Jill Abramson forced out as New York Times executive editor

Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr announces that managing editor Dean Baquet will replace Abramson at the newspaper's helm

theguardian.com, Jessica Glenza in New York, Wednesday 14 May 2014

Jill Abramson said: 'I've loved my run at the Times.' Photograph:
Brad Barket/Getty Images for Wired

The executive editor of the New York Times, Jill Abramson, has been forced out by the newspaper's publisher, in an unexpected reshuffle at the top of the venerable publication.

In a move that caught even the most senior staff at the paper unawares, Arthur Sulzberger Jr, the publisher and chairman of the New York Times Company, announced that Abramson would be replaced immediately by Dean Baquet, the paper's managing editor. He is the first African American to hold the job.

“I’ve loved my run at the Times,” Abramson said in a statement published by the Times. “I got to work with the best journalists in the world doing so much stand-up journalism.”

Abramson, 60, was appointed to the top job in September 2011 and was the first woman to hold the position.

Sulzberger addressed the newsroom just after 2.30pm on Wednesday. According to multiple sources, he told staff that he had elevated Baquet to the top job in an effort to improve management. “I choose to appoint a new leader for our newsroom because I believe that new leadership will improve some aspects of the management of the newsroom,” he said in an account published by CNN's senior media correspondent Brian Stelter, a former media reporter at the Times .

Baquet also addressed the meeting, and toured the newsroom afterwards. Abramson was absent, and within a few minutes of the end of meeting, the publication had removed her name from the masthead on the website.

Although Sulzberger did not elaborate on the reasons for replacing Abramson, a Politico article published in April 2013 described Abramson as “on the verge of losing the support of the newsroom,” a year and a half into her tenure as executive editor.

In a statement to investors, Sulzberger added: “There is no journalist in our newsroom or elsewhere better qualified to take on the responsibilities of executive editor at this time than Dean Baquet. He is an exceptional reporter and editor with impeccable news judgment who enjoys the confidence and support of his colleagues around the world and across the organization.”

Baquet said in the statement: “It is an honor to be asked to lead the only newsroom in the country that is actually better than it was a generation ago, one that approaches the world with wonder and ambition every day. The talented journalists of The New York Times make it the greatest news operation in history and I look forward to working with them to deliver the world’s most engaging and enterprising journalism.

In a note to staff, published by the Huffington Post, Sulzberger said Baquet was a “proven manager" who was a "fierce advocate" for his repoters. It added: "And importantly, he is an enthusiastic supporter of our push toward further creativity in how we approach the digital expression of our journalism."

Abramson responded to the Politico piece in October 2013 during a keynote address at the Journalism and Women Symposium in Essex, Vt. Abramson called the piece an, “ad feminem” attack. Citing the story’s reliance on anonymous sources, Abramson called it “shoddy.”

The story described an April 2013 “altercation” between Abramson and Baquet. Abramson reportedly called Baquet into her office to “complain” about coverage. The discussion ended with Baquet storming out of Abramson’s office and slamming his hand against a wall. Baquet then missed the Times’ 4pm. editors’ meeting.

“This story seemed to revolve around this silly fight that Dean Baquet the managing editor of the Times and I had had one day, but like who doesn't occasionally have you know, spats with co-workers, and you know this one blew over in less than a day as most do,” Abramson said.