Just a few short years after she took the helm of one of the world’s most influential newspapers, The New York Times has replaced Executive Editor Jill Abramson.
Dean Baquet, her managing editor and top lieutenant, will replace her in the top post.
“I’ve loved my run at the Times,” Abramson said in a prepared statement. “I got to work with the best journalists in the world doing so much stand-up journalism.”
Of her best accomplishments, she pointed to appointing a number of top-level female editors.
And diversity is another facet of the Times’ decision, as Baquet is African-American and will be the first black man to hold the executive editor position.
“[Baquet] is an exceptional reporter and editor with impeccable news judgment who enjoys the confidence and support of his colleagues around the world and across the organization,” said Times publisher and NYT chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
The shakeup is one that was not wholly unexpected given widespread rumors of the difficulties that reporters and editors had working with Abramson.
At the same time, the Times has not said exactly why Abramson is out of the post.
As well, she will not work at the paper at all moving forward — which is different than other past editors who wrote op-ed columns after their tenures.
NYT stock is down 2% in early trading and 7% year to date.
