The Chronicle has completed another wave of buyouts and one name on the list sticks out: Oscar Villalon, editor of the Book Review Section.Villalon joined the book review a decade ago and has served as its editor for seven years. He oversaw a serious downsizing of the Sunday section, which went from a stand-alone to an insert in the Insight section. Despite its diminished size, the Chronicle book section is still one of the few remaining separate sections.
Publishers Weekly reports that deputy editor Regan MacMahon will take over.
Let's just hope this news doesn't precede an announcement that the book section will be killed.
Update: News comes that the Sacramento Bee has offered buyouts to 55% of its staff.
Further update: Oscar Villalon says (via e-mail) there are no planned changes to the book review section.
1 comment:
Small factual point... this latest wave of buyouts is not complete -- it's still underway. Chronicle staff have until Friday August 29 to apply for a buyout. After that, management will decide whom to accept and whom to turn down.
But your main points (about Oscar leaving and the hope that the book section survives) are on target.
Post a Comment