A US-based newspaper executive is to make a transatlantic job switch to join Johnston Press as its new digital chief.
Jeff Moriarty, currently vice-president, digital products for the Boston Globe and general manager of Boston.com, is joining the regional publisher as chief digital and product officer.
He replaces Henry Faure Walker, previously digital and business development director, who is joining Newsquest in April as chief executive.
Jeff, whose appointment follows a global search, is a former journalist who has been credited with creating sucessful regional subscription-based websites in the US, notably BostonGlobe.com.
Chief Executive Officer Ashley Highfield said: “Jeff is an outstanding candidate and the knowledge, experience, insight and innovation that he will bring to Johnston Press will help us forge ahead with our ambitious growth plans.
“Our digital revenues have grown by 60pc and in many parts of the UK they now account for 20pc of our overall advertising revenues. Jeff’s exceptional track record will ensure our growth continues and I very much look forward to welcoming him aboard.”
A journalist by background who started out as founding editor of a weekly newspaper, Jeff has spent much of his career at The New York Times Company where he
held a number of vice president and general manager roles in classified products, product & technology, new media, and product management.
He launched the first regional websites in the Times and was also responsible for building an industry-leading Manhattan real estate site and verticals in autos and jobs, as well as niche products such as Winetoday.com on California wines.
Later he designed and developed what is considered to be among the most successful regional subscription-based sites in the US – the award-winning BostonGlobe.com, known for its pioneering use of Responsive Web Design to embrace the shift to mobile devices.
He joined About.com in 2009 and brought that site new mobile, video and advertising offerings before joining The Boston Globe in 2010.
I’m off to fetch a can of soda from the cooler.
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Yet another newly created position. The Boston Globe outsourced ad creation to Bangalore in 2007. Maybe that’s partly why they and JP can afford his (presumably very high) salary. Yet again, AH talks in percentages not actual figures.
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I wonder if Jeff’s experience of charging for access to digital content will signal some experimentation in that area for JP?
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Yet more chiefs to oversee even fewer Indian!
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JP cost cut victim needs to tune in, this guy is replacing Henry Faure Walker who is moving to Newsquest as CEO. There’s nothing new about the role.
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The Guardian needs to “tune in” too. (See below). Two wrongs don’t make a right though, so apologies for the error.
Johnston Press has hired Jeff Moriarty, one of the Boston Globe’s top digital executives, in the newly-created role of chief digital and product officer.
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