Ex-Lee VP Stoeffler named editor of Gannett paper

Former Lee vice president David Stoeffler has been named executive editor of Gannett's News-Leader Media Group in Springfield, Mo. He will start May 28.

Stoeffler became Lee's first VP for news in December 2001 and worked for the company until November 2007. He has been the editor of the La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune and Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star, publisher and editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, the interim publisher of the Glens Falls (N.Y.) Post-Star, and general manager of the Suburban Journals of St. Louis. Since leaving the Suburban Journals, he ran a consulting company, Touchstone News Consulting, in Ferryville, Wis.

Stoeffler replaces News-Leader editor Don Wyatt, who resigned in April.

(Via e-mails. Know of Lee news? Send tips and links to lee.ent.watch@gmail.com.)

Tucson Citizen could close, jeopardize JOA

Gannett says it will close the Tucson Citizen on March 21 unless it finds a buyer. The Citizen is an afternoon paper, and operates under a joint operating agreement with Lee's Arizona Daily Star. Production, distribution and sales for both papers operate under the name Tucson Newspapers Inc. The Citizen is much smaller than the Star (17,000 circ vs. 117,000), but TNI profits are split equally between Gannett and Lee.

Chances of finding a buyer aren't high: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Rocky Mountain News are also for sale.