Burlington Free Press hires new top editor
The Burlington Free Press has hired a new executive editor, Denis Finley, former editor-in-chief of The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia.
Finley, 64, who starts his new job Oct. 17, was selected by Free Press President Al Getler after a nearly year-long search following former Executive Editor Mike Townsend's retirement Oct. 29, 2015.
"I could not be more delighted than to have found an editor with Denis' rich experience to join us at the Free Press," Getler said Thursday. "Mike Townsend was a tough act to follow. We searched hard to find the right person."
A circuitous route
Finley began his 28-year career at The Virginian-Pilot as a staff photographer in 1987 after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia master's program in journalism. Finley was 32 years old when he returned to school for his journalism degree, making him the oldest college photographer of the year in the country, he joked.
"I took a very circuitous route, working as a pastry chef and school teacher, traveling around the country trying to figure out what it was I wanted to do," Finley said. "I finally settled on photojournalism."
Once he had made up his mind to be a photographer, Finley set his sights on The Virginian-Pilot because of its dramatic use of photography.
"I did everything I could to inject myself into that newspaper," Finley said.
Finley finally got his break when he was offered a two-month stint at the Virginia paper to replace a photographer who took a leave of absence. He later did his master's thesis project at the paper.
"By then I was known to them," Finley said. "When an opening came I was lucky enough to get the job."
Finley spent six years as a staff photographer before making a suggestion that began his long climb to editor-in-chief.
"What got me out of photo and into the newsroom was dissatisfaction with how we handled photo assignments," Finley said.
Finley explained that reporters would work on stories for days, weeks or even a month before putting in a photo assignment. The assignment would come with little time to work on the best image possible.
"I thought we could do a better job with planning," Finley said. "I proposed an idea to create advance photo editors. Their job would be to know well in advance what every reporter was working on to much better plan for the visuals."
Finley became The Virginian-Pilot's first advance photo editor in 1993 — reluctantly.
"I didn't want to do it. I just thought we needed to do it," Finley said.
Two-time Pulitzer finalist
From advance photo editor, Finley became features editor, news editor, deputy managing editor, managing editor and finally editor-in-chief in 2005.
During his tenure as top editor, The Virginian-Pilot was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize twice, in 2007 for a story on Blackwater, the private security firm that provided services to the United States and foreign governments; and in 2012 for a series of stories on a local naval hospital crew stationed in Afghanistan during the war.
Finley left The Virginian-Pilot in 2015 to become director of communications at The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. He explained that he needed a break from the business after going through seven years of painful cost-cutting as the newspaper industry dealt with the changing landscape of digital advertising.
"The advertisers didn't value online advertising as much as they valued a print ad, but everything was migrating to the web," Finley said. "Competition became fierce for advertising dollars."
Finley said he didn't miss journalism right away, but eventually realized he missed it a great deal. When he became aware of the executive editor opening at the Free Press, Finley said he went online and "liked what I saw."
"Denis has a passion for the news business and understands that the Free Press is aggressively moving forward as a digital news organization," Getler said. "But he also has a deep understanding of what makes a great printed newspaper."
Now, Getler continued, Finley will bring his expertise to "an award-winning team of journalists at the Free Press."
"I have had a lot of fun working directly with our news team," Getler said. "I will now have more time to tell an exciting story to our business partners about the huge array of digital marketing tools we offer."
Finley said his first priority after moving to Vermont will be to get to know everybody at the Free Press and to understand the issues the community faces. He said he has begun looking for housing and has found the market "challenging," especially because he wants to live within walking distance of the newsroom in downtown Burlington.
"I'm really excited to get back into journalism, which I missed dearly," Finley said. "I can't wait to get started."
This story appeared online on Sept. 8, 2016. Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanDambrosioVT.
LIKE THE FREE PRESS ON FACEBOOK
SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS BFP ALERTS
Do you have a breaking news tip? Call us at 802-660-6500 or send us a post on Facebook or Twitter using #BFPTips.