Ousted 'Boston Herald' Editor: I Was In Charge

By: Joe Strupp Former Boston Herald editor Andrew Costello, who was forced out on Wednesday after 11 years at the helm, knocked down speculation that he was replaced because he would not go along with recent changes at the tabloid -- including an emphasis on shorter stories, more gossip and entertainment, and a more sensational presentation.

"Any changes that occurred during that time were small modifications and nothing I disagreed with," Costello told E&P during a phone interview from his home Thursday. "Any changes that occurred during my tenure, I was a part of. I was in charge of the paper until my last day."

When asked why Herald (Click for QuikCap) Publisher Patrick J. Purcell, who also is president of Herald Media, had him removed, Costello said only, "I think the publisher made those changes for his own reasons."

Purcell, who did not return calls seeking comment, announced Wednesday that Costello had left his job and that Kenneth Chandler, a former Herald editor who returned to the paper as a consultant in 2003, had been named editorial director.

The Herald reported Costello's departure as a resignation, but several staffers indicated he was given no choice. "Costello did not resign, he took one in the head," said a veteran reporter, one of several who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. "To me, it smells of desperation."

Several reporters believed Costello was under increased pressure following Chandler's arrival last year as a consultant, which was followed by a change in the paper's approach, with an increased emphasis on shorter stories, entertainment and gossip.

"We went with more big headlines and racy photos," said another reporter. "A lot of the staff was not happy about it. We didn't want to be the [Boston] Globe, but a lot of the low-brow stuff bothered us."

Some theorize that the changes were a result of dipping circulation and lower ad revenue -- resulting in a combination of buyouts, layoffs and retirements that meant the loss of 19 people last November.

Another sign of tough times is a report in the Boston Globe last week that Audax Group, which invested $28 million in Herald Media in 2001, is looking to sell its share. The same story reported that the newspaper was in the early stages of refinancing its debt.

Such difficult financial times my have sparked Purcell and other Herald executives to believe changes were needed, and that Chandler was the man to do it.

"He has a different approach to newspapering than Costello did," another reporter said of Chandler, who edited the Herald between 1986 and 1992 and also served as editor and publisher of the New York Post. "We've come to look more like the ... Post."

But Costello, who started at the Herald in 1983, disputes such notions. He contends that he supported the alterations. "Any changes that occurred were essentially my changes," he said. "I've been running the paper on a day-to-day basis until yesterday. We have tried some things and it is a very fluid vehicle."

Costello, who is married with two grown children, added that he did not always agree with every change that was discussed, but supported those that went into effect. "It is a continuing dialogue over how news is played," he said. "There is always a variety of opinions. My style of management is to listen to a variety of ideas and use my influence for what I think was good for the paper."

The former editor also defended the Herald, saying he believed it had been the best paper possible under his leadership. "We have been able to keep a competitive newspaper in a competitive market, and keep it financially viable," Costello said. "I'm completely comfortable during my time there that the paper was a terrific paper. It did its job extremely well."

But Costello agreed that changes may be needed and that no paper should rest on its laurels. "Every paper has had to make adjustments, even the Globe," he said. "It is going to have to continue to fight for its readership. We are used to fighting."

The veteran editor called his time at the paper "the best years of my life" and said he was emotional about leaving. "News has been my life, the love of my life," he said. "I have no regrets. It is a wonderful paper. That is through the efforts of the staff, who work extremely hard."

Costello would not speculate on his future, although he said he is exploring potential opportunities within Herald Media, including a possible slot at Community Newspaper Co., which owns 89 weekly publications.
He also did not rule out working as editor somewhere else, or going into teaching. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

"You never know," he said. "I certainly wouldn't say no to anything. All of my options are open."