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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Baltimore Sun editor to join IU School of Journalism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 23, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Baltimore Sun Editor and Senior Vice President Tim Franklin will join the School of Journalism in January.

Franklin will be the Louis A. Weil Jr. Endowed Chair and will direct a new sports journalism program based in Indianapolis. The School of Journalism includes programs at the Bloomington and the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus.

"He has distinguished himself in a variety of roles at some of the best news organizations in the country, and I'm confident he will make a very good mark when he returns to Ernie Pyle Hall," said Paul Tash, editor of the St. Petersburg Times and chairman and CEO of the Times Publishing Company.

Franklin, who graduated from Indiana University in 1983, has served as a jurist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and 2007 and also has been editor of the Orlando Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star.

"Tim is an ideal person for the Weil Chair because he has been a leader throughout the country in what has become a multimedia era in journalism. He will be an excellent teacher in reporting and management and will help us build one of the nation's best sports journalism programs," said journalism Dean Brad Hamm.

Louis A. Weil Jr. was publisher of newspapers in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Mich., and Lafayette, Ind. He was president of Federated Publications, Inc., a company operating newspapers in Michigan, Indiana, Idaho and Washington, at the time of its merger in 1971 with the Gannett Co. From 1971 to 1978, he served as an officer and member of the board of directors of Gannett. Weil's son, Louis A. "Chip" Weil III, the former CEO of Central Newspapers, Inc. hired Franklin for his first top editor job at The Indianapolis Star in 2000.

"I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to return to IU and work with the faculty, staff, administration and students in continuing to build one of America's premier journalism schools," Franklin said. "I'm especially looking forward to starting up and directing a new sports journalism center in Indianapolis and Bloomington. The IU School of Journalism is the perfect place for the nation's pre-eminent sports journalism program."

Prior to his three editing jobs, Franklin spent 17 years as a reporter and editor at the Chicago Tribune. He was sports editor and business editor as well as a reporter covering the Illinois Statehouse, Chicago City Hall and Cook County government.

Franklin received praise from journalism leaders at USA Today, The Washington Post and the Orlando Sentinel.

"Tim Franklin is a fine newspaper editor and a true leader in the newspaper industry. He'll have a powerful and positive impact in working with students at Indiana University," said Ken Paulson, editor of USA Today.

Marcus Brauchli, executive editor of The Washington Post commended Franklin's leadership skills.

"Tim Franklin is a first-rate editor who has overseen and been a rock of stability at one of the country's great metropolitan newspapers during a time of transition and upheaval in our industry," Brauchli said.

"Tim's been a fine editor in wildly varied markets and is a good guy," said Donald E. Graham, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of The Washington Post Company. "He'll be excellent at helping young people prepare for careers in journalism. IU is lucky to have him."

Franklin is active in First Amendment and freedom of information issues. He is co-chairman of the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Freedom of Information Committee. His "open government" initiatives were honored by the Society of Professional Journalists and the First Amendment Foundation.

"He also is a nationally recognized champion of the public's right to know, fighting for decades to open government records and assure access to newsworthy events," said Charlotte Hall, senior vice president and editor of the Orlando Sentinel.

The IU School of Journalism has been a leader in journalism education and research for nearly 100 years and includes academic programs in Bloomington and Indianapolis. Journalism alumni work in print and broadcast media, journalism education, advertising and public relations.

For information, visit the School's Web site at https://www.journalism.indiana.edu.

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