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ANOTHER TIMES MAN: Wall Street Journal managing editor Robert Thomson took another step in putting his stamp on the paper in the era of Rupert Murdoch ownership by tapping former Times of London colleague Gerard Baker to serve as deputy editor-in-chief. Baker, who also worked at the BBC and The Financial Times, is currently U.S. editor and assistant editor of The Times, based in Washington. When he moves to New York to start at the Journal in January, he’ll workalongside a few other ex-Timesmen, including WSJ. magazine editor Tina Gaudoin and design director Tomaso Capuano. After Wednesday’s announcement, several journalism Web sites instantly took note of his vocal expression of his conservative political views, traditionally taboo on the Journal’s news side. (A February Times piece was headlined “Obama: is America ready for this dangerous left winger?” and his satire of Obama as Messiah also made the rounds). Managing editor Robert Thomson’s memo to employees dealt with the issue rather obliquely: “Gerry has been a commentator and reporter, and so has a clear and principled understanding of the objective of objectivity.” A spokesman for the Journal added, “Additionally, he must adhere to the code of conduct and our existing newsroom policies about political and civic activities.”
— Irin Carmon
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