ASNE President and 'Al Dia' Editor Bailon To Head 'Post-Dispatch' Editorial Page

By: Joe Strupp Gilbert Bailon, editor and publisher of Al Dia in Dallas, Texas, and president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, is the new editorial page editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the paper reported Tuesday.

"We are very fortunate to have a journalist of Gilbert's caliber leading our editorial page, building the newspaper's long-standing tradition of advocacy for our region," Post-Dispatch publisher Kevin Mowbray said in Tuesday's paper.

Bailon, 48, told his new paper that the staff "will continue to build on our vital role as public servants in a free society and to help the readers stay informed to improve their lives."

Bailon replaces Christy Bertelson, who had served as editorial page editor since 1997. She is now deputy managing editor for features.

Prior to heading Al Dia, a Spanish-language daily, Bailon was executive editor of the Dallas Morning News from 1998 to 2003. He has also been a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram.