Deseret Digital Media CEO Clark Gilbert Named to Expanded Role as President and CEO of the Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY -- Deseret Management Corporation (DMC) announced the promotion of Clark Gilbert to the newly created position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Deseret News on Thursday.

Gilbert will continue as President and CEO of Deseret Digital Media (DDM), a DMC company. Formed in 2009, DDM oversees the website operations of DeseretNews.com, KSL.com, DeseretBook.com, MormonTimes.com, and LDSChurchNews.com.

The Deseret News is Utah’s oldest continually published daily newspaper. Editor Joe Cannon and Publisher Jim Wall will continue in their current positions, reporting to Gilbert.

Mark Willes, President and CEO of DMC, stated, "Clark Gilbert brings a unique background to his expanded responsibilities. He previously served on the Deseret News Board. He was a consultant for ten years to leading newspaper organizations including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Scripps Newspapers. He is ideally suited to help us reinvent the print version of the Deseret News, while at the same time accelerating the growth of DeseretNews.com."

Gilbert sees tremendous growth for the Deseret News in both print and online. He notes that DeseretNews.com is now the most visited newspaper website in Utah. "To me this new shift signifies several key commitments. First of all, DMC recognizes the importance of a digital future. For example, our overall audience is larger than it has ever been because of the Internet. We can reach the entire world through our digital products," said Gilbert.

"Secondly, even as we invest in digital growth, the Deseret News is a viable local print product. We are thriving when so many newspapers around the country are facing declining readership," said Gilbert. In 2009, the Deseret News grew audiences faster than any other major newspaper in the country. Not only did our online audience expand by more than 30 percent, print and readership grew an additional 20 percent.

"Thirdly, even with our digital and print successes we need to continue to rethink the model of a newspaper company. Over the coming months, we will be exploring new ways of creating content that will be increasingly compelling to our current and future readers," said Gilbert.

"Finally, the Deseret News has a wonderful heritage with a commitment to championing virtues and improving lives. Created in 1850, the paper has been a trusted voice of news, community, and information for over 150 years.”

Gilbert also expressed excitement to coordinate efforts between Deseret Digital Media and the Deseret News. "I look forward to keeping digital innovation at the forefront of the Deseret News team's priorities. I am proud to associate with and learn from such a talented group and I have confidence that the digital resources at DDM will increasingly become integral to the future growth of the Deseret News," said Gilbert.

DDM employees come from the digital divisions of KSL.com, Deseretbook.com, and DeseretNews.com. They also include individuals with backgrounds from leading new media companies such as Yahoo, Omniture, and Overstock.com.

Gilbert has an extensive background in digital media innovation. While he was a professor at the Harvard Business School, Gilbert became an authority in trends disrupting the news industry and was one of the lead authors of the American Press Institute's landmark media study - Newspaper Next: The Transformation Project.