John Cook, a longtime Gawker editor, will become the executive editor of Gawker Media, the portfolio of websites that was left leaderless after a tumultuous summer for the organization. In July, Gawker was widely condemned for publishing an article about a married male executive seeking to set up a liaison with a male escort. Faced with strong criticism, including threats to pull advertising, the website took down the article. (NYT)
Cook took over this summer after the resignations of executive editor Tommy Craggs and Max Read, editor of gawker.com. (FishbowlNY)
As executive editor, Cook will oversee all of Gawker Media’s editorial staff and serve on the company’s seven-person managing partnership. Before being promoted to executive editor, Cook was Gawker’s investigations editor. (Politico Media)
Since the summer, Gawker founder Nick Denton has been vocal about changing the tone of Gawker to be slightly nicer and less acerbic. He named Cook interim editor and then-deputy editor Leah Beckmann as interim editor in chief. (An editor in chief has yet to be named). Inside the company, there have been changes, including the recent departure of Andrew Gorenstein, president of advertising and partnerships. (WWD / Memo Pad)