Ackerman to leave The Union

George Rebane

I was surprised to read this in the 20jun12 online paywalled edition of The Union.  H/T to RR reader.

Jeff Ackerman, publisher of The Union, announced today that he will be leaving the newspaper after 10 years of serving the western Nevada County community.

Ackerman will be taking an expanded scope of responsibilities for Swift Communications, The Union's parent company for which he has worked for nearly three decades. Ackerman will move north to Oregon as publisher of The News-Review in Roseburg.

“In addition, Jeff will have the added responsibilities as Swift content development and new revenue assessment leader, a role for which he's imminently and uniquely qualified,” Swift Communications President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Brown said in a statement.

Ackerman began his career with Swift 28 years ago and has served as reporter and editor, as well as publisher at North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, Nevada Appeal and The Union; and general manager of Sierra Nevada Media Group.

Dave Schmall will take over as publisher at The Union in Grass Valley, effective July 2. Schmall joined Swift Communications in February and previous to that, served as publisher of the Marysville Appeal-Democrat.

For more on this story, see Friday morning's print edition of The Union.

Comments

[Russ Steele]

How interesting.

"In addition, Jeff will have the added responsibilities as Swift content development and new revenue assessment leader, a role for which he's imminently and uniquely qualified,” Swift Communications President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Brown said in a statement."

What is he going to do, craig’s list, angies list, and online job sites have stolen the ad revenue. The Roseburg News-Review looks just like the Union, including the pay wall.

Reading the Union or the News-Review is like reading day old news, especially if you are an Internet user, follow Facebook and Twitter. The Union has dropped the ball on several big stories especially governement issues, including unfunded liabilities/pension spiking, corruption in the Rood Center and insisting that anthropogenic global warming was real, when the data clearly demonstrated it was not real.

Guess I will have to subscribe to the News-Review to find out where all this new content and revenue is going to come from in this dying industry.

[Douglas Keachie]

I'm sure Ackerman will have a blast in Roseberg. I wonder if the new publisher will pay for freelance spot news photography, as the old publisher paid for freelance writing?

[Michael Anderson]

This is big news. I wish Jeff A. the best in Roseburg. It is a fine town, and I believe George did a restaurant review of some diner as he and Joanne were passing through last year. You might want to repeat that piece for Jeff A. so he knows where to eat once he lands.

[Todd Juvinall]

I have the deepest respect for Jeff Ackerman. When he took over the paper it had been run by a bunch of lefty publishers who were running the paper into the ground and were friends with those who had no respect for our county and its traditions. Sure he he had content some found lacking, I think AP is trash most of the time, but overall it is a paper I still subscribe too as did my folks and grand folks because it is local. Jeff succeeded in making the Swift folks profit every year and the community was relatively peaceful. Having been the recipient of previous nasty publishers and editors I appreciate his even handedness. Besides, no more Seelmeyer and no more Pelline. So all the success in Oregon to JeffA and his wife.

[THEMIKEYMCD]

Jeff is one of our areas greatest assets (and one of my best friends). #grieving

[Bonnie McGuire]

We'll miss Jeff's humor and saying what needs to be said, and wish him our best.