By: The Sacramento Bee's top editor resigned Thursday in a dispute over the long-term direction of the newspaper.
Executive Editor Rick Rodriguez, 53, led the newspaper for nine years and was one of the highest-ranking Hispanic newspaper executives in the country.
In a statement, Bee Publisher and President Janis Heaphy said the two had agreed to part ways and that their disagreement was not about the paper's staffing.
"Rick and I differ over my vision for the long-term future direction of The Bee," Heaphy said. "We have both agreed not to publicly discuss these differences, though they are not based on differences over resources or our continuing aspirations for excellent journalism."
In a separate news release distributed by the Bee, Rodriguez said he was proud of the reputation The McClatchy Co. (nyse: MNI - news - people )'s flagship newspaper had built during his tenure.
"I've had the experience of a lifetime working at The Bee and am grateful to the passionate journalists who have dedicated themselves to this paper and to working with me," he said.
According to a story posted on the Bee's Web site, Rodriguez told the newsroom Thursday that he planned to take a couple months off before returning as a consultant to McClatchy's vice president for news.
Heaphy said Managing Editor Joyce Terhaar will oversee the newspaper's editorial operations while she prepares to name Rodriguez's successor. His replacement will not come from within The Sacramento Bee but rather will be someone working elsewhere for McClatchy, the newspaper quoted Heaphy as saying.
Rodriguez joined McClatchy in 1979. He worked as a political reporter and editorial writer before being named managing editor of the Bee in 1993. He was promoted to executive editor in 1998.
The Salinas native also is a past president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
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