Many Star employees can anticipate meeting the "Bobs."
SUMMARY: It took less than one day in his new position as editor at the Kansas City Star and Mike Fannin, 41, has already announced he will be cutting staff at the newspaper. Unfortunately, many of the cuts will be on the editorial side, which will dramatically impact the quality of the news product. 05-16-2008
Kansas City Star names Fannin editor, will cut staff Kansas City Business Journal by Jerry LaMartina Staff Writer The Kansas City Star named Mike Fannin as editor on Thursday. Fannin succeeds Mark Zieman, who was named as the newspaper's president and publisher on March 6. The Star's parent company, McClatchy Co. (NYSE: MNI), promoted Zieman after the departure of former publisher Mac Tulley in January to take a job with MediaNews Group Inc. In an interview Friday, Fannin said the paper will take steps to reduce its employee count, which could include layoffs and buyout offers. He said that it's too early to know how many jobs will be cut or when it will occur but that "probably we'll be dealing with it in the summer." He said he's looking at all areas of the operation to find ways to cut costs. As of Feb. 29, The Star had 1,347 employees, of whom 1,037 were full time and 290 worked in the newsroom, McClatchy spokesman Peter Tira said March 6. Fannin said Friday that those numbers still are accurate. "We still have a robust staff of folks who have the resources to do their jobs," he said. "Where we go in this digital age is that we have to get through these times and look at our structure. "On the Internet, I can sum up our strategy in two words: Grow faster. That's where a lot of people are finding us. What I'm really encouraged by is that we're the McClatchy leader in readership growth and revenue growth online in the last year." Fannin said The Star -- and many other media outlets -- are in a process of reinventing themselves. "It's challenging times for newspapers," he said. Fannin is 41. He was born in Morehead, Ky., and grew up near there. He lives in Olathe. He started at The Star in February 1997 as deputy sports editor, having come from the Dallas Morning News. In the summer of 1999, he became assistant managing editor for sports, and about two years ago was promoted to managing editor of sports and features. At least for an interim period, Holly Lawton, assistant managing editor for sports, will run that department. Mary Lou Nolan, assistant managing editor for features, will run the features department, Fannin said. Despite the challenges ahead as the paper's editor, Fannin said he still has fun working at the paper. "I can't think of many things I'm more passionate about than showing up at this building every day and doing excellent journalism," he said. McClatchy, based in Sacramento, Calif., is the third-largest newspaper company in the United States, with 30 daily newspapers, about 50 nondailies, and direct marketing and direct-mail operations. http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/05/12/daily45.html?f=et65&ana=e_du
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