New York Times CEO Janet Robinson to retire
New York Times Co. chief executive Janet L. Robinson, who led the company through some of its most challenging years and helped it become a multimedia force, will retire at the end of the month, the Times Co. announced today.
The company, which owns The Boston Globe, is beginning a search for her successor and said it will interview candidates internally and externally. Arthur Sulzberger Jr., currently chairman of the company and publisher of The New York Times, will serve as chief executive officer on an interim basis.
As part of her retirement package, Robinson, 61, will continue to consult for the Times Co. for one year and will be paid $4.5 million. The company will also cover some of her health insurance for a year, among other benefits and compensation.
Robinson led the Times Co. during an unprecedented period of financial upheaval for traditional media companies as the Internet undermined their business models. Readers and advertisers were flocking to the Web, and the newspaper industry’s revenue and circulation declined sharply, forcing deep budget cuts at media companies.
At the Times Co., Robinson helped the company transform itself into a leading digital source of news. For example, the website of the New York Times, the company’s flagship paper, has the most unique visitors of newspaper websites in the country, and the Globe’s Boston.com is among the top 10 in terms of unique visitors per month, according to web analytics firm ComScore.
During her tenure, the New York Times began charging readers for online news, and the Globe launched a subscription-only website, BostonGlobe.com.
“The New York Times Company has been my home for 28 years and I leave with mixed emotions,’’ Robinson said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many outstanding people over the years, and I am particularly proud of my role in helping to navigate through one of the most difficult periods in publishing history as we transitioned from traditional print journalism to the digital world.’’
Robinson became president and chief executive officer of The Times Co. on December 27, 2004. In her role, she oversaw all of the company’s operations and business units.
In 2009, in the midst of a recession that sharply cut advertising revenues, Robinson and Times Co. executives threatened to shut the Globe to extract $20 million in concessions from its major unions. Soon after winning concessions, the company confirmed that it had put the Globe up for sale, but then pulled it off the market. The paper’s financial conditions improved after it also instituted a major price increase and closed a plant in Billerica.
In an interview earlier this year, Robinson re-affirmed the Times Co.’s commitment to the Globe flatly declaring that New England largest newspaper “is not for sale,’’ despite a local entrepreneur’s interest in buying the paper.
Previously, Robinson served as chief operating officer and as senior vice president of newspaper operations for the Times Co. In that latter role, she led the operations of all of the company’s newspaper properties, which include the Times, the Globe, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the International Herald Tribune, and other regional newspapers.
“On behalf of the Board and the entire New York Times Company I want to thank Janet for her significant contributions during her career, especially during the challenging years we most recently faced,’’ Sulzberger said. “Among her accomplishments, she has led our continuing transition to a multi-platform company and directed steps that resulted in an improved liquidity position and significant cost reductions. This was achieved during an uneven economic recovery and challenging advertising environment.’’
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com