 Justin Dearborn |
tronc CEO Justin Dearborn replaced Michael Ferro on March 19 as chairman just ahead of a Fortune story alleging inappropriate sexual behavior. Dearborn, who was appointed CEO of tronc in February 2016, was previously CEO of Merge Healthcare, which was acquired by IBM in October 2015 for $1B. The online Fortune story accused Ferro of abusive conduct toward two women when he led a Chicago investment firm. The executive changes come as tronc prepares to close on the $500 million sale of the Los Angeles Times to local ownership. In February, the company agreed to sell the paper, along with the San Diego Union-Tribune and various titles in the California News Group, to Nant Capital, LLC, a private investment vehicle of California-based entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong.
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Digital First Media has completed its acquisition of the Boston Herald. Last month, Digital First placed the winning bid of almost $12 million for the paper in a bankruptcy auction, beating out GateHouse Media, which owns the Providence Journal in addition to more than 140 other daily papers. But GateHouse still stands to profit from the deal. Following its sale to Digital First, the Herald will move its printing business from the Boston Globe’s facilities to the Journal’s presses. The move deprives the Globe of one of its biggest contract printing customers and follows a series of technical glitches at its $75 million printing plant in Taunton, Mass., which opened last year.
 Rebecca Rosen |
The Atlantic has introduced a Family section at TheAtlantic.com. The Atlantic’s focus on family will include stories in the magazine, video, a weekly newsletter and live events. Led by Atlantic editor Rebecca Rosen, Family is the first expanded editorial initiative to launch following the announcement last month that The Atlantic is embarking on significant newsroom growth in 2018. The company says that additional areas of increased editorial focus include expanded coverage of Hollywood and culture, as well as of technology and Silicon Valley; a new Ideas section; and additions to its politics and policy reporting staff in Washington. Morgan Stanley is the exclusive underwriter of The Atlantic’s new Family initiative.
Conservative outlets Fox News, Newsmax and the Daily Caller are holding back from signing Pete Hegseth’s edict restricting press access in the Pentagon... CBS News sees the first executive departure of the Bari Weiss era as head of standards and practices Claudia Milne exits... Indiana University shuts down the print version of The Indiana Daily Student.
Rothschild family plans to unload 26.7 percent stake in The Economist... STAT, a digital media company that focuses the life sciences, brings back Damian Garde, who anchored its biotech newsletter and podcast from 2016 to 2024... High Times officially resumes print publication (following its 2024 shutdown) with the release of a limited-edition, collectible 50th anniversary issue. 
CBS News is set to hand over its reins to The Free Press co-founder Bari Weiss as Paramount acquires her site for $155M... C-SPAN comes on board as an official media partner of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which is charged by Congress to lead the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence... A new Gallup survey says that the level of trust that US audiences have in the media has hit a new low.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has named Kenneth Weinstein, former head of the conservative Hudson Institute, as ombudsman for CBS News.
Newsmax Broadcasting has filed a federal antitrust suit against Fox Corporation and Fox News Network in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida... Condé Nast names Chloe Malle head of editorial content of Vogue U.S. Malle takes over from Anna Wintour, who has held the position since 1998... NBCUniversal says the upcoming NFL season marks its highest grossing to-date when it comes to overall advertising and partnerships revenue. 
