David Blum, the editor of the Village Voice, was removed as editor late today less than six months into his tenure, FishbowlNY can confirm. The staff was told he “made comments that were unacceptable” at approximately 5:15PM.

Blum was named editor in August after a grueling search by the Voice‘s New Times owners that included the hiring and unhiring of an editor from the Washington City Paper.

According to Gawker, the staff presumed the comments were made during a story meeting on Wednesday “when the subject of race came up.”

On Monday, Blum had hired a managing editor away from the New York Sun.

BACKGROUND: