30 at Gannett Promoted as Division Splits

In a major management restructuring, Gannett Co. on Thursday promoted 30 top executives and split its newspaper division into two units.

Gannett Chairman Allen Neuharth and President John Curley said the changes, which will create one group for newspapers with daily circulations of more than 120,000 and another group for all other papers, were made necessary in part by the media group’s growth and acquisitions during the past year. The Rochester, N.Y.-based chain now owns 86 newspapers.

Brian Donnelly, president and publisher of News Journal Co. in Wilmington, Del., was named president of Gannett Metro Newspaper Group. Gary Watson, president of Gannett Central, became president of Gannett Community Newspaper Group.

Among the other changes, Douglas McCorkindale, vice chairman and chief financial and legal officer, was named Gannett’s vice chairman and chief financial and administrative officer. William Keating will move from senior vice president and head of the newspaper division to executive vice president and general counsel.