Following is a memo USA Today General Manager Susie Ellwood just distributed to employees of the nation's No. 1 print daily and Gannett's most visible brand. Her reference in the second paragraph is to Dave Hunke. Both Hunke and John Hillkirk have held their jobs since April 2009.
From: USA Today Executive VP and GM
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 12:01 PM
Subject: Announcement
As many of you know, John Hillkirk’s passion for watchdog journalism runs deep. John, Dave and I have agreed that this is a good time to make a change in his role and he has expressed a desire to return to what he loves most about journalism, which is being engaged in the day to day creation of investigative journalism that has a positive impact on people and communities.
Today, John has been named the senior editor for investigative journalism and national enterprise reporting for USA Today. John will bring intelligence, analytical thinking, and his deep knowledge about business and how Washington works to one of the most critical areas of reporting for USA Today. He was the leading force behind the formation of our investigative unit so it’s fitting that he’ll now assume oversight of the investigative reporting team.
I know we are all excited about what John can bring to this important area of coverage for USA Today. We greatly appreciate John’s good work over the last 30 years, especially the last two years as editor during this critical transformation phase.
We will begin a national search immediately for an Editor-in-Chief for USA Today. In the interim, Executive Editor Susan Weiss will take over direction of the newsroom. Her focus will be on enhancing our capacity to deliver breaking news and coverage that engages our audiences across all of our platforms on a 24/7 basis.
In addition, Lee Horwich is being named Deputy Content Editor, overseeing Federal/Politics/Economics, and the Investigative Team. This will give us more management bandwidth and support our efforts to expand 24/7 coverage. It also allows him to continue oversight of our election plans, extremely crucial over the next 12 months, and to work with John and the investigative team on watchdog journalism.
We’ll count on you to pull together and continue to be the most innovative and preferred source of news and information that Americans know and trust.
Susie
From: USA Today Executive VP and GM
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 12:01 PM
Subject: Announcement
As many of you know, John Hillkirk’s passion for watchdog journalism runs deep. John, Dave and I have agreed that this is a good time to make a change in his role and he has expressed a desire to return to what he loves most about journalism, which is being engaged in the day to day creation of investigative journalism that has a positive impact on people and communities.
 |
| Hillkirk |
I know we are all excited about what John can bring to this important area of coverage for USA Today. We greatly appreciate John’s good work over the last 30 years, especially the last two years as editor during this critical transformation phase.
We will begin a national search immediately for an Editor-in-Chief for USA Today. In the interim, Executive Editor Susan Weiss will take over direction of the newsroom. Her focus will be on enhancing our capacity to deliver breaking news and coverage that engages our audiences across all of our platforms on a 24/7 basis.
In addition, Lee Horwich is being named Deputy Content Editor, overseeing Federal/Politics/Economics, and the Investigative Team. This will give us more management bandwidth and support our efforts to expand 24/7 coverage. It also allows him to continue oversight of our election plans, extremely crucial over the next 12 months, and to work with John and the investigative team on watchdog journalism.
We’ll count on you to pull together and continue to be the most innovative and preferred source of news and information that Americans know and trust.
Susie
Two thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. The fact that Ellwood doesn't have a replacement to announce today suggests this may have been a very abrupt decision. Ordinarily, Gannett likes to handle these things all at once.
Recall that when Hillkirk's predecessor, Ken Paulson, was hired, he simultaneously announced his entire senior editing team.
2. This will fan the rumors that Mark Silverman may be headed for this job.
Silverman, who most recently was the top editor at The Tennessean in Nashville, was a candidate for the job that Paulson eventually got.
He's now a sort of roving news executive within Corporate's News Department.
But his promotion is a long, long, long, long, long, long shot.
Possible candidates:
ReplyDelete* Weiss
* Detroit Free Press Editor Paul Anger
* Arizona Republic Editor Randy Lovely
* Des Moines Register Editor Rick Green
* Cincinnati Enquirer Editor Carolyn Washburn (but both Green and Washburn have only been in their jobs a year)
Randy Lovely has the temperament. Too early for Green. Washburn and Hunke have history that might play. Anger would be wise choice. Two choices that should be considered: Ronnie Agnew and Benny Ivory. All said, don't count out Marymont and Silverman.
ReplyDeleteYes, go get Agnew back from public radio.
ReplyDelete2:13/2:15 Ronnie Agnew left The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., to run Mississippi Public Broadcasting only four months ago. The C-L is a small, 59,000-circulation paper; that would be a huge operational leap for Agnew.
ReplyDeleteBennie Ivory is the top editor at The Courier-Journal in Lousiville, a job he's held since 1997. I suspect he's now got deep, deep roots in Louisville, and would prefer to retire there. I also doubt his family would want to relocate to McLean.
Kate Marymont is head of Corporate's News Department, and in that role is knee-deep in one of the community newspaper division's most important projects: the five-city newspaper design and production hubs. This would be a bad time for her to step away. Also, the last newspaper where she was editor was The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., -- another small (55,000-circulation) paper.
Hunke is next.
ReplyDeleteSusie E. has swung her hatchet twice since arriving in June. First, chopping down Heather Frank's empire building and raid of print reporters; and now axing Hillkirk, in order to do what? Accelerate Hunke's pie-in-the-sky plan to tap non-existent mobile advertising revenue?
ReplyDeleteJust the opposite Jim. They announced it today because there is going to be a national search. You can't do that in secret. It's good for John and its great for USAT. None of the folks listed above will be the new Editor. Think big people. By the way Jim how did you get scooped on this? Where were those great sources you are so proud of?
ReplyDeleteAnother name:
ReplyDeleteWard Bushee, whose last Gannett post as editor at The Arizona Republic. He's now top editor for the print edition of the San Francisco Chronicle -- a job he's held nearly four years in Northern California, where I believe he grew up.
Ellwood might try to tempt him with a big, big paycheck and the promise of a free hand in turning around the paper. He's got USAT roots: he was a founding editor as assistant content editor/sports in 1982.
2:27 The names listed here are among the biggest people within Gannett or with GCI ties.
ReplyDeleteIt would be very surprising for Ellwood to hire an editor from outside the company; she needs someone who already knows the secret handshake.
Nope. It won't be an insider.
ReplyDelete"management bandwidth." AKA management bullshit
ReplyDeleteNow that Hillkirk has been sideline "for his benefit" I just hope for once we go out and get the best possible candidate. Not a Gannett re-tread and certainly not an also-ran dumped from another company. We've had way, way too many of those now populating the halls and contributing next to nothing.
ReplyDelete2:43 When you say insider, do you mean someone already working in USAT -- or anyone with Gannett ties? How could a legitimate national search exclude all insiders from the git-go?
ReplyDeleteHas USAT ever had a publisher (maybe Cathie Black?) or top editor who didn't have a Gannett pedigree?
Jesus....talk about too many chiefs and not enough indians.
ReplyDeleteToo bad for Hilkirk, who was a welcome relief from Paulson, who was a detached self-promoter. As for names being floated, anyone who escaped from Gannett (Ward Bushee, Ronnie Agnew) would be fools to come back. USAT is dying.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of phonies. Posters have been pounding John for months on this blog and now the crocodile tears are flowing.
ReplyDeleteDumping Hillkirk, who never faced a decision he couldn't avoid, is an excellent move. Unfortunately, given Gannett's track record, his replacement can only be less effective. Proof? Weiss and Horwich.
ReplyDeleteIt would be beautiful if they gave it to Washburn. She is intimidated by any subordinate with talent and the courage to express independent thought. Three months at USA Today should run her out of the business forever.
ReplyDelete5:27. No one is criying over hillkirk. he was in over his head and not what the newsroom needed in terms of an advocateor a leader. He was out of touch with who actually produces what is needed for the paper. he had a tendency to be out of touch when it comes to breaking news. but at his core john is a decent person and is far more liked than most of his predecessors.
ReplyDeleteWeiss would be a fine EE. but she needs some good operational editors who think fast and smart. that excludes horvich and many others.that is what needs to be.fixed. not hiring headhunters to find a hillkirk replacement.
Such hyperbole in Ellwood's memo: USAT is "the most innovative and preferred source of news and information that Americans know and trust."
ReplyDeletePlus, I'm not sure what she's even saying. Does she mean: Among news and information sources that Americans know and trust, USAT is the most innovative and preferred?
Agree with hyperbole comment, esp after study found that USAT is not a credible brand, as opposed to say the NYT or WaPo.
ReplyDeleteUSAT does not have a legacy of distinguished editors or publishers. The myth is perpetuated by the Newsuem, which is where a bunch of these clowns went to rake enormous salaries after a career of kissing Big Al's butt. Jetcapades, Newscapades are a pathetic legacy.
Regarding my first comment about the timing: Why was it necessary to move Hillkirk into this new job before his replacement was picked?
ReplyDeleteWhy couldn't he have stayed on, rather than making Weiss the interim editor?
What's the rush?
Anger did quite the job in Des Moines and I believe is doing very well in Detroit, all things considered. he also has great Knight Ridder background. No one is more tenacious. And he is close with Hunke.
ReplyDeleteJimbo, you ought to know by now that management creedos from the CP and USA Today are vague and nonsensical. When you don't know what to say after a yet another strange hire or appointment, when you try to explain the rationale behind it and There is none, you just make up shit that your outside management consultant told you to say.
ReplyDeleteSo much crap being thrown around. It is overwhelming the bullshit detectors.
Why do this early in the day of the middle of the week, with no advance warning? Why the sense of urgency? Is there a bigger plan in the works? with no clear mission or map to get us there, why demote Hillkirk?
ReplyDeleteThe entire LIC staff in Cincinnati has signed a petition for Washburn to get the USAT job.
ReplyDeleteOoooh. A national search. For who? Just start at the wall street or new York times. Done.
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ReplyDeleteNo thanks Cinncy.
ReplyDelete9:39 "National" search once meant something more.
ReplyDeleteBut in the Internet age, every job posting to the Web reaches anyone with a computer. Ellwood might as well say she's conducting a worldwide search.
The point, I guess, is to make this job (and by extension, Ellwood and Hunke) sound very, very important.
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ReplyDeleteJim, your comments and questions on this matter are spot on. USAT in all depts is more miserable than ever.
ReplyDeleteTop candidates: Anger and Silverman by far. Anger is a fine editor and respected leader who has done well and left previous papers in better conditions. He is the frontrunner. The only thing holding back Silverman is Silverman. His notorious edge may be exactly what brass believes is needed to shake up the legacy product.
ReplyDeleteRandy is a close competitor. He has done well in Arizona and has strong ties with Dickey and Michelle. Randy is well-liked but not necessarily known for his journalistic chops. But he could do it with strong lieutenants.
Ward and Ivory were candidates before Paulson got the job. Neither wanted the job then, and I don't if they do know. Ivory, a multiple ring winner, including the President's ring, is counting down to retirement. He has no patience or desire to deal with the corporate BS. Ward is a West Coast guy, and he is happy being closer to family. Unlikely, he wants to return to the mess at USA TODAY.
Agnew is gone; not sure if Kate wants the job but her being in charge of a current project would not hinder a move for her if she wants it and brass selects her -- they'll make it work. I'm sure Kate's No. 2s are doing most of the heavy lifting anyway.
Note to Jim: Though Kate's and Ronnie's newspapers are small now, they were not when they took over as the EEs so don't discount them for that reason. They'd be discounted moreso because of a lack of innovative ideas for the company and industry or not leading big enough projects at large operations. Kate primarily has led standard operational shifts --consolidated copy desk and refining content (ideas that really offered no improvement); That doesn't compare to what Silverman and Anger have accomplished. Should be interesting.
I wouldn't be surprised if they selected a new media executive with lots of energy, ideas and proven innovation and with experience in print and online operations. Someone leading an online-operation would whet brass chops.
Keeping websites up to date is a major pain -- even when the required updates are important. With that in mind:
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long it will take USAT to update this page, where Hillkirk is still listed as editor, and Rudd Davis as VP of business development.
And this page still lists Carol Stevens as a newsroom manager, even though she left nearly a month ago.
Plus, ironically, that same page doesn't list as a senior vice president Sandra Micek, who's held that job since June -- and she's in charge of marketing and communication.
Finally, this page still includes outdated information about advertising vice presidents who were recently dismissed.
When did all this Silverman chatter begin? Not long after midnight on Nov. 26, when Anonymous@12:42 a.m. posted this comment:
ReplyDelete"Rumor 2: Mark Silverman will be brought in to kick ass at USA Today. Those who miss stories, fail to boost story quotas and think ass kissing can still cover their moribund work ethic will be dealt with harshly. This guy means business. He may not know what that business is, but he means it, dammit. you think life at Usa Today was a bad place to work before? Just wait. Silverman won't be the last Gannett manager coming in to make trouble."
From there, you can read the comments that followed -- including my notes about the Silverman-Ellwood connection.
Uh, you're all missing the obvious. The next editor isn't going to be anyone with journalistic chops - recall that we are talking about the USAT, recently pushed as the paper without it's nose in the air, for normal people.
ReplyDeleteLook at whomever is available at Yahoo/AOL/ NBCUniversal - somebody in the new GVPS division has a friend over there and Hillkirk was pushed down to make a space.
(You haven't heard of GVPS? From the annual report: "Gannett Vice Presidential Services is rapidly becoming the largest division within the company, embodying the true meaning of "It's All Within Reach." In 2012 we will have reached our goal of two VPs for every hourly employee and we will begin providing VP contract sourcing for other industries through the VIce Presidential Excellence Resource (VIPER) Center in McLean.")
This is what is wrong with our colleagues. All your speculation is about internal Gannett or former Gannett employees. You all criticize managements like of innovative thinking and here you are talking about Lovely or Ivory. Think big folks. Yeah furloughs suck but things are moving forward. Wait and see, new blood is coming to USAT.
ReplyDelete7:18m whaaat? Wait and see? Been waiting and seeing for several years, walking through BS on nearly every front at USAT since Hunke was annointed.
ReplyDeleteThemes about USAT transition do not address the real problem -- which is real simple to define: a business-threatening freefall in ad revenue which began a couple of years ago. Two Jeffs and a Lee have not fixed that one.
And remember the incrdible marketing blunders like hiring Arnold (We Are All In This Together and It Sucks) and yes, that stupid 5/5/20 or whatever it was that strange USAT marketing lady came up with.
Then, to the rescue...Verticals. Two plus years now, how about sharing those vertical results, hmm? How unbelieveably stupid.
And by the way, Susan Motiff, where is that Financial Dashboard you promised us so long ago?
New blood may be wonderful. But here's a rub (or maybe a few). Hotshot editors tend to be good at running one publication/brand/site, and they tend to be territorial. It may be good for JUST USAToday to get someone with great journalism chops from outside. But what the COMPANY needs now is someone in that chair who will not only raise up USAT quality, but who can finesse the flow of content going out to USCP sites and vice versa. This flow has been increasing, and needs to. But given the historic silos, or the wall between USAT and the community papers, it's clunky. Put in an "insider" (see names above) and you get more of the same, with continuing turf battles between Hunke and Dickey. Put in an outsider, and you may make USAT alone better, but the new person will soon run afoul of the longstanding community paper editors who have the power base to avoid playing ball (like not running USAT sports pages and not sending content upstream to USAT). What needs to happen, given the way the company seems to want to use USAT in relation to the other content producers/users, is to eliminate the wall, and the turf battles. Give all content including USAT to Dickey, for instance, since it seems unlikely to me that the company would give the community papers to Hunke. But until there is one, senior person who is charge of the majority of the content in the company, nothing major is going to succeed. If there's no clarity in who controls content in the company, than any new outside hotshot may well become the next Saridakis.
ReplyDeleteKate Marymont as a possibility for the top editor job at USA TODAY? Who is proposing that, her husband?
ReplyDeleteI like that no one has considered that USA Today would hire an outside web editor. Susan Weiss, David Colton and John Hillkirk have all been struggling to understand this space. So why wouldn't their next leader be PURELY DIGITAL.
ReplyDeleteBring back Kinsey Wilson?
Steal Jim Brady?
Someone from HuffPo?
Jim,
ReplyDeleteRe your 1:47 comment....at one time while on the USAT marketing's Media Lounge web site, I noticed we had three different taglines being used at the same time! This brand has been without a cogent marketing plan forever. Their favorite terms:
"We're still working out the details"
"It's still a work in progess"
"We haven't finalized everything yet"
They operate in a perpetual state of flux. This recent group is prooving to be no different. In fact, in some ways, they're much worse.
6:31 - I knew it would come to this. Whenever a group grows so large, like USAT vice presidents, a support system must be created for them.
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ReplyDelete3:28 I'm not protecting anyone at USAT. This is a judgement call that relates to how high up someone happens to be in the management hierarchy.
ReplyDeleteJim, you continue to allow a couple of posters to brutalize non-top editors at some papers out in field.
ReplyDeleteDeputy editor of content is the no.2 position in the newsroom. and sentiment goes way beyond "a couple" of posters. His appointment has shocked many many people.
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye on Dave Morgan, recently brought on board at USA Today Sports Media Group. Well-regarded, Morgan is a former executive editor at Yahoo who earlier earned kudos for building Yahoo Sports into a force.
ReplyDeleteWanted: Complaint bureaucrat, pride not necessary, willing to take this rickety raft over the waterfall.
ReplyDeleteJim, your judgement calls regarding Susan weiss and lee Horvich ring hollow when you allow slanderous comment of others. At least show some consistency. Horvich is allowed a pass on his managerial style, yet posters are allowed to mock Rudd Davis for being a stoner.
ReplyDeleteGannett will have a hard time going for anyone from the outside for leadership. Which means they could go young. But that would be a mistake given the work ethic, lack of news judgement and non news gathering experience of the websters they have on board now. They could go experienced, but no candidate worth her salt would put up with the meddling from outside the newsroom. They could go to a community paper, but small ball won't work At this juncture.
ReplyDeleteGiven the track record of Hunke's hires (Heather Frank, Rudd Davis, fill in the long list) he has demonstrated no ability at picking talent. Face it, USA Today is royally fucked, and Hunke shoulders most of the blame. When it is all said and done, the paper will have to be gutted to pay for all the high priced executives he hired who have done almost NOTHING.
8:59 To the best of my knowledge, I've removed all such stoner comments -- including one just moments ago -- regardless of where they've been directed. (And, selectively, I've removed comments that include the word "dude.)
ReplyDeleteIf you see any I've missed, please let me know.
So what are you suggesting, 9:28? Silverman is the logical choice. I woul rather see someone already at USA Today get the job and have the fortitude to redistribute and reassign meager resources as needed. The paper is faltering on many levels.
ReplyDeleteCan someone please reassign Dave Hunke? Vice president of glad handing seems likema good job for him.
ReplyDeleteOnly after he appoints a vice president of swagger.
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ReplyDeleteWow. Get a load of 10:41. When that guy shows up (a corporate poster) you know a nerve has been touched!
ReplyDeleteHere's the deal: US Community newspapers (now euphemistically called USCP) has been fed through Palm Springs/AZ for some time now, since the revolution. USAT is being fed through Detroit. Anger is a choice. I'm not a fan and don't understand how he comes out on top, but he is a master of that, if not of journalism (definitely not that.)
Non-Gannetteers and escapees would be nuts to come/come back. And sorry Cincinnati, Carolyn is yours to keep. I have deep experience with all these folks; it is a loser's lottery.
My guess is this guy did something to totally piss off Ellwood, and was demoted as a sense of pride. That's the only thing that makes something like this happen without a plan.
- A former insider, thrilled to be GONE
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ReplyDeleteSecond best line of the week:
ReplyDelete"Only after he (Hunke) appoints a vice president of swagger."
No one has mentioned Randell Beck as a potential candidate
ReplyDelete