Business News

Scripps promotes journalist, respected leader to regional publisher of the Caller-Times

Thursday 14. November 2013 - Libby Averyt has extensive knowledge of newspaper operations and the Corpus Christi community

The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) today announced Libby Averyt will become regional publisher and chief revenue officer for the Caller-Times in Corpus Christi, Texas, effective Jan. 1, 2014. Averyt succeeds Darrell Coleman, who is retiring at the end of the year after 35 years in the newspaper business, the last four as publisher of the Caller-Times.
Averyt, 49, is currently vice president of advertising and has spent her professional career at the Caller-Times. She started as a night-shift police reporter in 1986 and went on to become an award-winning journalist. In 1990 she was awarded the prestigious Edward Willis Scripps Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment for being jailed on contempt charges after refusing to testify about unpublished information. In 2000 Averyt became managing editor of the Caller-Times and three years later was promoted to editor. After five years leading the newsroom as editor, she transitioned to a new role championing the newspaper’s digital efforts as vice president and online general manager until she was promoted to her current position in 2009.
“Libby’s rich and varied experiences leading the Caller-Times newsroom, the digital operations and advertising sales team will enable her to allocate her time and energy in a way that supports her co-workers and best serves our readers and advertisers in Corpus Christi,” said Tim Stautberg, senior vice president of Scripps newspapers. “Her deep commitment to the community and strong relationships throughout the Coastal Bend are vitally important to her success as publisher of the Caller-Times.”
Averyt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Texas and earned a master’s degree in communication from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
She has been active in the Corpus Christi community and currently serves as an advisory board member for the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse – Coastal Bend and as a board member for South Texas Public Broadcasting.
She is married to Charles Kaffie Jr. and between them they have five children – Grace, Avery, William, Lauren and Charles.