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Eisendrath out at Sun-Times

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Illinois

Edwin Eisendrath, the former Chicago alderman who led the investment group that bought the Chicago Sun-Times last year, has resigned after 16 months as chief executive officer of the struggling newspaper’s parent company.

Along with his departure, effective immediately, the company announced the appointment Wednesday of Nykia Wright as interim CEO. Wright joined Sun-Times Media Group as chief operating officer last October after working as a financial analyst and consultant for companies in Chicago, Atlanta and London. […]

Sources said Eisendrath had lost the confidence of the Sun-Times board, and that the paper was still losing money. Its path to profitability by no means assured, Eisendrath predicted earlier this year that the Sun-Times had no better than a “60 percent chance” of surviving for two years.

In addition, growing tensions between Eisendrath and Sun-Times editor-in-chief Chris Fusco had come to the board’s attention, according to insiders. Fusco’s predecessor as top editor, Jim Kirk, stepped down just weeks after Eisendrath took over. Eisendrath also raised eyebrows when he hired his wife, Jennifer Schulze, as executive producer – new media, reporting to her close friend, Carol Fowler, senior vice president of digital news products.

I had no beef with Ed, but they need to get back to being a good newspaper with a functioning website and forget about all those other gizmos. More reporters, less “digital news products” and “new media.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 3:51 pm

Comments

Smart move. Sid Yates has never been more vulnerable.

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 4:09 pm
@LizPhairTax, LOL. old days.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 4:16 pm
Sun-Times website is in desperate need of revamp, anytime I go on to read a story I regret my decision.

Comment by Buford Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 4:22 pm
I never realized there was a WCIA alumni club in formation at the S-T. Live and learn.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 4:31 pm
LizPhairTax - I just laughed into the faces of some kids coming up my walk. Well played.

Comment by lakeside Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:04 pm
What difference does it make. Picked a paper up recently and it was like less pages then a college paper

Comment by Sue Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:11 pm
what would he know about running a newspaper, especially one that is struggling?

Comment by jim Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:16 pm
I give him points for helping to keep the tronc grifters from gobbling it up to shut it down.

But, dude, you may be a former alderman, but you’re not actually required to find a job for your wife on staff.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:17 pm
I was gonna say stuff, but- LizPhairTax just won the internets.

Comment by West Sider Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:23 pm
Say what you will about EE, but only he had the testicular fortitude to take on Blago when it was clear to everyone (well, most everyone) that Rod was headed to Club Fed.

Comment by Ann Nonymous Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 5:40 pm
ST website is the worst news site in the state. Terrible. At this point anything would be better.

Comment by ChiCountryGuy Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 9:39 pm
I’m still trying to sort out the ST’s paywall.
Sometimes i can read stories. At other times I cannot. It seems random and that makes it pretty annoying, so I usually ignore ST stuff.

Comment by Gooner Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 10:02 pm
The sports pages are the best thing contained in the Sun-Times. Sadly, the rest of the paper seems to be shrinking to the point of irrelevance.

Comment by Practical Politics Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 10:36 pm
Wish I could get a piece of this action. These bonds are safe as houses. Our priority of payments has never changed based on politics. We apparently have some sense of fiscal responsibility.

Comment by Northsea Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 10:41 pm
SunTimes endorsed Democrats for every top post, no Republicans are worthy of stewed office

Total tally was 56-17

no wonder they are failing

frhttps://elections.suntimes.com/voting-guide/endorsements/

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 31, 18 @ 10:49 pm
Arthur Anderson, what other WCIA personnel have gone to the S-T? Elaine Quijano (formerly Elaine Cagas) is in the big leagues, at the CBS weekend anchor desk in New York.

Comment by Lynn S. Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:01 am
Let’s cut him some slack. Many readers of this site knew Blago was a failed governor but stayed silent as Blago ran for relection. Eisendrath had the courage to stand up.

Comment by Former legislative aide Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 8:24 am
The breach in trust at the Suntimes was that a classically liberal leaning paper stopped endorsing anyone and then endorsed Rauner and ran off the reporter actually digging for facts on the businessman’s previous dealings. Then it’s ownership was obfuscated from the public for years. Edwin’s stewardship was more about reviving trust than anything else, and on that task, mission accomplished. I feel like I know who they are again. And from what I read, the deal for the new website is already in place to de-buggify and streamline the news. I would say he left the ship much better than he found it and I offer my sincere thanks.

Comment by Biker Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 9:00 am