Moats had worked for the papers since 1982 and helmed their editorial pages since 1992. He won the Pulitzer in 2001 for a series of editorials about the debate over civil unions, during which Vermont came to grips with a state Supreme Court decision mandating official recognition of same-sex relationships. He remains the only Vermonter to win a Pulitzer for journalism, according to Sean Murphy, digital content manager for the Pulitzer Prizes organization.
“This is a business decision that has more to do with the future of the organization than the present,” the papers’ general manager, Rob Mitchell, wrote in an internal email obtained by Seven Days. “As we constantly re-evaluate legacy positions, we must make decisions on which ones to keep over the next several years as we transition to a new model for local newspapers.”
VTDigger.org first reported news of Moats’ departure. The outgoing editor could not immediately be reached for comment.
“We had to make a decision about a legacy post at the papers,” editor Steve Pappas explained in an interview. “We’ve talked about a transition to a part-time role. David has embraced that.”
Pappas pointed out that many newspapers no longer have an editorial page editor. “We’ve protected that position for a very long time,” Pappas said. “David recognizes the challenges facing the industry, and he wants to help us adapt.”
The cost savings, he added, would be invested in strengthening the papers’ newsrooms in ways he would not specify.
The Herald and Times Argus came very close to shutting down in the summer of 2016 before being sold to out-of-state owners, Reade Brower of Maine and Chip Harris of New Hampshire. They arrived with promises of a revitalized operation. To the outside observer, they seem to have adopted the industry’s standard response to dwindling circulation and advertising revenue: cut staff, expect those remaining to do more, and hope to generate new revenue with a skimpier product.
Pappas defines the process differently. “We have reined in our coverage area, put new emphasis on local sports and arts, and built back our community news — weddings, births, obituaries, honor rolls and high school sports,” he said. “We are shifting our emphasis to being the local paper as much as possible.”
With that emphasis in mind, Pappas said, Moats’ “20,000-foot view” of issues in a broad context became less useful. Pappas and night editor Roger Carroll will now manage the opinion pages and share most of the editorial writing duties. “Roger and I oversee our local content,” Pappas explained. “We want to write about hyperlocal things in our community.”
For newspaper readers and Vermont’s media industry, Moats’ departure is a sad note in the decline of our daily press. He has been a beacon of quality through his employer’s long, painful decline, and an articulate voice of reason in Vermont’s marketplace of ideas.
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More accurate to say it was first reported by the Rutland Herald in this morning’s paper. A sad day for loyal Rutland Herald and Times Argus readers.
David Moats was a lightning rod for liberalism in Central Vermont and his hard left bias drove scores of readers away from the Rutland Herald and the Times Argus papers. With Moats’ departure, hopefully both the Herald and the T/A will begin to express more centrist positions on the opinion page and in their news stories as well.
As far as I’m concerned – good riddance !
All I can say is good riddance to a man who refused to print opposing viewpoints to letters to the editor of the Rutland Herald.
It never bothered him to stifle those that did not agree with his leftist viewpoints
David was a superbly talented propagandist. He will be truly missed by those who embraced his subtle, well-crafted Goebbels-like turns of phrase and philosophy. Like so many elitists, he knew so much more about everything than the great majority of Vermonts legions of deplorables. Just ask him!
It is disturbing to read the number of truly negative self-serving comments posted about the loss of a voice that is articulate, worldly and balanced. People with blinders on, on either side of the conversation, prevent true civil discourse. That, my friends, is a sad day for us all.
It was my understanding the David mounts leaned so far LEFT he fell out of his chair and could not get back up so they removed him
For years he helped to destroy the local paper that so many people grew up with and enjoyed reading until the Socialist agenda started the destruction of not only the Rutland Herald but the state of Vermont.
We now get to enjoy on a bigger scale a governor who has flip-flopped on the real issues facing the state and is now supporting destroying our constitutional rights in this state
People need to stand up and support not only the Constitution of the United States but the constitution of the great state of Vermont
Do not let the current government under the golden dome steal your rights