NY Observer > Marcus Brauchli

L.A. Times U.N. Reporter, Brauchli's Wife, Resigned to Help 'Save a Body'

John Koblin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:34:45 -0400

Newly named Washington Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli's wife, Maggie Farley, the United Nations reporter for the L.A. Times, says she quit right before the paper announced layoffs in order to "save a body." And, not surprisingly, she doesn't care much for what's happening to the paper. She tells L.A. Observed's Kevin Roderick:

"I resigned last week in the hopes that it would save a body, and with all the changes in our family and at the paper, it felt like a good time to leave and try something new. I am proud to have been part of one of the largest and strongest foreign staffs in the country, and am disheartened by what has been done to our great newspaper. read more »

Marcus Brauchli Named Washington Post Executive Editor

John Koblin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:49:10 -0400

Last time we heard from Marcus Brauchli, he was eating a Vidalia onion-crusted petite filet mignon at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington when word came down that he was being dropped as editor of the Wall Street Journal.

Just over 10 weeks later, he has been named executive editor of the Washington Post. Katharine Weymouth wrote in an e-mail that she will introduce Mr. Brauchli tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.

Mr. Brauchli brings a pretty fabulous résumé to the job--both as a foreign correspondent, with most of his time spent in Asia, and as national editor of the Journal. He also, of course, was the Journal's managing editor, but he had few accomplishments and that's for two obvious reasons: He spent little over a year in the office and most of that time was spent trying to shepherd (unsuccessfully) changes for Rupert Murdoch. read more »

Report: Brauchli, Bennett Top Two Candidates for Post's Executive Editor Job

John Koblin — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:07:46 -0400

Charles Kaiser at Radar is reporting that ex-Journal editor Marcus Brauchli and current WaPo managing editor Phil Bennett are the top two finalists to repace Len Downie as executive editor of the Washington Post. Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek who was on a short-list of candidates, said that he took himself out of the running a few weeks ago. Jonathan Landman, deputy managing editor of the Times, apparently is no longer in a field with the top candidates.

Thomson as New Journal Editor: 'I Feel Privileged'

John Koblin — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:53:59 -0400

We just caught up with Robert Thomson, who, it was just announced, will be the newspaper's next managing editor, on the phone. "I feel privileged," he said. "I'm looking forward with much excitement to making the Journal, and its news wires, which is the greatest news organization in the world, even greater."

He will move down to the newsroom's ninth floor tomorrow, and will take over chief editing duties over the paper immediately. read more »

Robert Thomson Named Editor of The Wall Street Journal

Observer Staff — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:39:28 -0400

Here's the News Corp. press release. More coming shortly.

Robert Thomson has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Dow Jones and managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, effective immediately, Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of Dow Jones & company, announced.

The Dow Jones Special Committee today unanimously endorsed Mr. Thomson's appointment following his nomination by the Company last week.
read more »

If (When?) Downie Hangs It Up, Who's Replacing Him at the Post?

John Koblin — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:47:21 -0400

The rumors are running wild in D.C. that sometime later this week, Post editor Leonard Downie will take a buyout and step down. A short-list of candidates is making its way around, and Michael Calderone at Politico sizes it up. read more »

At Big Time 100 Bash, Rupert Murdoch Plays it Cool

John Koblin — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:08:48 -0400

Rupert Murdoch was standing in a deep corner of the Rose Hall at about 7:30 p.m. last night to toast his fellow influencers: It was the Time 100 celebration, an event that drums up publicity for the magazine's decreasingly influential list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The day before, Mr. Murdoch had promised investors and reporters listening in on a News Corp. investors' call that he'd prevail in his purchase of Newsday over rival bidders Mort Zuckerman and the Dolans. read more »

Hands Still Wringing at Journal As Robert 'Head of Content' Thomson Takes Reins

John Koblin — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:52:02 -0400

For the past two weeks, Robert Thomson, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, has been busy not being the paper’s editor.

It hasn’t been easy. Since April 22, when Marcus Brauchli resigned as the newspaper’s managing editor, Mr. Thomson, who was forced to describe himself in an interview with The New York Times as the interim “head of content” for the paper, has had nine meetings (in person and on conference calls) to soothe the fraying nerves of his orphaned editorial staff.

“There was a real panic here for a few days when Marcus left,” said one reporter. read more »

Unrest at the Journal

John Koblin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:38:10 -0400

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the original CNBC report that Rupert Murdoch was interested in buying Dow Jones at $60 per share. And one year later, nothing seems to have calmed down at the Wall Street Journal. read more »

Journal Committee is Upset, But What Can They Really Do?

John Koblin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:08:26 -0400

Given more time, Thomas Bray, one of the members of the special committee to oversee editorial independence at the Journal, would have liked to question Marcus Brauchli. There are two stories today: one in the Journal, and the other in the Times, airing the committee's grievances, but those complaints amount to little. read more »