Tribune Co. put its veteran Chicago newspaper publisher in charge of its struggling group of U.S. papers that include The Hartford Courant.
Tribune named Tony Hunter CEO of Tribune Publishing, responsible for seven of the publisher’s daily newspapers; and named Vince Casanova its chief operating officer of Chicago Tribune Media Group.
The shakeup cost two Tribune executives their jobs: Bob Gremillion, executive vice president of Tribune Publishing, and Harry Amsden, senior vice president of financial operations for Tribune Publishing, both are leaving the firm, the company said.
Eddy Hartenstein, Tribune’s president and CEO, said in a statement that the “aggressive action” comes at a time when the media organization operating under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code is shows consolidated financial results are ahead of plan for the first half of the year, thanks to better-than-expected results from our broadcasting division.
However, the publishing division, “while on track, continues to experience year-over-year declines-with several digital initiatives under way and this reorganization, we are taking steps to begin to reverse this trend.”
Hunter, in his new position, will oversee the Tribune, Sun-Sentinel of South Florida in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando (Fla.) Tribune, (Baltimore) Sun, Hartford (Conn.) Courant, Morning Call in Allentown, Pa., and Daily Press in Newport News, Va.
He will continue serving as publisher and CEO of the Chicago Tribune Media Group, a position he has held since September 2008.
The Los Angeles Times will remain under the management of Kathy Thomson, who was appointed president and chief operating officer of the Times in May. She will continue to report to Hartenstein.
Casanova, appointed to the newly created position of president and CEO of the Chicago Tribune Media Group, will assume responsibility for its day-to-day operations.
David Williams, TMS’ former president and CEO, is serving as a consultant during the reorganization process.
Â
