On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Times named Jennifer Orsi as the new managing editor, Stephen Nohlgren reported for the Times. Orsi is the first woman “in the newspaper’s 130 year history to take complete charge of the daily report, both in print and on the web,” Nohlgren wrote.
Orsi rose through the ranks of the news operation since her first internship in 1986, most recently overseeing the metro and business report. She succeeds Mike Wilson, who left in December.
The Times, which Poynter owns, is part of a shifting marketplace, as is the rest of the industry, Nohlgren wrote.
Orsi’s grounding in local news, plus her adaptability, were key factors in her promotion, said Editor Neil Brown, whose announcement Thursday in the St. Petersburg newsroom brought rousing cheers from the staff.
“Even as the Tampa Bay Times evolves to be more digitally minded, we rely on journalists who are rock solid in the fundamentals,” Brown said. “Jennifer straddles those worlds beautifully. This reflects our commitment to local news around Tampa Bay.”
