The (Baton Rouge) Advocate has hired Times-Picayune reporter Richard Thompson as part of its expansion into St. John the Baptist and St. Charles parishes. Thompson has been reporting on the impacts of the BP oil leak for the past three years.
In an article about the news, Advocate Editor Peter Kovacs said:
“We are excited about the opportunity to provide coverage of these two important parishes and to chronicle the economic boom that is coming to the entire corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. … Thompson’s range of experience makes him “the ideal journalist for this new mission.”
The Advocate — which has recently hired several Times-Picayune staffers and is run by former Times-Picayune editors — has been expanding from Baton Rouge into New Orleans throughout the past year. It began expanding around the same time the Times-Picayune announced plans to cut print frequency and staff.
In June, The Advocate struck a deal to start printing New Orleans obituaries. Publisher John Georges said last month the paper is adding 500 new subscribers each week.
