Big news in Woodland Hills *

While I was traveling today, my in-box was filling up with the stunner that Dean Singleton acquired The Detroit News, converted it to a morning paper and brought in his editor at the Daily News, David Butler, to be editor and publisher there. Thanks to everyone who emailed a heads-up. It's a complicated deal, involving much asset swappage between media companies. Now does anyone know what really matters—who is going to run the Daily News? (Hey hey, no quips about Ron Kaye running the show even when Butler was around.)

Official word: DN Publisher Tracy Rafter says that Kaye will be in charge while a search begins.

Press release at DN website
James Nash at LABJ site
Editor and Publisher
New York Times

* Thursday: Detroit News story on Butler quotes Singleton saying, "He's a pretty sassy editor...His job is to see that we kick butt here."