• Reuters, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:45 AM

David Hunke, publisher of the Detroit Free Press, has been named publisher of USA Today. Hunke, a well-regarded Gannett executive, has been in charge of the Detroit Media Partnership, a joint operating agreement between Gannett's Free Press and the Detroit News, owned by MediaNews Group.

Earlier this year, Hunke oversaw a dramatic change when the Free Press and Detroit News stopped home delivery of the print edition several days a week as a way to save money and encourage use of an electronic edition instead. Hunke received widespread attention in the newspaper world for his willingness to take decisive steps, although it is unclear whether the move will help solve the Detroit papers' financial problems.

"He gets good marks from corporate for not just letting things tumble downhill, but for taking some significant actions and [carrying out] a bold experiment," says Rick Edmonds, media analyst at the Poynter Institute. Hunke also enjoys a good reputation among Gannett journalists, Edmonds says. At USA Today, Hunke will be in charge of a paper where circulation has fallen by more than 7%. He succeeds retiring USA Today publisher Craig Moon.

Read the whole story at Reuters »