Newspaper & Mailroom

The Washington Times Begins Move to More Distinctive and Authoritative Opinion Pages

Friday 09. January 2009 - Prominent News Room Additions Also Bring Enhanced Coverage

The Washington Times is pleased to announce three high-caliber additions to its news and opinion staffs.

Richard H. Amberg, Jr., Associate Publisher of The Washington Times, will oversee the editorial and opinion staff on an interim basis.

“Dick Amberg for 10 years has served The Washington Times and is that rare newspaper person who is as accomplished with pen in hand with editorial copy as he is with a balance sheet or thorny logistical issues,” said Tom McDevitt, President and Publisher of The Washington Times.

“As we enhance our Opinion Pages, our conservative outlook is one thing that will not change,” Mr. McDevitt said. “Under Dick Amberg on an interim basis and his eventual successor we are planning to expand our standing as one of the nation’s leading sources of distinctive and authoritative voices. This is the first of several changes that we will announce in the coming weeks. At The Washington Times, we are fortunate to have an extraordinary staff often with multiple talents and vast experience,” said Mr. McDevitt.

Mr. Amberg is a graduate of Harvard University and a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve (ret.). He was a part of a team that won a 1988 Pulitzer Prize.

Veteran journalist Deborah Simmons will re-join the news staff Monday as our first-ever special correspondent, a new byline title that will afford her sweeping opportunity to cover the extraordinary (and routinely under-reported) intersection between local Washington and official Washington. Since joining The Washington Times in 1985, Deborah has served as Editorial Page Editor, Deputy Editorial Page Editor, Features Editor, and Deputy Metro Editor.

“Deb Simmon’s breadth of knowledge, vast source network and ready access to newsmakers that make Washington tick will greatly enhance our coverage,” said John Solomon, Executive Editor. “From her new perch, she will cover the intersection of local and national politics on DC turf, Michelle Obama’s policy initiatives, education reform, urban affairs, DC voting rights and other issues.”

Mrs. Simmons is an award-winning editorialist and columnist and is a regular panelist or guest on numerous television and radio programs. A longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists and former officer of the Washington Association of Black Journalists, Mrs. Simmons is a member of the Greater Washington Urban League, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Conference of Editorial Writers.

Tara Wall, after cutting her teeth at The Washington Times as Deputy Editorial Page Editor, now joins the news staff as a Senior Editor for the growing suite of social media/networking products being created on the Digital editions. The Washington Times will soon be announcing a major new product in the Digital space. Ms. Wall will supervise the day-to-day content for that digital product while developing her own original broadcast content.

“Tara has an impressive resume ranging from TV anchoring – where she is currently a regular CNN contributor – to opinion editing,” said Mr. Solomon. “Her keen ability to analyze and synthesize information in the rapidly moving digital world makes her perfectly suited to help us serve our readers with ongoing development of additional news services products in 2009.”