Susan Benkelman - FishbowlDC

CQ Roll Call Staffers Take Buyouts

Eddie Scarry — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:32:27 +0000

Five employees at CQ Roll Call have been given buyouts at the publication, according to a newsroom memo sent out by Editorial Director Susan Benkelman obtained by FishbowlDC.

The employees are: John Bicknell, editor of CQ Weekly; Robert Healy, senior editor; Melinda Nahmias, deputy editor of CQ Weekly; Lauren Whittington, leadership editor; and Randy Wynn, chief news editor.

We hear that part of the buyout is roughly five months-worth of pay.

“We’re going to set a date for an appropriate, official celebration of these employees’ long and wonderful careers, most likely the third week in May, and we’ll make sure everyone is aware of those plans,” Benkelman wrote in the memo. “In the meantime, please wish them well on this next phase of their lives and careers. We’ll also have some snacks and drinks in the newsroom late tomorrow for these employees’ last day. I’ll bring the wine, and the Kleenex.”

FishbowlDC reported Thursday that several staffers had submitted requests for buyouts and that decisions could come by the end of the day. It looks like that panned out.

See the full memo… continued…

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Newsflash to Five Roll Call Scribes: Say Hello to Your New Boss

Betsy Rothstein — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:05:43 +0000

Five Roll Call reporters received word Wednesday that they now have a new boss. Instead of Editor David Rapp, they’ll now report to a different editor. What’s more: Their work will now be behind a paywall as it appears on CQ.com.

The big switch is part of a plan to realign resources and inject them into the overall digital operation. As sources inside the publication explained to FishbowlDC, the move allows the company to lower Roll Call‘s operating costs while they avoid laying off employees. Hypothetically speaking, insiders explain the shift could help if The Economist Group decides to sell or close Roll Call (athough they have not indicated there is no plan to do either).

Despite the fact that the two newsrooms are now fully integrated, confusion among readers still exists as some Roll Call reporters are still resisting the idea of having CQ invade their Roll Call. But they’ll have to adjust. Stories bylined by these reporters will still appear in the Roll Call print edition. If you’re a CQ.com subscriber, all Roll Call stories appear on CQ.com. In turn, CQ stories pertaining to policy news of the day appear on RollCall.com and the Roll Call print edition.

CQ Roll Call sources tell us tensions are high as some of the affected reporters were less than enthused by the initial news. Some of those called on to make the switch include White House Correspondent Steven Dennis, who is switching bosses but will continue to maintain his regular beat as a CQ Roll Call reporter, House Leadership reporter Daniel Newhauser and Humberto Sanchez, who covers the Senate. Others affected include Adriel Bettelheim, who will write a new CQ Morning Briefing newsletter that starts Monday, Kate Ackley, and Eliza Carney.

CQ Roll Call brass considers the move to be positive. In a memo dispatched to staff Thursday from Susan Benkelman…

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CQ Roll Call Media Relations Manager Gets Boost

Betsy Rothstein — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 15:00:09 +0000

While some publications around town still have no designated spokesperson, CQ Roll Call is promoting its Manager of Media Relations.

The news outlet announced today that Sujata Mitra has been named Director of Marketing Communications, reporting to Valerie Voci, V.P., of Marketing.

See the abundance of praise for Mitra… continued…

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CQ Roll Call Publicist Shifts Gears To Editorial

Betsy Rothstein — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:05:20 +0000

CQ Roll Call Publicist Rebecca Gale is making a big leap this week from the public relations side of the publication to editorial. Specifically she will be a contributing editor for Roll Call. See the internal memo from Editorial Director Susan Benkelman below.

Team –

I’m happy to announce that Rebecca Gale, who’s been working as director of publicity and has handled our media relations, will be working in editorial, beginning immediately. Rebecca will serve as a contributing editor and will be working on Roll Call, helping out on the opinion section and working on other projects as needed. In fact, she’s currently writing a piece for Roll Call as we speak. She’s sitting in a cubicle near Dave Rapp’s office, so stop by and say hi.

Susan

See what Gale had to say about the move… continued…

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In Other CQ Roll Call News…

Betsy Rothstein — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:08 +0000

Tough as it is to top a toilet flushing memo, in way less exciting news over at CQ Roll Call today, they’re announcing staff moves. In the meantime, would this be an appropriate time to request more toilet flushing tips?

The moves involve Anne Hoy, who takes over as executive editor for CQ news and Randy Wynn, who’s getting a new fancy title as chief news editor. Other team moves include Alan Ota and David Harrison to the economics team as well as John Gramlich, who is switching teams (so to speak) but will still cover legal affairs.

See the memo from Editorial Director Susan Benkelman…

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CQ Roll Call Names Dineen Veep of Digital Strategy

Betsy Rothstein — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:01:19 +0000

CQ Roll Call Editorial Director Susan Benkelman sent out a really exciting internal memo to staff this afternoon announcing that John Dineen is returning to the newsroom from the business side to head up digital. His new title: VP for Digital Strategy and Delivery.

The memo, sent to us by one of our reporter spies, is LONG and will make your eyes glaze over. The important news is above.

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Roll Call Gets a New Rapp

Betsy Rothstein — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:42:53 +0000

The CQification of Roll Call is complete. CQ Roll Call, an Economist Group business, announced today that David Rapp has been named Editor of Roll Call. Rapp formerly worked for CQ for 22 years. Most recently he worked at Bloomberg‘s BGOV for the past year and a half. He’ll begin on November 12, just in time for the relaunch of the publication on November 13.

“I am thrilled to have David leading Roll Call,” said Susan Benkelman, Editorial Director of CQ Roll Call. “As we prepare to re-launch Roll Call on November 13^th with expanded coverage, a redesigned printedition, and a free site, David’s track record in leading award-winning publications and in digital publishing makes him an excellent choice to take Roll Call forward. He also knows Capitol Hill as well as anyone in town, so he brings the precise combination of skills and expertise we need for this job.”

The search was purportedly intensive. They considered internal applicants as well as those, such as Rapp, from the outside. We’re hearing murmurings of discontent with the choice, but clearly brass is overjoyed with their pick.

The “new” Roll Call will present readers with “the political news they have come to rely on combined with topical policy analysis and legislative schedules that were hallmarks of CQ Today”. The new daily print edition will publish Monday through Friday.

CQRC Names Benkelman Editorial Director

Betsy Rothstein — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 10:51:40 +0000

Back in September, amid the turmoil of CQRC’s transition pains, layoffs, resignations and more, Susan Benkelman took the helm as interim Editorial Director. She had stepped in for Mike Mills, who resigned after pissing off much of the newsroom for a job as Chief Content Officer at Society for Science and the Public. Well, now it’s official. CQRC has given Benkelman the post. She will hire both the new editor of Roll Call and her replacement at CQ.

“Susan is an outstanding news person and a fine editor,” said Scott Montgomery, outgoing Editor of Roll Call who recently left for a job at NPR. She understands the information needs of the CQ Roll Call audience as well as anyone in town.”

An anonymous source gushes about her to an extent that makes us a little uncomfortable, but here it goes: “Susan rose through the ranks at CQ. She’s the natural fit to take the lead as Editorial Director. People at CQ and Roll Call know her to be a fantastic story editor. She works well with reporters; she knows what CQRC needs to be to succeed in the future.”

A common sentiment from the newsroom: “She is a much better fit for the job than Mills.”

Benkelman, formerly Executive Editor at CQ, has clocked in her time at CQRC. She first joined CQ in 1997 as Social Policy Editor, overseeing coverage of health care among other topics.

See the internal memo…

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Roll Call Unveils Interim Editor

Betsy Rothstein — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:22:48 +0000

This just in from CQ Roll Call‘s Susan Benkelman:

”In light of Scott’s departure, I’ve asked Randy Wynn to sit in the Roll Call editor’s chair on an interim basis. The Roll Call editor job has been posted, and candidates will be interviewed in the next couple weeks. We’ll close the posting on Oct. 5, and we want to have the editor in place well in advance of the launch of the redesigned paper on Nov. 13.”

Scott Montgomery recently resigned to go to work for NPR. Wynn is presently Deputy Executive Editor for News, CQ Roll Call.

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Roll Call Editor Resigns for Job at NPR

Betsy Rothstein — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:08:11 +0000

Roll Call Editor Scott Montgomery is leaving for a senior staff position at NPR. This is no doubt a big loss for the Roll Call newsroom where he was thought to be a morale center and curator of young talent. As of late, there have been a slew of layoffs at CQ Roll Call among sales personnel. He is said to be leaving on good terms. The position at NPR is significant and hard for him to pass up. Sources say he was not nudged out or laid off.

Montgomery first came to CQ in 2000 as an editor for CQ Weekly, then moved to CQ‘s parent company, the St. Petersburg Times, before returning to CQ Roll Call in 2009. In the fall of 2010 Scott was named Editor of Roll Call on the heels of Charlie Mitchell, who, to the dismay of the newsroom, was pushed out.

A newsroom employee who formerly worked with Mitchell in Editorial gave him a glowing review, but only agreed to speak about him anonymously: “Scott Montgomery is a fantastic editor. When Charlie Mitchell left, there was chaos, but Scott stepped in keep the newspaper moving forward. He kept Roll Call true to its mission and his improvements were felt in every corner of the newsroom. Roll Callers, old and new, are going to miss him. NPR is getting a first rate editor.”

Susan Benkelman will lead CQ/Roll Call during the interim period until a permanent head is named.

We reached out to CQ Roll Call PR. They had no additional comment.

UPDATE: See the memo…

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CQ Editor Retires After 25 Years

Betsy Rothstein — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:48:23 +0000

After 25 years at CQ, Jan Austin is announcing her retirement. Known as a “fantastic editor,” she is considered “the conscience of the newsroom” and has trained generations of reporters on how to cover Congress. She is editor of the CQ Almanac and an editor at CQ Weekly.

The move allegedly has no connection to the recent wave of layoffs to rock CQ Roll Call.

She will be deeply missed.

See the internal memo from Susan Benkelman… continued…

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Editorial Director Mike Mills Out at CQ Roll Call

Betsy Rothstein — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:32:45 +0000

With changes at the bottom, middle and everywhere in between, come changes at the top. CQ Roll Call Editorial Director Mike Mills is out, which should make a slew of current and former journalists there ecstatic as he has been described to us as “the devil” and other similar descriptions by multiple sources. To put it mildly, the newsroom wasn’t pleased when Editor Charlie Mitchell was forced out in September of 2011 and Mills was viewed as largely to blame.

Mills has a new job lined up and, at least surfacely, is leaving on good terms. They’re saying he’ll be missed by newsroom, where he did some “fantastic things” in bringing the company together.

Who’s on their way in? A new CFO, and new head of sales. The CFO is an Economist guy.
The new head of sales is an internal promotion for Rick Rockelli.

Until Mills’ replacement is found, Susan Benkelman and Scott Montgomery will head up the newsroom, which should undoubtedly please reporters living in unpredictable times. The company laid off some 30 employees on the business end of the publication earlier in the week in addition to a small number of editorial employees. Benkelman and Montgomery are well-liked and respected editors. Keith White is confident they will do a good job as the company hunts for a new editorial director.

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CQ Roll Call Adds Reporters to Policy Beats

Betsy Rothstein — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:45:01 +0000

CQ Roll Call’s Susan Benkelman issued an internal memo today to announce two new hires and a newsroom shift. Ambreen Ali will become a technology reporter. Melissa Attias will now cover healthcare. “I’m excited to announce staff additions in two important policy beats, and one personnel shift in the Executive Briefing line,” wrote Benkelman. At the bottom of the memo comes the news that they’ve lost Kathy Wolfe to Politico. Wolfe has been at the pub for a decade. John Boyd will assume her responsibilities at the Executive Briefing on Transportation.

See the memo…
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CQ Roll Call Makes a Brash Hire

Betsy Rothstein — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:50:11 +0000

Philip Brasher, who wrote about ag policy for the Des Moines Register and most recently worked in Gannett’s D.C. bureau, comes to CQ Roll Call to be editor of the Executive Briefing on Agriculture and Food.

He begins on Jan. 17.

See the internal memo from Susan Benkelman…

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Roll Call’s Starkey Moves Back to CQ

Matt Dornic — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:58:59 +0000

Roll Call web editor Melanie Starkey is moving to CQ to begin a new role as editor for daily news. In an email announcing the transition, Susan Benkelman called Starkey a “solid editor with great news judgment and an unflappable disposition.”

Prior to her most recent gig, Starkey was a copy editor and web producer for CQ. Before joining the company, she was a Sunday/Monday news editor at the St. Petersburg Times, and before that a copy editor for the paper. Congrats to Melanie!

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