Tampa Tribune publisher moves south

NAPLES — The E.W. Scripps Company has appointed Bill Barker regional publisher and chief revenue officer of the Naples Daily News effective Nov. 11.

Most recently, Barker was president and publisher of the Tampa Media Group, parent company of the The Tampa Tribune. Barker succeeds Dave Neill, who resigned in August to become publisher of the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times and a regional president for Gannett's U.S. Community Publishing Group.

“Bill is a passionate leader who throughout his career has focused on building relationships with readers, advertisers and the community as a whole,” says Tim Stautberg, senior vice president of Scripps newspapers, in a statement.

In the 1990s, Barker worked his way up through the operational ranks at Media General's flagship Richmond Times-Dispatch and was named director of operations in 1996. During his tenure in Richmond, he was part of the team that oversaw the construction and launch of three new facilities as well as an organizational restructuring. 

Barker moved to Tampa in 2004 and was appointed vice president of operations and circulation for Media General's south region. While in that position, Barker was responsible for digital and broadcast television operations in addition to newspaper publishing.