NYT announces paywall-related staff reorganization

More than a week after disclosing long-awaited plans to install a metering system to charge for online content, The New York Times has announced new duties and titles for five executives. "These staff changes will enable us to successfully develop and implement the metered model, while we continue to drive our advertising business aggressively forward,” said Denise Warren, senior vice president and chief advertising officer, the New York Times Media Group and general manager, NYTimes.com.

The following changes were detailed yesterday in a statement:

• Paul Smurl, vice president, advertising, has been named to a newly-created role of vice president, NYTimes.com paid products, where he will be responsible for the implementation and financial performance of the metered model. After the build-out phase, Smurl will be responsible for growing paid products into significant businesses. Additionally, he will have revenue responsibility for crossword subscriptions and mobile game products. He will report to Warren.
• Eliot Pierce, vice president, operations and strategy, NYTimes.com, becomes vice president, advertising and digital strategy, business development and ad operations, NYTimes.com. Pierce adds advertising planning and digital ad operations to his portfolio. He will continue to oversee digital strategy and business development for the website. Pierce will continue to report to Warren.
• Nick Ascheim, vice president, product management, NYTimes.com, has been named to the newly-created role of vice president, new ventures, NYTimes.com, where he will extend the Times' reach into different products, services and platforms, including new video opportunities. He will now report to Warren.
• Ira Silberstein, vice president, classified products, becomes vice president, product management and classifieds, NYTimes.com. Silberstein will now oversee the product management group, in addition to the classified team. Silberstein will continue to report to Marc Frons, chief technology officer for digital operations.
• Rob Larson, vice president, digital production, NYTimes.com, has been named vice president, search products, NYTimes.com, where he will focus on the Times' emerging Open Topic platform and semantic web initiative. He will continue to manage the New York Times Index, Times Online Services and the Times's Digital Archive Distribution relationships. He will continue to report to Frons.

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