By: Joe Strupp She Is First Woman To Serve In Position
Columnist Gail Collins of The New York Times will become
the newspaper's first woman editorial page editor when she takes
over the post in September, replacing Howell Raines who will
become executive editor, the newspaper announced Thursday.
"As a reporter, a columnist and an editorial writer, Gail has
delighted and enriched readers," Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher
of the Times and chairman of The New York Times Co., said
in a statement announcing the promotion. "Her witty and
thoughtful writing style, strong grounding in the values of the
paper, and extensive knowledge of politics and government policy
ensure that the editorial pages will remain vibrant and
compelling."
Collins' promotion is the latest in a string of managerial
changes at the newspaper that began one month ago when Executive
Editor Joseph Lelyveld announced he would retire and Sulzberger
named Raines as his replacement.
Just days ago, Managing Editor Bill Keller agreed to leave the
post he's held for four years and will become an Op-Ed columnist and
writer for The New York Times Magazine when Raines takes
over the newsroom. Raines has not named a new managing editor,
although Deputy Managing Editor Gerald Boyd is thought to be the
top prospect.
Collins, 55, joined the newspaper in 1995 as a columnist on the
Op-Ed page and served as a member of the paper's editorial board
from 1995 to 1999. Prior to coming to the newspaper, she was a
columnist at New York Newsday from 1991 to 1995, and at
the New York Daily News from 1985 to 1991.
A former United Press International reporter, Collins also has
written for Connecticut Magazine and the Connecticut
Business Journal, in addition to hosting a public affairs
program for Connecticut Public Television and serving as an
instructor at Southern Connecticut State College. She is the
author of "Scorpion Tongues," published by William Morrow in
1998. She co-authored "The Millennium Book" with her husband Dan
Collins, a senior producer at CBSNews.com, which was published by
Doubleday in 1991.
Joe Strupp (jstrupp@editorandpublisher.com) is an associate editor for E&P.
Copyright 2001, Editor & Publisher.
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