Media

Jack Griffin picked to lead Tribune newspaper group

Veteran New York-based publisher Jack Griffin has landed a big newspaper job in Chicago.

The former short-term chief executive of Time Inc. and 20-year magazine veteran has been tapped to lead Tribune Publishing Co. He will take over at the nation’s No. 2 newspaper company later this year.

Tribune Corp., which is soon to focus exclusively on its TV, entertainment and real estate assets, is preparing to spin off the newspaper arm.

In the past year, there has been widespread speculation Tribune’s LA Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun and five other dailies would be sold, which hasn’t totally abated despite the spinoff plans.

Griffin threw cold water on those rumors, saying, “There is nothing like a sell-off being discussed. The company is profitable, and every newspaper is profitable.”

As part of the changes unveiled Thursday, Eddy Hartenstein will relinquish his job as publisher and chief of the LA Times and become non-executive chairman of the publishing company. As chairman and CEO of the parent company, Hartenstein helped steer it through a Chapter 11 reorganization in 2012.

Also stepping down is Tony Hunter, current chief of Tribune Publishing. He will stay on as president and head of Chicago Tribune Media and publisher of the Chicago Tribune.

“The biggest challenge [for Griffin] will be re-energizing the newsroom and sales staff after years of living in limbo,” said Ken Doctor, media analyst at Newsonomics.

For the past three years, Griffin has run Empirical Media, a New York-based consulting firm that has worked with Tribune for more than a year. James Friedlich, Empirical’s president and chief operating officer, will succeed him.

Griffin, who has no experience running a newspaper, was part of a team that tried to buy the Boston Globe from the New York Times Co. — an auction that was eventually won by Boston Red Sox owner John Henry.

He spent less than six months at Time Inc. after being recruited in 2010 from Meredith’s national media group, where he was running Better Homes & Gardens and other magazines.

The married father of two grown boys, Griffin was removed by Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes in early 2011 after he clashed with old-guard managers and executives.

Earlier in his career, Griffin was tied to the fortunes of the newspaper world as president of Parade from 1999 to 2003.

“He will bring a strong hand and a bigger centralizing hand to the new Tribune,” Doctor said. “At Time, he was stymied by internal politics in an early bid to begin transforming the company.”

Doctor expects he will focus on advertiser services, both digital marketing services to local merchants and content marketing.

One source noted that Griffin would be based in the Windy City but would likely spend a lot of time in Tribune’s Big Apple offices.