(865) 691-7731

bbenz62@yahoo.com

11517 Hardin Valley Road

Knoxville, TN 37932

Bob Benz

Experience

January 2002-present        E.W. Scripps Co.             Cincinnati,OH

General manager/interactive media/newspapers

-- Oversee the online business and content efforts of 21 Scripps newspapers.

-- Work with site managers, publishers, editors, ad directors and sales reps to create effective online products and strategies.

-- Led Scripps newspapers to profitability in 2002.

-- Driving double-digit audience, revenue and cash flow growth each year.

-- Formulated multimedia sales strategy that combined print and online sales efforts and brought in $500k-$700k in incremental revenue in 2002.

-- Supervise programming, sales and content staffs.

-- Evaluate and choose online products for use by Scripps newspapers.

 

2001        E.W. Scripps Co.    Cincinnati, OH

Director of online operations/newspapers

-- Acted as liaison to legal team to ensure that privacy policies, user agreements and copyright issues were being addressed.

-- Rolled out the Vignette database publishing system at Scripps newspapers, including the Rocky Mountain News and eight other sites.

-- Worked to identify new products and services that increase revenue opportunities for Scripps sites.

 

1997–2000      E.W. Scripps Co.                 Cincinnati, OH

Director of online content development

-- Managed a Web studio in Knoxville, Tenn., that created content for 21 newspapers and 10 TV Web sites.

-- Coordinated launches and redesigns for Scripps sites, including the Ventura County Star, which won best regional portal (75,000-250,000 circulation) in the NAA’s 2000 Digital Edge competition; and TCPalm.com, which won the 1998 Digital Edge award for Best Online Newspaper under 75,000 circulation

-- Created more than 200 special content packages per year for Scripps sites.

-- Initiated a project to install Vignette database publishing system for all Scripps websites.

 

 

 

1996–1997                  GoWest.com                         Austin, TX

Content manager

-- Supervised a staff of five and numerous free-lancers for an outdoors site that focused on the western United States and Canada. This project was a collaboration between E.W. Scripps Co. and Cox Interactive Media.

-- Edited stories, designed pages and negotiated deals to acquire content for the site.

-- Redesigned the site to make it easier to navigate.

-- Worked to build bridges between advertising and content.

 

1994–1996                  Rocky Mountain News                   Denver, CO

Assistant News Editor

-- Played key role in the creation and launch of the Rocky Mountain News’ Web site (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/)

-- As ANE, I was responsible for tracking page flow and making sure deadlines were being met. I also ensured that all pages were being proofread and corrections were made

-- Additional ANE duties: Slot, wire editor, composing room editor.

-- Before working as ANE, I was a copy editor on the sports desk, where I wrote headlines, edited stories and designed pages.

 

1990–1994                  Albuquerque Tribune            Albuquerque, NM

Copy editor

-- Copy edited the Plutonium Experiment, which won the 1993 Pulitzer for national reporting.

-- Trained co-workers in the use of a pagination system that was being implemented in the newsroom. I also wrote a tutorial/instruction manual explaining how to use the system.

-- Edited copy, wrote headlines and worked on the weekly entertainment tab, Wild Life.

1984-1990                   Various newspapers

Reporter/editor

--Worked in a variety of newsroom jobs ranging from news editor of the Destin (FL) Log to copy editor at the Birmingham Post-Herald.

Education

1980–1984                  Edinboro University                     Edinboro, PA

-- B.A., English/humanities

-- Minor in journalism

-- Graduated summa cum laude.

1988–1990                  University of Alabama         Birmingham, AL

-- M.A., English literature

-- Graduated magna cum laude (4.0 GPA).

Other experience

-- Board member, PowerOne Media.

-- Advisory board member, Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University.

-- Board member, Newspaper Association of America’s New Media Federation.

-- New Media/Convergence Committee member, Southern Newspaper Publisher’s Association.

-- Taught college-level courses at Ohio University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of New Mexico and Metro State College in Denver.

-- Lectured journalism classes at the University of Texas, the University of Alabama, Ohio University and the University of Tennessee.

-- Have worked with high schools in the Knoxville, Tenn., area, conducting online journalism workshops and working with students.

Interests

Hiking, dogs, parrots, literature, writing, Internet.