The Disappearing NYTimes Regional Reporting

[rusty charly]

http://gawker.com/news/the-suburbs/times-regional-sections-lonely-desperate-maybe-doomed-269329.php

In May of 2006, New York Times Metro editor Joe Sexton—you remember him as the guy who so unreasonably begged his reporters to come into the office once in a while and be nice to him—announced the appointment of Jennifer Preston as the editor of the new Regional Weeklies at the Times. It sounded like Preston was going to singlehandedly save not only the Times Regional editions, but possibly all of print media; Sexton described her as a "true New York Times patriot," someone who was "irrepressible, unconquerable, utterly loyal." Well, seems that's all over now.

Sexton recently sent a memo to the newsroom that indicated he'll be taking the reins back, at least somewhat. "The greatest patriot in the history of the Times apparently needs adult supervision," sniped one insider, who added that, in any case, "The combined regional section is a dismal failure and they are probably going to pull the plug on the thing later this year." Until then, though, Sexton will try to get anyone and everyone to write for it.