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| Gelman |
He will report to David Payne, who was named chief digital officer in mid-March. I believe Gelman is Payne's first major hire. Such an appointment had been the subject of speculation two days ago here on Gannett Blog.
In a statement, Corporate said: "Gelman was a vice president at Examiner.com and chief operating officer at THX Ltd. From 2001 to 2008, he managed operations at CNN.com as senior vice president and executive producer, extending the CNN brand to multiple digital platforms and achieving double-digit revenue and traffic growth for eight consecutive years. Gelman and Payne worked together to relaunch CNN.com in 2007."
Gelman also has a background in newspapering, according to the statement, which says: "In addition, Gelman worked as projects editor at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (1997-1998), editor-in-chief of ESPN.com (1995-1997) and as a reporter at New York Newsday (1986-1995) when it won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for spot news coverage of a fatal subway crash. He also worked as a stringer for Time magazine and authored six children's books for the interactive 'Play-It-Your-Way' sports series."
What does this appointment mean for:
ReplyDelete* Josh Resnik, Digital's vice president and general manager? He had reportedly been a lead candidate for the chief digital officer's job that eventually went to Payne.
* Matt Jones, Digital's vice president for mobile strategy and operations?
He rose to power at CNN.com in the wake of huge layoffs there, triggering instant resentment that he probably didn't deserve -- and he did compile quite a long record of accomplishment there and became one of the best-known online media execs in the country. OTOH, people who didn't like him called him "Arliss," in reference to the old HBO comedy about the sports agent who had no conscience.
ReplyDeleteBefore the haters jump in he shared in a Pulitzer Prize awarded to the New York Newsday staff for spot news reporting in 1992. Check out his bio. Wow!
ReplyDeleteGood bye Resnik and Jones. The time has come for you corporate wanks to leave. Although this guy doesn't sound any better. Another newsroom journalist from BIG CORPORATE AMERICA trying to save Gannett. Hey, do you think Arliss will relocate unlike his boss Payne from the failed ShortTail media company? Maybe Payne will bring back his buddy Jeff Webber!
ReplyDeleteShort this stock now!!!
Adios!
He bails in two years. Tops.
ReplyDeleteGelman was involved in bringing "iReport" to CNN.com -- it's a special area of the website where users can upload uncensored news videos of their own.
ReplyDeleteHere's Gelman explaining it, from 2008:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCnFFw7xu3E
Here's a live story about how iReport is doing well & CNN is looking to expand the concept:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn-expanding-ireport-on-fifth-anniversary_b78950
Isn't Resnik going to be in charge of Deal Chicken now? Maybe I misheard something.
ReplyDeleteWhat's going to happen when Hunke's band of Merrymen decide find the jobs they REALLY wanted and blow-off USAT. Let's face it, most of them are here because their former companies cast them off and this was the best they could get. Well, we legacy employees at USAT deserve a hell of alot better. Talk to us sometime....we actually know what the hell we're doing. And we'll be here to undue this mess when they all leave.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Mitch. It will be great to have someone on staff that has your kind of experience and success on their bio. We need about 50 more. Onward and upward friends!!!!
ReplyDeleteJim has a Mirror award and Mitch has a Pulitzer. Yep let's blast Gelman
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great hire. Hard to imagine anyone with a better resume. Welcome aboard. I'll give him a chance before I start the bashing.
ReplyDelete1:46 ... I don't see where Jim has blasted Gelman. All he did was post the news release and pose a question regarding the future of a couple of other Gannett employees.
ReplyDeleteYou, on the other hand, seem to be a lot like the mouth breathers who post comments on Gannett newspaper websites - guilty of making comments while completely ignoring the facts.
3:08 I was not blasting Jim. I was blasting the haters that will jump on anyone that is new. This guy is the real deal and may actually help us get through this terrible time. But thanks for the kind words about my character
ReplyDeleteThe show was actually called "Arli$$." You know, with dollar signs instead of S's because he was greedy.
ReplyDeleteThat show was f*cking terrible, too.
How many new V.P.'s has Gannett announced in the recent past?
ReplyDeleteA good journalist hired for leadership? Cool. May that idea go viral. The all-marketing-all-the-time crew might learn what they're supposedly selling. Please, Mr. Gelman, please let your inner journalist show.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Gelman appointment was just announced, he's been around for months and was instrumental in helping Payne to develop his big plan that was taken to the Gannett Board a few weeks ago. Expect at least two more major VP additions for Digital in the coming weeks and months. One for Platforms and one for New Products.
ReplyDeleteIs he related to Bud Gelman, that old cluless guy from the Letterman show? Sure looks like him.
ReplyDeleteNothing could be worse than what we have now at USA TODAY's do-nothing IT. Welcome to the new team!
ReplyDeleteJones is reporting to Gelman. Resnik is reported to be taking a broader business role within the company that involves M&A.
ReplyDeleteAll of Digital IT now reports to Steve Murphy, including USAT. Murphy reports to Payne.
ReplyDeleteMatt Jones is a good man, and really smart. The hope is he will survive and thrive in the new structure.
ReplyDeleteHow do these oh so busy peeps spend their days? Redoing the management flow charts? The actual job descriptions defy common sense descriptions. Or needs.
ReplyDeleteI hope like hell Matt Jones stays on. He single-handidly launched several USAT mobile products before mobile became sexy around here. Let's hope the newbees ask a few questions first beofre they make any moves.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to Jennifer Carroll?
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