The Baltimore Sun Announces New Editor

J. Montgomery (Monty) Cook, a “true innovator,” replaces Timothy A. Franklin, who accepts an appointment with the Indiana University School of Journalism

BALTIMORE, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ — The Baltimore Sun Media Group announced today the appointment of J. Montgomery (Monty) Cook as Editor and Senior Vice President of The Baltimore Sun, effective January 1, 2009. Timothy A. Franklin, who has been The Sun’s Editor and Senior Vice President since 2004, has taken a position at the Indiana University School of Journalism.

“Monty Cook is a bold thinker, bringing the kind of leadership The Baltimore Sun and the industry need in this rapidly changing media world,” said Timothy E. Ryan, Publisher of The Baltimore Sun. “He’s a true innovator who will help The Sun grow audiences in print and online.”

Cook brings more than 20 years of experience in reporting, editing, design and newsroom management to this position. He joined The Baltimore Sun as Deputy Managing Editor in 2004, supervising more than 100 staff members of the news desk, copy desk, design, graphics and photography departments. In 2007, Cook was promoted to Director of Content Development and led The Baltimore Sun Media Group during last spring’s launch of b, the free daily aimed at young adults, and this summer’s reinvention of The Baltimore Sun. His creativity and leadership were instrumental to the success of these two major initiatives designed to build readership.

“It is a privilege to lead The Baltimore Sun’s top-notch staff of journalists,” states Cook. “My commitment is to help them continue to produce the best local journalism in the country. We have a readership, a city and a state that demands the type of quality reporting that is produced in our newsroom for print and online each day.”

Tim Franklin said, “I’ve worked closely with Monty for the past eight years, first at the Orlando Sentinel and now here at The Sun, and he is without question one of the most creative editors that I’ve ever worked with. The spark that ignites Monty’s creativity is his passion for the news. He’s worked with me on virtually every major story of this decade and in every case, Monty contributed great ideas that improved our storytelling — all with readers in mind.”

Cook received his Bachelor of Art degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1986, with a double major in journalism and communications. He held numerous reporting and editing positions at the Myrtle Beach Sun News and the Akron Beacon Journal before joining the Washington Post in 1996 as a section designer. He was then promoted to Assistant Sports Editor at The Post and served in that capacity for three years before joining the Orlando Sentinel in 2000, where he became Associate Managing Editor/Presentation. Cook and his family are residents of Towson, Maryland.

The Baltimore Sun Media Group, a Tribune company, publishes The Baltimore Sun, baltimoresun.com, 30 community newspapers and magazines, and a growing portfolio of targeted print and online products, including b and bthesite.com. In print and online, the Baltimore Sun Media Group reaches 1.2 million readers each week in the Baltimore area, making it the region’s most widely read source of news and information.

SOURCE The Baltimore Sun Media Group