Strange times at TWT. On the front of the Commentary section Tuesday was a column by John Solomon on the AP scandal. Solomon is allegedly chief digital officer, a brand new position that was created especially for him at the start of 2013. But he’s not on the masthead. And then there’s that funky ID tagline included in his Tuesday column. It mentions his former employment as editor, but not that he currently works there. Also unmentioned is his affiliation with Washington Guardian, where he is president and executive editor.

It’s a real head scratcher. His ID tagline in TWT reads: “John Solomon, a veteran Washington journalist, is the former executive editor of The Washington Times and onetime deputy Washington bureau chief of The Associated Press.”

Here’s another chunk of weirdness: Solomon’s deputy, Ian Bishop, is on the masthead as digital editor. But not him?

Seems Solomon’s current affiliation should be disclosed. Why wouldn’t it be? Read more

Well, this is awkward.

The Washington Times management is putting thumb screws to the staff to get them to rat out the leakers to FishbowlDC. On the table for consideration: calling each staffer in one by one to ask if they have any knowledge of the leaking. As we already know, Chairman Tom McDevitt has been keeping staffers’ phone records under surveillance to see what calls are coming in and going out.

TWT‘s neverending bastion of bloated suits has, so far, refused to speak to FBDC for any of our coverage. One executive reached out but refused to speak on the record — that was more a lecturing kind of phone call. A teachable moment, some might say. “Don’t you just love a media company that has an absolutely strict policy against ever talking to the press ever?” asked a TWT insider.

The past few weeks has seen a rise in stories concerning The Washington Times as some 25 people were laid off on Friday. Last month, Executive Editor David Jackson warned that a restructuring was coming, but he left out key details — such as when and who. So staffers had to endure the holidays agonizing over whether they’d even have a job come the new year. To recap: Three days later, on Monday, TWT threw staff a newsroom party — oh boy! — and fed them sugary snacks (cookies, cakes and pies) to help ease the pain of an unstable newsroom filled with uncertainty. We’re told some remained at their desks out of loyalty to the departed. At the gabfest, they formally announced that John Solomon, the editor that left under angry circumstances in 2009, was returning full-time in addition to a plate-thrower named Ian Bishop (a real journalist with a favorable rep who comes to them by way of the New York Daily News.) Both men are assuming digital roles.

Here’s where things get strange….At the party, CEO Larry Beasley (a.k.a. “Evil Santa”), who drove up from Florida in his honking motorhome to take the job, joked that someone should… Read more

This just in…

As we hinted at earlier this morning, TWT has created two new digital positions: Chief Digital Officer and Digital Editor. Those positions will be held by former TWTer and currently a TWT consultant, John Solomon, and Ian Bishop, formerly of the New York Daily News.

As the release states, Solomon was formerly Executive Editor through 2009. But what they don’t say is as important as what they do, such as that he was pushed to resign, and let’s just say it wasn’t so he could spend more time with his family.

Nonetheless, a cheery quote from COO John Martin on his return. “John is a leading media innovator for creating new digital channels to expand the delivery of content and marketing communication. We are fortunate to have him back at The Times to focus on developing new products, new revenue streams, and new partnerships,” said Martin in a release.

In turn, Bishop will be Digital Editor. And in other surprising news, Editor Emeritus Wes Pruden, Editor-in-Chief until 2007, will be returning to oversee a restructuring of the editorial page and Commentary section. He will continue to write his twice-weekly column.

President and CEO Larry Beasley (a.k.a. “Evil Santa”) weighed in on Pruden. “Our readers know Wes for his witty political commentary, but he also has a keen sense of how to lift The Washington Times’ opinion pages to a higher level to provide intellectual leadership on such issues as free enterprise, strong defense, and traditional American values,” said Beasley in the release.

Of course, Beasley never mentions the dirty little secrets behind the real reasons why Pruden was allegedly forced into retirement. They involved allegations of racism and sexism in the organization under his management. For instance, Pruden once wrote in a TWT opinion piece that… Read more

Whispers in the newsroom are that TWT’s top pick for Digital Managing Editor is Ian Bishop. Bishop is most known for a 2008 incident in which he threw a phone through a plate-glass window while at the New York Daily News. He prides himself on being a hardass. He’s known for being hardworking, smart and likeable.

In July of 2012, the New York Daily News fired Bishop, then a political editor, for friction with editor-in-chief Colin Myler.

Bishop may be a kindred spirit and perfect fit for the job as news emerges that TWT consultant John Solomon, who resigned from the publication under a dark and gloomy storm cloud in 2009, will likely be announced as TWT‘s new Chief Digital Content and Revenue Officer as soon as today. Solomon, who is not trusted or liked by a lot of the newsroom staff, has told people that this is his new title.

Solomon is setting up numerous meetings this week with editors to discuss operations and is using the first-person singular in discussions: “What I will be looking for,” “What I want to see,” etc.

It is clear to many inside the publication that he’s calling the shots. On Friday… Read more

Big news today on the Hillary ’08 beat: The New York Post’s Ian Bishop is leaving the paper to join the New York Daily News, according to the Politico’s Ben Smith. FishbowlDC has learned that Bishop’s new title at the Daily News will be “deputy managing editor.” Still no word yet if he’ll remain in DC or head to NY.

But what does this mean? It means that the NYPost is in a very tough spot, having to now scramble to find someone to cover the Hillary ’08 campaign when all of the top talent (and those who, say, know who Mark Penn is) is already snatched up. And it’s a big loss for the Post because, well, the Hillary in ’08 beat is perhaps the paper’s premiere beat for the next two years. And, we’re just weeks away from Labor Day, when things will ratchet up considerably.

Whom can they hire who can hit the ground running?

Stay tuned…

>UPDATE: The Daily News release after the jump…

Read more

Mixed emotions this week in the pool between the news of Tony Snow and Wednesday night’s festivities. FLOTUS makes a fashion faux pas and John Boehner has a little trouble with the letter “G”.