Schaefer to oversee auto and biz coverage at Free Press

Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Jim Schaefer has been named senior news director for autos, business and education coverage at the Detroit Free Press.

A Free Press story states, “Schaefer, 55, has worked for the Free Press in two stints since 1988. He’s been a reporter, columnist, video game critic and, for the last three years, editor of the newspaper’s investigative team.

“In 2009, the newspaper won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for coverage of then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s text message scandal, an investigative project led by Schaefer and his reporting partner, M.L. Elrick. As a result of the newspaper’s work, Kilpatrick and Chief of Staff Christine Beatty both resigned and went to jail. Kilpatrick eventually was indicted federally and is serving a 28-year prison sentence for corruption.

“‘The Free Press has been home to me for a long time, and I’ve been able to try lots of different things. But this opportunity is fresh and new,’ Schaefer said. ‘The chance to manage a great team of reporters covering some of the most important topics in Detroit was too much to pass up. I’m really looking forward to it.'”

Read more here.