Jill Abramson is out as executive editor of the New York Times.
According to a New Yorker article, one possible contributing factor was that Abramson had become upset after discovering that her pay and benefits were “considerably less” than that of her predecessor, Bill Keller:
https://twitter.com/mattbuchanan/status/466695636323409920
https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/466697071857119232
Just last month, the Times ran an editorial titled “The Truth About the Pay Gap.”
Seriously. Pass the popcorn. RT @nycjim: New York Times watchers are totally glued to @davidfolkenflik’s feed right now.”
— Amy Z. Quinn (@AmyZQuinn) May 14, 2014
NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik offered a good rundown of the Abramson story, including a confirmation that Abramson discovered she was being paid less than her male predecessor:
Some key points about the firing of NYT exec ed Jill Abramson by publisher/Chairman Arthur Sulzberger….
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
1. Sulzberger had initially been conflicted about picking Abramson – for top slot – AS had long seen Baquet as a future exec editor
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
1a Baquet left NYT in 2000 to become LAT managing editor & then top editor; he rejoined in 07 after defying Tribune execs over further cuts
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
1b. Baquet's ultimate willingness to defy corp chiefs on cuts in LA gave business-side execs some agita.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
2. Abramson had a relatively high profile as Times exec editor, in significant part because of path-breaking nature of her appointment
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
2a. Sulzberger didn't love that profile
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
2b. This continued in interviews about her role as a "first" – though she tended to tamp such discussions – and her book about her dog.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
2c. a significant number of journalists who worked for her – even some in editing ranks – found her brusque to point of rudeness
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
2d none of which should discount her ability as a journalist – or Q of whether a male exec editor would find his manner so scrutinized
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
3. Over time, Abramson lost currency with Sulzberger. She told one associate in recent weeks that her job wouldn't last forever.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
4. She also had aliented the still relatively new CEO Mark Thompson, who arrived from tenure atop BBC
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
4a Thompson was pushing a video-heavy strategy for NYT's digital push; Abramson feared would be a diversion of time and energy
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
4b. Thompson also livid that Abramson sent investigative ed to UK to see if he had any role in BBC's brewing child abuse coverup scandal
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
5. Sulzberger's son Arthur Gregg Sulzberger & colleagues wrote report saying NYT had not been bold enough in innovating digitally
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
5a. Abramson not digital native -but had steeped herself in digital side before taking over; NYT had taken great digital strides under her
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
6. According to New Yorker's Ken Auletta, final straw was discovery she was being paid considerably less than predecessor @billkeller2014
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
6a: Auletta reports she demanded top press pay her comparably http://t.co/vLE51HTzZG
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
7a. previous departures fit two patterns: Howell Raines unceremoniously dumped amid Jayson Blair plagiarism/fabrication scandal
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
7b. Keller allowed effectively to pick his time to depart, and a victory lap. This fits neither
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
8. Abramson's firing most closely resembles that of former NYT Co CEO Janet Robinson – who oversaw introduction of now-heralded paywall
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
8a. Robinson paid a monarch's ransom for severence but essentially ushered out of the building
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
8b Brutal for Sulzberger to deny Abramson a chance to address the troops – to relive her highs and lows as a top editor for 16+ years
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
9. Even though Abramson's appointment was based on journalistic merit, figures at Times wonder what role gender ultimately played in ouster.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
Folkenflik confirmed the New Yorker report that Abramson left over a pay and benefits dispute:
10. I can now report that I have independently confirmed that Abramson did indeed challenge corporate brass over what she saw as unequal pay
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) May 14, 2014
Does the New York Times publisher have some explaining to do?
https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/status/466697894221717505
@JessicaValenti if that turns out to be true, it is going to be a shitstorm.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 14, 2014
@chrislhayes @JessicaValenti There will be a shitstorm regardless, and it will get larger the longer Sulzberger waits to respond.
— Nick Baumann (@NickBaumann) May 14, 2014
It could be a rough week for some New York Times execs.
Update:
https://twitter.com/neontaster/status/466715252046831616
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Related:
‘How great is this?!’ Jim Geraghty reminds NYT of headline they can re-use for Jill Abramson story
‘War on women is coming from inside the house!’ John Ekdahl re-tweets NYT pay equity sanctimony
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