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*MONDAY UPDATE: A report from Editor & Publisher's editor-at-large, Mark Fitzgerald.
Ventura County Star Publisher Tim Gallagher's column on Sunday answered some (but not many) of the questions raised by the unexpected announcement Friday that he will step down to become a freelance consultant (albeit while tethered part-time to his current corporate parent, The E.W. Scripps Co.).
Still no departure date, though Gallagher writes that it will occur "in a few weeks."
From the column:
"Since the move was announced, a lot of people are asking me what's gotten into me. Why leave the comfort and stability of a company where I have worked for nearly 30 years to go out and take a risk on something new?"And my answer is: I am my parents' son."
To help explain his motivation for the move, Gallagher relates it in terms of experiences with his family (Gallagher columns have often featured stories about his family*). But, at the conclusion of Sunday's piece, little is offered in the way of "what's next?"
"I am avoiding a discussion of my new business because I don't think it's appropriate for me to shill in this space."
So far the story hasn't made the LA Times. The Star's bylined story Saturday merely laced a couple reaction quotes with a rehashed version of the initial, corporately worded announcement. Saturday's story included a brief commentary on the state of the industry from Michael Parks, director of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication, and mentioned that the Star recently conducted nine voluntary employee buy-outs and outsourced its advertising artwork.
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*DISCLOSURE: Gallagher hired yours truly twice, first at The Albuquerque Tribune, and again at the Ventura County Star.