Former PNJ publisher Denise Ivey is leaving the The Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY. The alt-paper, LEO, has this take on what it calls the “Friday Afternoon Massacre.”
…from Ivey’s memo: “I am so proud of The Courier-Journal and all of you … and what we’ve accomplished as a team … toward common goals and an overarching strategy that positions our organization to remain strong long into the future.â€
None of the “worker bees†are buying into that one. Ivey tried her best to keep a sinking ship afloat, but the painful truth is that there’s no longer a business model for quality journalism.
“She was very professional and smart, obviously an outstanding businesswoman,†said Jason Falls, a local advocate of social media who works at the PR firm Doe Anderson. “But I thought also she was an old-school newspaper executive who didn’t have a finger on the pulse of the marketplace. She wasn’t excited about turning journalistic responsibilities over to the community.â€
Read On Media: Gannett’s ‘Friday Afternoon Massacre’
BTW: PNJ lost another top reporter. Sarah Rabb has left to become a school teacher.