Palm Beach Post Publisher Giuffrida Stepping Down

This morning's e-mailed announcement to Palm Beach Post staff from Tom Giuffrida was posted on the Pulp earlier this morning: March 7, 2008 To Employees of Palm Beach Newspapers: Cox will announce today that I will be retiring May 1 and that Doug Franklin, publisher of the Dayton Daily News...

By Bob Norman

March 7, 2008

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This morning's e-mailed announcement to Palm Beach Post staff from Tom Giuffrida was posted on the Pulp earlier this morning:

March 7, 2008

To Employees of Palm Beach Newspapers:

Cox will announce today that I will be retiring May 1 and that Doug Franklin, publisher of the Dayton Daily News and president of Cox Ohio, will succeed me as publisher of The Palm Beach Post and president of Palm Beach Newspapers.

Doug is an outstanding leader whose talents are just right for the challenging times in our business today. I know you will support him the effort to strengthen our company so that it may prosper for decades to come.

I have been publisher here for nearly 23 years, and I just turned 62. I would love to go on for another 23 years, as I feel so strongly about the importance of our work and our prospects for a bright future. But it is time to go. I will leave with gratitude for our owners, for our leadership at Cox, and most of all for all of the employees, active and retired, with whom I have worked over these years. I have come to regard this place as home, our employees as family.

I wish all the members of the PBNI family the best for the future. And I thank all of you for the support you have given me. It has been a privilege to lead this company.

Tom Giuffrida

This does not bode well for the Post at all. The early speculation is that Giuffrida is stepping down to avoid the upcoming carnage from yesterday's announced cuts to the newspaper. Franklin's recent reign in Dayton has not been without labor controversy and he president over a large staff reduction 16 months ago involving buyouts.

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Journalist Bob Norman has been raking the muck of South Florida for the past 25 years. His work has led to criminal cases against corrupt politicians, the ouster of bad judges from the bench, and has garnered dozens of state, regional, and national awards.

Contact: Bob Norman