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Baltimore Sun's publisher to head Tampa Tribune

Denise Palmer, the Baltimore Sun’s publisher and CEO, is the new publisher of the Tampa Tribune.

By ERIC DEGGANS
Published July 17, 2006

Baltimore Sun publisher and CEO Denise Palmer has been named to succeed Gil Thelen as publisher of the Tampa Tribune, effective July 28.

Palmer, 49, comes to the Tampa Tribune after four years at the Baltimore Sun and 26 years at the Sun’s owner Tribune Co -- where she also served as president and CEO of the local news cable channel ChicagoLand Television and vice president of strategy, finance and development at the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

A native of Indiana who grew up in Ft. Myers, Palmer cited returning to an area close to her family and the opportunity to participate in convergence strategies at the Media General-owned Tribune as motivations for the change, according to a spokeswoman for the Sun.

So far, Palmer has declined to speak to reporters on the transition -- even for a story published today by the Sun. John Schueler, president of the Florida Communications Group -- the company which oversees Media General’s broadcast, publishing and online properties throughout the state, including the Tampa Tribune and NBC affiliate WFLA-Ch. 8 -- could not be reached for comment.

Palmer did respond to one question e-mailed by a St. Petersburg Times reporter, noting “The Tampa Tribune is doing ground-breaking work in the multimedia world and it’s a great opportunity to capitalize on my multimedia background. And the Gulf coast of Florida’s a growing, changing, interesting market that I think presents a lot of opportunity for any media company.”

Palmer declined to answer questions about whether turmoil at the Tribune Co. might have influenced her decision; the company’s second-largest shareholders have resisted a $2-billion buyback of stock and called for a breakup of the media company.

But Thelen, who retired from the publisher’s job June 30, noted that Tribune Co. has made headlines recently for its recent cutbacks (the Sun announced earlier this month it would close its three remaining foriegn bureaus, for example) and shareholder infighting.

“Her parent company is going through a rough stretch at this point, and the parent company of the (Tampa) Tribune is in much calmer water,” said Thelen, 68, who was not involved in choosing Palmer, but expects to help her in his role as a continuing consultant for the newspaper.

“I wish her the very best and will do everything I can to help her adjust.”

Palmer’s hiring also marks a first for the Tampa Tribune. When she takes over, the top three jobs at the newspaper will be held by women, including executive editor Janet Weaver and editorial page editor Rosemary Goudreau.

“I think people still like to mark it as some sort of sign of progress,” said Weaver, who served as editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune when it had women as publisher, editor and managing editor.

“It’s not like all the decisions in Sarasota got made in the women’s room...I scoff because I’ve been a newsroom manager longer than I’ve done anything in this business, and...I would like to think we are past this.”

Eric Deggans can be reached at deggans@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8521. See his blog at www.sptimes.com/blogs/media.

[Last modified July 17, 2006, 17:59:42]