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Knoxville News-Sentinel names new publisher of special projects

June 9, 2004
 

CINCINNATI – Vince Vawter, a Tennessee native who worked about 25 years of his newspaper career in the Volunteer State before accepting an assignment in Evansville, Ind., eight years ago, is returning to the Knoxville News Sentinel as publisher of special projects.In the newly created position, Vawter will be working on strategic initiatives that the News-Sentinel is developing in the Knoxville market. Vawter’s appointment is effective July 1.“We’re turning to Vince to help us take full advantage of all of the business opportunities that our new production facilities make possible for us here in Knoxville,” said Bruce Hartmann, president and publisher of the News Sentinel. “During his years as managing editor, Vince grew to know the Knoxville community. In addition, as a result of his years of experience as a publisher, he fully understands the business relationships that are the keys to a successful newspaper.”Vawter, 57, was named publisher and president of the Evansville Courier & Press in 1998 after serving two years as the newspaper’s editor and president. Before moving to Evansville, he was managing editor for the News Sentinel. The News Sentinel and the Courier & Press are owned and operated by The E. W. Scripps Company.Alan M. Horton, senior vice president/newspapers for Scripps, said Vawter is “a valued member of the Scripps team.”“He will take to Knoxville all the knowledge and wisdom that he has acquired during a newspaper career that spans three decades,” Horton said. “Vince Vawter is a newspaper executive of the highest order, whose integrity is above reproach and whose knowledge of the business is unquestioned. Vince will have an important leadership role as we continue to build the News Sentinel franchise.”Vawter began his newspaper career in 1968 as a sports writer for the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Commercial. He joined Scripps in 1970 as a reporter and copy editor for the Memphis Press Scimitar. He joined the News Sentinel in 1981 as assistant managing editor. In Evansville, Vawter is a member of the University of Southern Indiana Foundation board of directors and a former member of the university’s board of visitors. He serves on the board of directors and executive board of the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce and is a past board member of the Vanderburgh County Community Foundation and Leadership Evansville. In 2000, he served as campaign chairman for the United Way of Southwestern Indiana. He was president of the Hoosier State Press Association from 2002 to 2003. He was a member of the 1994 class of Leadership Knoxville. Vawter attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Memphis State University, Rhodes College of Memphis and Louisiana State University. He and his wife, Betty, have two grown children.The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks, interactive media and television retailing. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 15 broadcast TV stations, four cable and satellite television programming networks and a television retailing network. All of the company’s media businesses provide content and advertising services via the Internet.Scripps Networks brands include Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY — Do It Yourself Network and Fine Living. HGTV reaches about 85 million U.S. television households and Food Network can be seen in about 84 million households. Scripps Networks Web sites include FoodNetwork.com, HGTV.com, DIYnetwork.com and fineliving.com. Scripps Networks programming can be seen in 86 countries. The company’s television retailing subsidiary, Shop At Home Network, markets a growing range of consumer goods directly to television viewers and visitors to the Shop At Home Web site, shopathometv.com. Shop At Home reaches about 48 million full-time equivalent U.S. households, including 5 million households via five Scripps owned, Shop At Home affiliated broadcast television stations.Scripps also operates Scripps Howard News Service and United Media, which is the worldwide licensing and syndication home of PEANUTS and DILBERT.