Denton's daily
Isthmus news editor Bill Lueders reports that in two years as editor of the Wisconsin State Journal, Frank Denton has pushed the paper to become more aggressive and less predictable. "Who would have guessed Madison's staid morning daily would run a Mother's Day story about lesbian moms?" Lueders writes. Denton's other initiatives include shorter lead stories, tighter organization of news sections, an emphasis on localizing national wire-service stories, more features and greater coverage of science and health. Not all of the changes Denton has wrought have been popular with State Journal staffers. Some grumble that Denton's personnel moves have come at the expense of traditional coverage areas and damaged morale. Denton says his goal is to make the State Journal more readable, usable and compelling, with better coverage of the basics. "When four kids are killed in a car wreck," he says, "I want everybody in here busting their ass to get the best report." Denton leaves the State Journal in 2004 to become editor of the Tampa Tribune, but resigns 11 months later. He is now vice president for journalism at the Georgia-based media company Morris Communications.