OLD Media Moves

Newman, who wrote more than 500 WSJ A-heds, retires

July 12, 2013

Posted by Chris Roush

Jim Romenesko reports that Barry Newman, who wrote more than 500 page one features for The Wall Street Journal, is retiring.

Romenesko writes, “Newman has written over 500 A-heds in his 43 years at the paper. (The page one Journal feature is called an A-hed.) His first ran on Dec. 3, 1970, and his most recent — a piece on apostrophes — was published in the print edition on May 16.

“‘There are generations of people, like me, whose idea of what a story could be – or even what journalism could be – was redefined by Barry’s work,’ says Journal reporter Conor Dougherty.

“In his retirement, Newman will serve as a Journal writing coach, ‘working with Page One to encourage, advise and console reporters who are in the throes of doing WSJ A-heds,’ he tells Romenesko readers.

“‘CUNY Journalism Press has also asked me to put together a story collection, interwoven with instructional and, I hope, amusing essays on how I got the ideas and did the reporting and writing. It’s due next April.’

“His favorite stories?”

Read more here.

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