The Commercial Appeal
CA Editor Louis Graham
The Commercial Appeal announced today that editor Louis Graham has resigned from the paper, and will be taking a position with ALSAC, the fundraising arm for St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Named editor in 2013, Graham worked his way up through from reporter to his current position over a 38 year career with the CA that started at the paper’s now defunct bureau in Jackson, Tennessee.
Graham will serve as executive director of enterprise content at ALSAC.
The CA’s Opinion and Engagement editor, Mark Russell, will serve as interim director until Graham’s replacement is found. Graham’s last day at the paper will be May 12.
Graham’s departure is the latest in a series of changes and layoffs since the paper was purchased last year by Gannett Co., Inc.
In January, the paper laid off all freelance writers. A little over a month ago, 14 staffers and reporters were laid off from the CA and 12 are reportedly still waiting to receive severance pay from Gannett.
Layoffs also occurred the same day at the the Knoxville News Sentinel and The Tennessean, both Gannett owned. The CA endured the most layoffs.
Last week, Memphis Newspaper Guild representative Daniel Connolly posted a scathing breakdown of the severance pay stall on social media that outlined the details of a bitter feud between the former employees and Gannett.
