Dennis Ryerson, who has been The Indianapolis Star's editor for nine years, will take on a part-time role as a columnist and editorial writer, effective June 1, the paper reported this afternoon in a spare, four-paragraph story.
A search has already begun for his replacement, according to the paper.
A search has already begun for his replacement, according to the paper.
Here's the e-mail Publisher Karen Crotchfelt sent to staff:
ReplyDeleteFrom: Crotchfelt, Karen
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 4:36 PM
To: Messages to INI
Subject: Important Star Media Announcement
I want to let you know that just a few minutes ago we announced to the Star Media Information Center that Dennis Ryerson, VP/News and Editor, has decided to retire from his current role. His retirement is effective June 1. Dennis has agreed to stay on with us after June 1 as a part-time editorial writer and columnist.
Dennis started in the top leadership news role at the Star in March of 2003 . Dennis’s passion for our community – telling our stories, vetting out the issues, and making us better – has been the driving force during his tenure with the Star. Under his leadership the Star Watch team was created, Our Children/Our City came to life and many talented reporters and columnists grew to have significant impact on our community and our readers.
Dennis will clearly be missed in his role but I am absolutely delighted that he has agreed to stay on with the Star in a new role. He will be able to continue his legacy of community commitment and engagement..writing stories and columns that reflect our community and push us to continue to grow.
On a personal note, I want to thank Dennis for so warmly welcoming me to Indy 15 months ago and for being a great partner. Dennis has always and continues to want only the best for Star Media. He has taught me a lot.. and his passion for serving our community is contagious.
Dennis deserves our thanks and best wishes as he moves to a new and well-earned phase of his life.
I will begin a search immediately for a new VP/News.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks.
Karen
Ryerson's new role fits him perfectly. He was in wayyyyy over his head as top editor. The Star deserves a highly educated masterful manager with deep roots in investigative journalism, a clear vision of the new frontier and the guts to protect the integrity of the newsroom. Ryerson survived so long by keeping his over-sized lips attached to the publisher's butt. And everyone in the newsroom knew it.
ReplyDeleteStar readers will benefit from this change.
Decided to retire. Right. Did he not get a buyout offer, or simply refuse to take one?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the puts she decides to hire.
ReplyDeleteGuess he saved his money and finally got tired of firing people. Whoever his eager replacement is will do the same. Fire more people.
ReplyDeleteIt is typical of Karen to make sure she was part of the note. It's not always about you Karen.
ReplyDeleteYes, he made cuts. Name an editor who has not had to do that. Yes, he had to work with a publisher. Unless you are independently wealthy and can afford to lose your job, that's called business. I know Dennis and he's an outstanding editor who has been at the helm of the paper during a horrible time. Considering the chaos that the (pick one)economy/Gannett mismanagement/readership trends brought, I think he has done a commendable job. It is a loss for journalism when someone of his experience and caliber leaves the profession, albeit for part-time work. Good luck, Dennis. You did well and will continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteRyerson, 63, will retire from his role effective June 1. He will stay on at The Star part-time, as a columnist and editorial writer. Bet he cut a deal to have his health insurance paid until he can take Social Security. Those who get paid six figures and lop off heads get taken care of.
ReplyDeleteIt's not all Ryerson's fault, but that Star has on his watch devolved into a piece of c--p. Sorry to say it.
I guess they laid off the reporters and/or copy editors who would have caught an embarrassing misspelling of one of the top bosses' names.
ReplyDeleteQuoted from page 3:
That community role is one of two key attributes that Crotchfelt said she is looking for in Ryerson’s replacement. [...] The search for The Star’s next editor, Crotchfield said, begins now.
1:40 a.m. Agreed. Karen’s correspondence is self-serving and rather adolescent.
ReplyDeleteDavid Ledford headed to Indy. You heard it here first.
ReplyDeleteReally 8:58 AM ??
ReplyDeleteIs that you, Dennis, or someone who also had over-sized lips planted on managements' asses?
Ryerson is a cold, wimpy, yes-man who worked his way up the ladder by kissing butt. The only conversation I had with him during his tenure was when he called me into an office to lay me off.
What was Ryerson's greatest achievement while working at The Star?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Karen will keep with the Reno/Phoenix tradition started by SCJ and name someone from that private club within a company. Just a guess...
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ReplyDeleteDennis was a thoughtful editor who cared deeply about his newspaper and his community.
ReplyDeleteIf Ryerson "was a thoughtful editor who cared deeply about his newspaper and community," as someone suggested, he would have quit many years ago, or refused the job when it was offered to him.
ReplyDeleteAs a loyal reader of the Star, I can think of nothing Ryerson did to distinguish himself or the newspaper. Nor can I think of anything he did to improve the community.
He seemed timid, uncertain of himself and afraid to rock the boat.
The best thing I remember from the Star during his tenure was Bobby King's stories about a new saint. City editor Keith Manring edited and guided that work through the newsroom process. I think it won a national award. It was an inspired piece of work. Beautifully written and nicely presented. Maybe because Dennis had nothing to do with it. By the way, I think Bobby was later moved off the religion beat, or at least most of his time was shifted to other topics.
Name anything else of significance that occurred under the Ryerson banner, if you have something to offer. Make it specific. I'd love to hear about it. But please drop the sweeping "he loved his employees" kind of crap. Those who know him best know that Dennis loved and took care of one person...Dennis Ryerson.
make that "were Bobby King's stories..."
ReplyDeleteHe hired Bobby. Specific enough?
ReplyDeleteone good hire in nine years..hmmm...a wee bit short of a Pulitzer, don't you agree?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Dennis's weak, butt-kissing performance as he diligently helped Gannett dumb down the Des Moines Register. It makes me shudder to remember those days.
ReplyDeleteHere's a short list of Ryerson's achievements:
ReplyDeleteThe guy owes his career to Barbara Henry, was her editor at the three Gannett properties where she served as publisher.
ReplyDeleteMy sources tell me Ryerson's most irritating trait was his blatant servitude to his boss. He wouldn't pick a lunch spot without her approval. They say she rewrote most of is columns to make sure he didn't offend anyone of importance.
ReplyDeleteOne former co-worker said Dennis often said he was just a simple Iowa farmboy...failing to notice that no one ever disagreed. His servitude to authority was apparently borne of those widely shared insecurities. Deep down inside, he knew he was not up to the task before him. What a relief he must feel. He can stop pretending now.
Wow...6:37 Harsh! and 6:30 is Barb still in Indy? I heard they were close.
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting read about Dennis's arrival in Indianapolis:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=3541
Karen loves these things, in Phoenix she hated letting people go because it was so difficult for her, a point she would make as often as possible. She'd brag about crying and feeling terrible. I sat in too many meetings listening to her and never remember her ever commenting about the employee or those around her. Just her, poor Karen.
ReplyDeleteNever understood all the whining about Dennis, other than the fact the Star's IC is filled with chronic complainers. I have friends who lost their job in other chains and one whose paper was shut down, but many Star people think this stuff only happens to them. Cavin paid Dennis a nice compliment in his blog, not only for embracing the 500 as a cultural event but also for pushing the Our Children series. That was a nice gesture.
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ReplyDeleteOnly a heartless gannetoid manager would call a newsroom an IC.
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