Thursday, October 8, 2009
Barry / Breaking News / Media Garrigan Takes on Executive Editor Role
Posted by Bruce Barry on Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 2:05 PM
In an email today to staffers announcing the move, Ferrell observed that SouthComm's operational transition in the wake of its August acquisition of the Scene "has posed structural and organizational challenges." Garrigan, he says, will be responsible for fine tuning the arrangement of converged editorial operations in an effort to "develop a more smoothly functioning, integrated organization."
Garrigan first joined the Scene as a writer in 1996 and served as the paper's editor from 2004-2008. As contributing editor in recent weeks she has been developing and implementing editorial policy for blog contributions (but had no role in the post you are reading right now). Scene editor Jim Ridley welcomes her new position. Garrigan, he says, is the ideal person to meet a "need for someone in editorial who can see how all SouthComm's moving parts fit together to best cover the city."
Comments (24)
Showing 1-24 of 24
Huh. Guess the email didn't make it to your colleagues in the Gulch. This is great news!!!
like
dislike
Thank god. I predict (and hope) the first order of business will be to annouce that basic standards of journalism are now going to be applied to every story that appears under the SouthComm brand, whether in print on in a blog, whether written by a staffer or a freelancer.In other words 1.political writers will be told to use the telephone on accasion and write with at least a basement level of fairness; 2. we will never again be inflicted with the views of "ace correspondent" Mark Breton; 3. Kleinheider's offensive "blackface" headline would have been pulled down within minutes;4. the use of high school profanity will be reserved for special occasions; and 5. writers will be told to resist the urge to blog about topics they know nothing about.
And one can only dream but....imagine a newspaper web site where comments are civil and names are real. Good luck Lizzard.
Yes, Henry, basic standards of journalism will be applied. Like spelling ("accasion"?)
As far as the "blackface" headline, I think it would have been silly to pull it down. I totally support the decision to keep it up.
I agree that it was offensive, but pulling it down afterward is the cyberspace equivalent of pretending it never happened. Leaving it up, letting the debate continue and admitting error is the far more ethical thing to do in that situation. Pulling it down is a form of denying that it ever happened.
"Basement level of fairness" sounds good, Henry. I'd add quick correction of spelling errors in headlines. Some of your other hopes arouse my suspicion.
-- Right-Wing Nutjob, Charm School Flunkout, Hillbilly Infidel
There's been more than enough said about the Kleinheiter goof but I did notice (from the comments and people I talked to) that print journalists generally agree with me while bloggers tend to agree with Jack. Ink stained wretches see the opportunity to correct a stupid mistake as one of the blessings of internet journalism. Jack and others are (I think) more protective of the fragility of an electronic message and believe that trying to erase the past is unfair, almost like cheating.
Fodder for a later debate.
Donna, don't know why you're suspicous of my other suggestions but at least we're both among those few who are willing to write with our own names.
I just hope this doesn't mean a certain former Scene reporter that Liz used to oddly gush over doesn't return also.
You go girl and keep your words great choices for the two year olds ;) Little pitchers have big ears!
Will confess pleasure about your new role Liz, though I don't know exactly why. Guess I'll have to credit intuition with that little gem.
Before, I always knew your charicature in the Scene masthead wasn't flattering to you. However, 'till I viewed you on a television spot for WNET it didn't really register. Then it did though! Damn, you are a gasser of a female. Smart, tough, and really good looking. I can sure dig that.
Be looking forward to future exchanges.
Speaking on behalf as co-founder (with you) and leader of LBW, congrats VFB. Great news. Now, can we get SouthComm to sponsor a damned meeting or do you suppose Boy Wonder isn't quite as enamoured of League as The Breeze was?
My God, that means John Bridges will be back soon. Try getting something you wrote published as you wrote it, then.
"Senor" clearly needs an editor to sharpen his writing.
"Humpfree": back off, she's mine.
MatteP: enough law school crap; Liz needs you.
Liz: long, interesting discussion last night with Woods and Ole Tom on the challenges of your new job and how to bring excitement and a sense of fun back into the newsroom. Talk to Jeff or join us youself, soon. Drinks on me.
Cagle: that includes you.
