Jill Abramson, the first woman to head the New York Times as executive editor, was abruptly fired Wednesday and replaced by managing editor Dean Baquet.
The New Yorker attempted to explain why, with the leading theory being Abramson’s discovery several weeks ago that she earned less than her male predecessor. But Vanity Fair reported that publisher Arthur Sulzberger insists the firing had nothing to do with compensation. Either way, sexism is alive and well at the Times, says Salon.
The New Republic suggested the owners simply didn’t like the way she did her job. Buzzfeed shared newsroom horror stories. Her managing style might ultimately have contributed to her termination, reports Politico, claiming that Abramson attempted to hire a new digital editor without consulting Baquet. Still, Huffington Post says maybe it is a sex thing.
The Observer claims Sulzberger mostly just didn’t like that Abramson was more popular than he was. Nevertheless, sexism is alive and well at the Times, says the Guardian.
Abramson’s ascension was announced in June of 2011. She took command in September of that year, with the New Yorker profiling her career. During her tenure, she hired and promoted many women, Slate reflects. In August last year, she spoke with The New Republic about the paper’s future, emphasizing the importance of “digging to get the story behind the story.”
While everyone speculates as to the reasons, Abramson herself was throwing some punches, literally.
