I've learned that Scott Steepleton in no longer the associate editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press.
In a meeting with newsroom employees Monday morning, Don Katich, who holds the title of Director of News operations informed staff that he will now be taking over Steepleton's duties as associate editor. Steepleton's associate editor title placed him in charge of the newsroom employees which included, news, features and sports.
Steepleton will remain with the paper as a reporter. But it is unclear on what his new title will be because if he were classified as a "reporter" it would mean he would become part of the newsroom bargaining unit and hence represented by the Graphic Communications Conference of the Teamsters Union which News-Press owner Wendy McCaw is basically at war with.
Steepleton was bestowed the title of associate editor not long after the paper's meltdown in July of 2006 in which editor Jerry Roberts and his top deputies resigned because of differences with McCaw over the way she insisted on running the paper.
