lovely. AP's Fournier "officially" named D.C. bureau chief [View All]

[ErinBerin84]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0808/APs_Fournier_named_DC_bureau_chief.html


AP's Fournier named D.C. bureau chief


Ron Fournier has just been officially named the bureau chief of the Associated Press' D.C. bureau, according to a staff memo obtained by Politico.

From Mike Oreskes: "I am very pleased to make official what is already true. Ron Fournier is the Washington bureau chief of The Associated Press. It would be hard to invent some one better prepared for the task: Political writer and editor, Internet entrepreneur, Middle American."

As I've reported early this month, Fournier was installed as acting bureau chief during a shake-up in May, and has been pushing an aggressive agenda around what he dubs "accountability journalism." Also, I reported this week that Fournier had been approached by the McCain campaign in late 2006 to take on a "senior advisory role" in communications. After discussions with top McCain aides, Fournier -- then editor-in-chief of now defunct HotSoup.com -- decided to return to the AP in March 2007.

Fournier's stewardship of the AP's D.C. bureau has attracted criticism within liberal blogosphere, from a number of writers who consider the campaign coverage slanted in favor of McCain. But the AP's move today clearly shows that the news organization is standing firmly behind Fournier.