Back in June of 2011, long-time Oklahoman Editor Ed Kelley left the "State's Most Trusted News" to take over the editing duties for the ultra-conservative Washington Times. Well, that didn't work out well.
Via Politico:
Washington Times editor Ed Kelley is leaving the paper amid major leadership changes announced by new CEO Larry Beasley in a memo obtained by POLITICO.
Beasley announced the formation of "a new senior leadership team" in today's memo, including Chief Operating Officer John Martin, Chief Financial Officer Keith Cooperrider, and Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer Tom Culligan.
But Kelley, who joined the paper as head editor just last year from The Oklahoman, will step down.
"As part of these changes, Ed Kelley is stepping down to pursue other opportunities, and we have already begun a search for a new executive editor," Beasley wrote.
Yep, the good old "Stepping down to pursue other opportunities" excuse. Unless that opportunity was to donate his thick, luscious locks of hair to charity, that probably means Kelley was told to quit or be fired.
Back when Kelley took the Times job, we featured an expert panel that examined his tenure at the Oklahoman and the general direction of the paper. One of the questions we asked was:
Which is more likely in five years? Ed Kelley is the editor of the Washington Times or Ed Kelley is back with the Oklahoman in some capacity?
Well, let's see how those experts did!
Arnold Hamilton, Oklahoma Observer: The better question may be: Will the Washington Times be in business in five years? I think the Oklahoman will be. If the Times doesn’t survive – or if Kelley doesn’t succeed there – I’d bet he’s still in Washington … perhaps not even in journalism.
Mike McCarville, McCarville Report: Barring a major disagreement with management, I see Kelley there for at least five years.
Dr. Kurt Hochenauer, OkieFunk.com: I don’t see Ed still being the editor at The Washington Times in five years. Maybe he’ll come back, but maybe he’ll go to work for a new Sarah Palin publication or whatever. You betcha selling out will be part of the deal.
Dr. Joe Foote, Dean and Chair of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma: Everyone who goes to Washington has an exit strategy.
Haha! Take that Iron Mike McCarville! You were wrong. Ed Kelley got fired... errr... stepped down to pursue other opportunities. Now get back to shooting your rifles, framing your NRA certificate and editing you're obscure local right-wing conservative blog! Zing!!!
Anyway, I kind of liked Ed Kelley as the editor of the Oklahoman. He wasn't too much of a whacko and seemed to do a good job transitioning the paper to the digital age. Plus, his haircut was always good for a joke or two. Good luck to him.
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