Jul 22, 2009

Sanfield leaving the Daily Breeze

Daily Breeze executive editor and interim publisher Phillip Sanfield told his staff today that he will be leaving to become the media relations director for the Port of Los Angeles. Here's the memo:
Colleagues,

Like many of you, I’ve spent my entire adult life working for newspapers. After a few years working in the Coachella Valley, the past 26 years has truly been a love affair with The Daily Breeze and the South Bay.

I now have a terrific opportunity to switch gears. In a few weeks, I’ll be joining the Port of Los Angeles as its director of media relations. It’s the perfect time for me, both professionally and personally, to make a change.

I sincerely thank you for your effort, support and confidence. I took the helm as editor after the Breeze was put up for sale three years ago and I have been so proud of how our team has confronted the challenges our industry faces.

I owe a debt of gratitude to all my Breeze colleagues, past and present, for an inspiring ride here. I wish all of you good health and success.

Phillip
Sanfield was bumped up to the position of interim publisher last month after Mark Ficarra left for a job at the San Diego Union-Tribune.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

go sanfield!!! yay for you!!! smart move.

Anonymous said...

LANG has been decimated. Basically 6 of the same papers now with minor tweaks. no individual voice or even local local local.

Anonymous said...

It appears the LA Times advertising managers of yore are still looking for work in the eastern part of lang. They must be desperate, on both sides.

Those marriages for the most part never seem to last long.

I wonder what ace old hamilton will put in to replace the exiting publisher. Someone who has vast experience and just what we need to turn the newspaper around...I can see the press release now.

Edward Barrera said...

I'm sorry to hear that he's out of there. I never worked for him, but people I respect said only good things about him.

Anonymous said...

i'm thrilled for him. i work with him. sanfield is a great guy. he deserves this. and now he has a very bright future to boot!
congrats, phillip!

Anonymous said...

the eastern part of LANG feeds off the Daily News. The Daily News is losing money and the little sister papers make money off the DN. Big mistake to make it one big paper in San Gabe.

Anonymous said...

wouldn't it be great if EVERYONE that was good realized it and LEFT Lang??!!!!

newsjunkie said...

congrats, psanfield.

Anonymous said...

I am thrilled for Phillip!! It'll get worse before it gets better. The gut wrench as you walk out the door the last time is overwhelming, but I'm here to report there is life after newspapers -- satisfying, meaningful, fun, lucrative, secure, exciting life. Now Phillip is free to go live it. No one deserves it more.

Three cheers for Philip -- a professional journalist, an undaunted leader and and all-around good guy.

Hip, hip, horray!

Anonymous said...

What a great guy and what a huge loss for LANG. On the other hand, screw LANG. Good luck, Phillip!

Virginia Paresa said...

Phillip is a class act. I've known him for 20 years, when he was on the copy desk. To say he'll be missed is a gross understatement. He has been our rock through rocky times. He IS the Daily Breeze. He deserves the best and I wish him the best of luck in his exciting new venture.

Anonymous said...

I second that Virginia. Left the Breeze last year and there wasn't a more professional, experienced..."good guy" than Phillip. To say it's a huge loss is an understatement.

Anonymous said...

I third that!

Anonymous said...

Anytime your colleagues wish you will with sincerity it bodes well for the individuals style and management ability. I didn't know Lang had any left. Even though I don't know Mr Sanfield, congratulations on your legacy and good luck in your new position.

The Daily News has been losing money for quite a while. The margins in San Gabe are still mid teens. I think the Daily News would settle for that. All the Daily News does for the other newspapers is layer in expenses.

Anonymous said...

This is a staggering loss for the Daily Breeze. Phillip truly is a wonder. I don't know how he kept his professional cool these past three years since joining LANG, but he did it with an ease that was impressive and made the staff feel protected and cared for.

He will be sorely missed, but I am so happy to see he's found a safe harbor.

Anonymous said...

Phil is a good newsman and, more important, a decent, upstanding guy. He rolled with a lot of punches over the past few years with grace and good humor; his departure even more dramatically weakens the already fragile LANG management team. Good luck to him, and good luck to those still hanging on in LANG.

Anonymous said...

Lots of luck LANG...you lost one of the good one's. Sanfield is a class act. BTW, the Breeze was a much better paper when Copley owned it.

Anonymous said...

But at least The Breeze is still FAR better than the Press-Telegram or the Daily News.

Anonymous said...

Is there anything singleton owns that wasn't better prior to his ownership?

Anonymous said...

Guess the answer is no!

Anonymous said...

The scary thing is that Sanfield was the reason why the Breeze hasn't suffered the same loses in personnel as the rest of LANG.

Now that he's gone...

Anonymous said...

I thought little eddie was bad and I was right. Now, I hear that hamilton isn't setting the world on fire. Is there not someone left on the planet that knows how to get advertising at a newspaper? Come on people, you are making it tougher than it should be.

D Bloch said...

Yay Uncle Phillip!! Congratulations on your new job!