Deputy managing editor shifts to digital at LA Times

A new memo from the editor of the Los Angeles Times. Earlier in the week, Davan Maharaj announced that he would reorganize the newsroom to better reflect the priority on digital coverage of the news. In the first official move, deputy managing editor Scott Kraft — a print guy who has been a foreign correspondent and national editor — will take on a new role "at the heart of our digital mission." Basically, the website will get a solid news person there to "identify, shepherd and polish the top stories of the day for latimes.com."

From: "Maharaj, Davan"
Date: September 24, 2015 at 8:46:02 AM PDT
To: yyeditall
Subject: Scott Kraft

To the staff:

We’re delighted to announce that Deputy Managing Editor Scott Kraft, one of our most gifted editors, is taking on an expanded role at the heart of our digital mission.

Scott has guided Page One and much of our signature enterprise work for the last few years. Effective immediately, he will shift his focus to identify, shepherd and polish the top stories of the day for latimes.com. He’ll work with the social media team, the Home Page and editors in all departments to ensure that our best stories, both news and enterprise, reach the largest possible audience.

Scott will help us with our key objective: to publish first and most comprehensively online, then print a terrific daily newspaper. He’ll also continue to work with the Column One team on our “Great Reads.”

Most of you are familiar with Scott’s reporting and editing experience but it bears repeating: He spent 12 years as a national and foreign correspondent, received the SPJ Distinguished Service Award for Foreign Correspondence and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing. During his decade as National Editor, his reporters won four Pulitzer Prizes.

Please join us in congratulating him on his new responsibilities.
--Davan