The Times announced that Jill Abramson has been "dismissed" as executive editor and replaced by Pulitzer-winning journalist Dean Baquet.
Jill Abramson Fired By New York Times
Abramson was the first female to lead the newsroom of the iconic paper and she held her position for a brief three years.
Typically, dismissals from such high-profile jobs are treated in the press as mutual decisions by both parties, so The Times public acknowledgement that Abramson was fired has raised eyebrows as well as questions of just what caused the esteemed journalist to be so unceremoniously ousted.
In its official explanation, The Times attributed their decision to "an issue with management in the newsroom."
While there have been rumors of Abramson clashing with Times publisher and chairman Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., and accusations of sexism within the organization, Abramson has remained cordial in her statements regarding her dismissal.
"I've loved my run at The Times," Abramson said today. "I got to work with the best journalists in the world doing so much stand-up journalism."
For many, this incident may call to mind the last time a Times editor was abruptly let go. That occurred in 2003, when Howell Raines was forced to resign as a result of a high-profile scandal in which journalist Jayson Blair was accused of fabricating stories.
