Newspaper inks new publisher

SARASOTA — The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the largest daily newspaper in the Sarasota-Bradenton market, named industry executive Patrick Dorsey its new publisher.

Dorsey, president and publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat since 2005, will replace Diane McFarlin, who left the paper in July. McFarlin, publisher since 1999, left to take a position as dean of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida.

Dorsey will start work Oct. 1, the newspaper says in a statement. Dorsey has worked for the Gannett Co., owners of the Tallahassee Democrat and USA Today, among other publications, for about 20 years, the paper says. Dorsey's community involvement in the Tallahassee region mirrors some of what McFarlin did in the local region, according to the Herald-Tribune. The organizations Dorsey was involved with in the state capital include the United Way, the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation of North Florida.

Halifax Media Group owns the Herald-Tribune. Halifax bought the paper from the New York Times Co. earlier this year.