The Olympian publisher and president John Winn Miller announced his resignation Wednesday after nearly three and one-half years at the helm of the newspaper.Smart to get out before having to worry whether your buyout check is any good.
Speaking to newspaper employees this morning, Miller, 56, said his decision was his and his alone.
"It has nothing to do with the economy, McClatchy or how the paper is doing," he said. "It's all about me."
After 31 years in journalism, including a stint as a foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and editor of Knight Ridder newspapers in Tallahassee and State College, Pa., Miller said it's time to pursue other interests.
"I got into this business to write the great American novel," he said. "I've had a wide and varied career and now have experiences to write about."
Miller came to The Olympian in August 2005 after Knight Ridder purchased the paper from Gannett Co. He stayed on as publisher and president of the paper when the McClatchy Co. purchased Knight Ridder in 2006. He said his last day at The Olympian will be Jan. 30.
UPDATE: In comments, props for Miller from a McClatchy employee.
UPDATE #2: Also in comments, some readers not happy with The Olympian.
Hat tip: email
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11 comments:
First pub i ever felt confortable talking to. Some of my fellow employees may blame him for all that has happen to this once wonderful community paper but I feel this blame goes much higher in the company salary bracket. I will miss him and if you are reading this John, thanks for everything that you have done while you were here.
John is a top-drawer, class guy. He'll be missed.
The good words from his staff says a lot about his leadership. I just wonder about 10 days notice from the publisher? “He said his last day at The Olympian will be Jan. 30.” I would think that short notice says something else.
I never thought for a minute that Howard Weaver just decided to take a hiatus from journalism. There was an article on this blog not long ago that said McClatchy would have some editor and publisher changes. I look forward to the Sacbee, and the KC Star getting a good housecleaning.
"It has nothing to do with the economy, McClatchy or how the paper is doing," he said. "It's all about me."
It's not YOU, it's ME
Checking on John Winn Miller, many readers in his area think he is very liberal, and the paper too biased to be taken seriously.
After reading several articles and comments, sorry to say, the paper has the same liberal slant as the other McClatchy papers, IMO.
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-The Publisher Of The Olympian Is Unhappy-
Comments:
Isn't that rich! The folks that live in and around the Olympia call the Daily Olympian "The Daily 0" **As in ZERO**……
I about gagged when I read his column. What planet does this guy live on? Every day the Daily Zero is filled to the brim with praise of the Anti-gov Gregoire...... No bias? Hah! His column just shows that the bias starts at the top, and they're all so wet they can't tell when they're drowning in it.
http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/005909.html
Archer05 thanks
"It has nothing to do with the economy, McClatchy or how the paper is doing," he said. "It's all about me."
I don't think so buddy. If I worked at this newspaper I'd start making a different career choice immidiately. Fort Worth Star Telegram Publisher Wes Turner, who is dearly missed, pulled the same thing in 2007. We all know McClatchy told him to do as they say or see yourself out the door. Enter Gary Wortel, whom butchered up that newspaper by cutting all the meat and leaving all the FAT at the top. Becareful Olympian employees, if Wortel comes your way, you're doomed.
Though I've been a few months departed from the daily zero, John was a great guy and I miss working under him.
A few years back the inserter broke down in the mailroom broke down halfway into the Sunday press run. All staff in the building went down there to hand-insert papers, even Mr. Miller himself came in to work to help out.
The Olympian may be a rather liberal paper, but Olympia is a very liberal city, and i've always figured they were targeting their core demographic. It's not much more than the TNT-lite now.
Only one insert machine? ACK!
Ah the days of being a stuffer. Twenty Five cents per hundred. There were days that a few of the kids made as much as the mailers.
Miller knows that consolidation with TNT is just around the corner, and rather than be the ugly step-child of a publisher, he takes a walk.
Don't blame him, though. He would have been put in the position of taking all the blame, and having none of the say.
“The Olympian may be a rather liberal paper, but Olympia is a very liberal city, and i've always figured they were targeting their core demographic.”
That is a good sentence to ponder because it points a finger at one of the reason the press is dying. Liberal newspapers catering to what liberals want to know. News in a vacuum, is no news at all. Who wants to pay for that? Not too many it would seem. Catering to liberals doesn’t pay well enough from a business standpoint. Why cut anyone out of the deal? Simple reporting honesty would suffice. Nutty, it is just insane.
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