Tom Warhover Steps Down as Executive Editor of the Columbia Missourian
He Will Return to Full-Time Teaching, Research for the Spring Semester
Columbia, Mo. (Jan. 9, 2017) — Tom Warhover is stepping down as executive editor of the Columbia Missourian. The professional community newspaper serves as a training laboratory for Missouri School of Journalism students.
Warhover, an associate professor at the University of Missouri, will return to full-time teaching responsibilities and work on research projects for the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute based at the School. Prior to joining the university in 2001, he worked for The Virginian-Pilot, a newspaper serving southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
“Tom has strongly supported the highest principles of journalistic integrity, and we appreciate everything that he has achieved,” said David Kurpius, dean of the School. “We’re fortunate that he will continue as an associate professor, sharing his expertise with students in the classroom.”
Professor Mike Jenner will serve as interim executive editor until a permanent replacement is named and also will assume responsibilities as interim chair of the Print and Digital News faculty. He is the Houston Harte Endowed Chair at the Missouri School of Journalism and focuses on innovation’s role in journalism. In 2010, Jenner joined the faculty from The Bakersfield Californian, the family-owned community daily newspaper where he was a leader for almost 17 years, 11 of them as top editor.
Jenner, BJ ’75, will not be a candidate for the editorship. The search for a new Missourian executive editor will begin this spring.
During Warhover’s tenure, the Missourian has won numerous international, national and state awards for writing, design and photography. The publication experimented with emerging technologies designed to enhance readership and raise revenues. These strategies were shared for the benefit of the industry. The multiplatform digital-first newspaper serves the 170,000 citizens of Boone County and publishes in print five days a week.
Major Garrett, BJ ’84, chief White House correspondent for CBS News and president of the Missourian Publishing Association, under which the Missourian is owned as a 501c3 non-profit, commended Warhover for serving the Missourian, its readers, community and students with distinction and energy.
“The Board of the Missourian Publishing Association thanks Tom for this service during trying times for the entire newspaper industry as well as the Missourian,” he said. “The board wishes him continued success as a Journalism School faculty member.”
Garrett said all board members are dedicated to advancing the cause of the Missourian and are encouraged by the possibilities ahead, noting that new competitive realities and the thrust of modern journalism require developing and melding many talents: reporting, writing, shooting video, recording audio and creating memorable journalism that meets consumers where they are with accuracy, reliability and respect.
“This is a time of opportunity for the Missourian, the students it has taught since its founding in 1908 and the community at large,” he said.
Jenner was an early leader in convergence journalism. At The Californian, he oversaw many innovations, including a digital-first newsroom, live-blogging as a reporting tool and early adoption of video. The newspaper also was a leader in citizen journalism and user-generated content.
RJI, launched in 2008, develops and discovers innovative strategies, tools and research that will help ensure a long and bright future for journalism.
Updated: October 13, 2020