WASHINGTON, DC -- (Marketwired) -- 05/14/14 -- The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) congratulates member Dean Baquet on being named Executive Editor of The New York Times, effective Wednesday.
Baquet replaces Jill Abramson, who was the first woman to hold the role.
"We are thrilled to hear this news and celebrate with Dean in the major career achievement," said NABJ President Bob Butler. "We appreciate our long-term partnership with The Times, and their commitment to diversity in the newsroom, something that leads to better coverage of an increasingly diverse audience. We look forward to seeing results of perspectives Dean will bring to this position. We are proud of his work and his commitment to excellence."
Baquet, 57, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and a former editor of the Los Angeles Times, becomes the first African American executive editor at The New York Times. A committed member of NABJ, Baquet was awarded the organization's top honor, 'Journalist of the Year', in 2007.
"It is an honor to be asked to lead the only newsroom in the country that is actually better than it was a generation ago," Baquet said on Wednesday, "one that approaches the world with wonder and ambition every day."
NABJ Vice President-Print Errin Whack also praised his appointment as the first African-American editor to lead The New York Times. Whack previously worked under Baquet while he was managing editor in Los Angeles.
"The appointment of Dean Baquet as executive editor of The New York Times should be cause for celebration for the entire journalism community, as his credentials have more than qualified him to lead what many regard as the gold standard of American newspapers. His career and today's announcement show what is possible when a talented journalist -- of any background -- is given a chance to excel," said Whack.
"We look forward to the day when such momentous news is not historic, but expected. Today, we know that there are far too few like Baquet in the ranks of mainstream newspapers, and even fewer in the pipeline for the kinds of opportunities we celebrate today."
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization for journalists of color in the nation, and provides career development as well as educational and other support to its members worldwide. For additional information, please visit, www.nabj.org.
Aprill O. Turner
(202) 649-0719
aturner@nabj.org
