Dow Jones & Co., the parent of The Wall Street Journal, has removed its head of digital, Michael Rolnick, amid a strategy shakeup that has been unfolding over the past month, Joe Pompeo of Capital has learned.
Pompeo writes, “A Silicon Valley veteran hired by Fenwick in August 2013, Rolnick’s job was to increase digital and mobile readership, a role in which he oversaw teams focused on business development, digital circulation, audience engagement and analytics. During his brief tenure, the company explored changes to The Journal‘s online paywall and struck deals to put its content on third-party networks such as the Google Play Newsstand.
“Since Rolnick’s Feb. 12 departure, his teams have been redeployed under other Dow Jones executives, including Ed Roussel, head of consumer and institutional products, and Christina Komporlis, who oversees print circulation. One insider familiar with the decision said the goal was to streamline print and digital circulation.
“Rolnick declined to comment, as did a spokesperson for Dow Jones.
“Sources cautioned against drawing any conclusions about Rolnick’s firing insofar as what it might suggest about Lewis’ digital consumer strategy, which Dow Jones plans to ‘expand’ and ‘invest in,’ Lewis told employees recently in a memo.”
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