A new generation of leaders looms on the horizon of the world’s most important media, as digital formats accelerate the transformation of journalism and open the way to other models of mass communication.
Emblematic directors of traditional newspapers, such as Marty Baron, of The Washington Post and Roberto Pombo, of El Tiempo de Colombia, following the saga of other notable leaders of Spanish journalism, leave their positions at the very peak of success to make way for the new generations.
Predictably the same will happen, this year, with Dean Baquet, of The New York Times and soon of the Los Angeles Times, Norman Pearlstine, will leave the position to his successor, in the same way they will, before the end of 2021 , Jeff Zukker, president of the television network CNN and James Goldston, of ABC News.
What is striking is that these resignations occur voluntarily just as those iconic or printed television headlines show impressive audience and revenue achievements to ensure long-term sustainability.
Those who retire carry on their shoulders the merits of having promoted the internal processes of digital transformation that today are considered important references when it comes to replicating them in other parts of the world.
A peculiarity worth taking into account is that these leaders assumed their responsibilities at a time when their media looked down, facing the debilitating tendencies of the traditional model, and revived and positioned them enviable today.
Rather than gloat over their impressive successes, these leaders are setting an example for managers reluctant to change.
They are humbly and gallantly transferring the helm of command and strategies to the new blood of journalism, which today shows off its multimedia capacity to tune in to the new times, as much as those demonstrated in due course.
- Translated from Spanish by Randy Rodriguez.
Director's Thoughts 