WSJ reorganizes editing into four core groups

Wall Street Journal editor Gerard Baker sent out the following to the staff on Tuesday:

Last summer we re-made the senior leadership team of the Journal to emphasize digital imperatives while keeping print strong and improving teamwork among our senior editors. Our coverage and platform chiefs sit together at the Hub along with other senior editors and are collaborating in new ways to improve how we publish across platforms. We’ve seen the positive results in a range of metrics, from publishing times to reader engagement.

Now we need to move to the next stage of improving the efficiency and cohesion of our publishing arrangements by aligning the rest of the editing team with the new system. We intend to build on the success of the new structure at the Hub while clarifying the roles, responsibilities and reporting lines of our editors. So today, after extensive review and consultation, I am pleased to announce the establishment of a new central editing structure.

Strong editing has long been central to the success of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires and will remain so. The moves I am announcing today are not an exercise in cost-cutting or in reducing the number — or value — of editors. But as the needs of readers and platforms evolve, we must transform our organization and roles to ensure our formidable editing power serves them most effectively.

There will be four core editing groups: a Publishing Desk under Lex Kaptik that will work closely with the coverage chiefs to edit and publish all Journal copy for wires, web and print; a Newswires Desk under Glenn Hall that will create and edit content that is of specific interest to our wires customers; a Print Desk, led by Tim Layer, that will be responsible for producing the print Journal; and a Digital Platforms Team under Jenn Hicks that will be responsible for our journalism on mobile, desktop, social and emerging platforms.

The members of our editing desks will learn more today about how this transformation will take place. It’s our goal to make this minimally disruptive for those directly affected, as well as those of you who rely on the power and expertise of our editors to hone your work. You are all invited to consider the opportunities available and, if you wish, to apply for positions in the new structure.

I’m immensely grateful for the work that you all do in creating, editing and publishing our journalism each day for our readers, viewers and members. These changes will improve the work experience for all of us, and should improve the speed and quality and accessibility of our journalism.

Many thanks,

Gerry