{"id":10469,"date":"2016-02-17T15:00:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-17T21:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=10469"},"modified":"2016-02-17T15:00:02","modified_gmt":"2016-02-17T21:00:02","slug":"new-tribune-editor-bruce-dold-vows-to-be-relentless-in-our-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2016\/02\/17\/new-tribune-editor-bruce-dold-vows-to-be-relentless-in-our-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"New Tribune editor Bruce Dold vows to be \u2018relentless in our coverage\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chicago<\/a>

<\/a> Chicago Tribune<\/p><\/div>\n

Throughout eight tumultuous years as editor of the Chicago Tribune, <\/a>Gerry Kern championed investigative reporting and opinion leadership as hallmarks of the newspaper.<\/p>\n

Both are assured of continuing under Bruce Dold, who was named Wednesday to succeed Kern, 66, who announced his retirement effective immediately. A Pulitzer Prize-winning 38-year veteran of the Tribune, Dold, 60, has been editorial page editor since 2000.<\/p>\n

\"Bruce<\/a>

Bruce Dold<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe Chicago Tribune is vital to the communities we serve,\u201d Dold said in a statement. \u201cWe speak to that community and for that community. We\u2019re going to be relentless in our coverage of the region and in creating new, innovative solutions for our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dold\u2019s appointment by Tony Hunter, publisher and CEO of Chicago Tribune Media Group, is seen as a smart, safe and conservative choice that will go far to ease anxieties over the recent arrival <\/a>of technology entrepreneur Michael Ferro as non-executive board chairman of Tribune Publishing (and 16.6 percent shareholder). Ferro is a controversial figure whose views on journalism have been unsettling to many at the Sun-Times,<\/a> where he continues to be a leading investor.<\/p>\n

Sources close to Kern insisted that Ferro's appointment was not a factor in his decision to retire at this time. More relevant, they say, was the effect of carrying out a major downsizing of the news operation, including overseeing the voluntary buyouts<\/a> of more than 40 editorial employees at the end of 2015.<\/p>\n

Kern led the Tribune during a time of unprecedented upheaval, including the recession, a protracted bankruptcy and a shift from print to digital primacy. Diminished newsgathering resources coincided with a strategy to steer the Tribune away from its emphasis on regional, national and global affairs to focus on local news coverage.<\/p>\n

\"Gerry<\/a>

Gerry Kern<\/p><\/div>\n

Unlike Dold, whose promotion was as predictable as it was seamless, Kern was by no means seen as an inevitable successor when he replaced Ann Marie Lipinski in 2008. Lipinski made it known that her departure after seven years in the top job was related to unease with the direction of Tribune Co. under then-owner Sam Zell. At the time, Kern had held several editing positions at the Tribune before spending five years in a corporate position overseeing all of the company\u2019s newspaper newsrooms.<\/p>\n

While Kern was credited with maintaining the integrity and spirit of the newsroom, critics questioned whether he was too timid in dealing with Zell and his hand-picked CEO, Randy Michaels. Only after a damaging front-page story<\/a> in The New York Times exposed a \u201cbankrupt culture\u201d of sexism, profanity and cronyism that led to the ouster of Michaels and his associates did Kern marshal the newspaper\u2019s resources to report on the turmoil inside Tribune Tower.<\/p>\n

(This blog is published independently under a licensing agreement with Chicago Tribune Media Group.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Here is the text of Hunter\u2019s memo to employees:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colleagues,<\/em><\/p>\n

After courageously leading the newsroom through years of change and evolution, Gerry Kern is retiring from his post as Editor of the Chicago Tribune. Bruce Dold will succeed Gerry as the new Editor, effective immediately.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gerry, as you know, was a champion of change. His leadership of the editorial department included many important milestones including creating a digital-first newsroom, assembling a highly talented management team and establishing our key content strategies. These accomplishments, along with our deep bench of talent within the newsroom, make for a seamless transition from Gerry to Bruce.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gerry\u2019s legacy at the Chicago Tribune is exceptional.<\/em><\/p>\n