Business News
Jonathan Segal to Retire as President of Freedom Newspapers
Tuesday 30. March 2010 - Capping a career with Freedom Communications that he began more than 40 years ago as a high school student in the circulation department of the Brownsville (TX) Herald, Jonathan Segal, President of Freedoms Newspapers Division, is retiring effective June 30, 2010, the Company announced today.
“With the Companys Chapter 11 process coming to a close and the worst of the economic downturn behind us, this seemed like the time for me to retire,” said Mr. Segal. “The decision to leave a company I love and have been with my entire career wasnt easy, but its the right time and the right thing to do. That said, Freedom has an outstanding portfolio of newspaper and television properties – and a great team of associates to run them. It has a very bright future. I wish them all the success in the world.”
“We are deeply appreciative of the countless contributions Jon has made to our company during his distinguished career,” said Freedoms Chief Executive Officer Burl Osborne. “In successfully guiding our newspapers through the restructuring process and an extremely difficult economic climate, Jon has worked to ensure a strong future for our newspapers. Due to his expertise and hard work, the company is well-positioned to meet the challenges facing the media industry.
“Pending our emergence, I have asked Mark McEachen to assume responsibility for the newspapers division operations in addition to his duties as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Restructuring Officer.”
As President of the Newspapers Division, Mr. Segal oversaw operations of the Companys more than 100 daily and weekly newspapers.
Prior to taking on his current role in 2007, Mr. Segal was President of the Companys Community Newspapers Division, a position to which he was named in 1999. Before moving into his corporate role, he was publisher of The Gaston Gazette in Gastonia, NC, and also was responsible for the Companys other newspapers in North Carolina. His first position as a publisher came in 1974 at The Sun Journal in New Bern, NC.
He began his journey to a publishers job and, ultimately, to the corporate offices through the newsroom. After working as a wire editor and legislative correspondent at the Gaston Gazette, he was editor of The Free Press in Kinston, NC.
Mr. Segal serves on the board of trustee of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association and the board of directors of the American Press Institute and the PAGE purchasing cooperative. He is a past president of the SNPA and the North Carolina Press Association.