market needs a good voice and it has none ... feel really bad for the handful of good people who still struggle to try and put out a decent product against very long odds ...
ReplyDeleteNothing is ever good enough. The last three Pubs at CH were all "dunces" according to posters on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI heard Big Al was coming out of retirement to go there, because he's the only one up to standards of this blog. Just sayin.
Oh 2:12, if only it could happen. From your finger tips to God's ears as they say. Except the "Gods" here worship at the altar of short term gain at the expense of the long term. And that means cut instead of invest.
ReplyDeleteThey will not invest in the expense of building your market (local news) giving people what they want (local news and sports and relevant, regional coverage, not regional disguised to look local.) and finding ways to make the internet product pay. That could lead to long term growth, but this company isn't about that any more.
The analysts predictions Jim linked to are frightening at best, both for the employee and the shareholder and are clear evidence of a vacuum of real leadership at the top of this company. Even a dumb reporter who doesn't have an MBA can see where this is headed unless something changes.