Journal Register Co. Puts Digital Guys in Charge

Emphasizing its digital-first approach to news and commerce, Journal Register Co. announced the appointments of three top executives to newly created sales and editorial positions.

Daniel Sarko was named as senior vice president of integrated sales,  Adam Burnham as vice president of local sales and Jon Cooper as vice president of content.

Each brings digital experience to his job at the company, which emerged from bankruptcy with a mission to move beyond printed newspapers.

"The Journal Register Company has adopted a strategy of Digital First,” CEO John Paton said in a statement. “The appointments of Dan, Adam and Jon to these important roles with a focus on digital rather than print are indicative of our commitment to that strategy. All three are exactly the kind of leaders we need to transform this Company from its past as a newspaper company to its future as a news and information company."

Sarko joined Journal Register last year and was its chief digital officer. Previously, he was interim general manager of Philly.com, the online division of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.  Prior to that, he was vice president of interactive for The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa.

Burnham, who has been with Journal Register since 2007, had been vice president of sales and marketing. In his new position, the company said, Burnham will “co-ordinate corporate wide local sales initiatives with a focus on local digital advertising sales.”

Cooper, who joined the company in 1997, was most recently director of digital content. He is currently heading up Journal Register’s “Ben Franklin Project” (http://jrcbenfranklinproject.wordpress.com/) during which two newsrooms will produce a website and newspaper using only free, web-based tools.

Journal Register said Cooper will be responsible for all content on all platforms. “His particular task will be to ensure the company's editorial teams embrace the new news ecology in harnessing the power of open-source journalism, digital content partnerships and multiple-platform publishing,” the company said.