MarketingProfs

MediaBuyerPlanner: Brian Teirney, former public relations and ad agency magnate who recently bought the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, is looking to hire a chief creative officer, reports AdAge. The position, believed to be the first of its kind in newspapers, will work with marketers to lead a comprehensive redesign that creates new ad-friendly formats. Tierney has made it clear that he wants someone from a creative agency, and not the newspaper industry, to fill the post.
“It’s very tricky [to have an executive involved with editorial and advertising], and it raises some concerns,” said Sam McKeel, retired former publisher of both Philly papers. “But I’d remind all of us involved in print media that we’re falling behind other media, and that’s why we need to be more creative.”
When Tierney closed on the purchase of the papers, he signed a noninterference pledge, yet there were still those who worried he might pay scant attention to editorial concerns, and this move will hardly allay their fears. But John Lavine, dean of the journalism school at Northwestern University, said that he thought the idea was “especially exciting.” “It is a newspaper connecting with its audience, and this is something they absolutely should be doing.”
The job of chief creative officer is one in a series of innovations Tierney has implemented to improve his newspapers’ performance, others of which include a huge promotional campaign and a 50% discount to new subscribers. “We didn’t buy this to manage the decline,” he said. “We did it to put together a platform for growth.”