That’s what it sounds like. The Chron reports that editor Phil Bronstein, who has been a key part of the operation since Hearst bought the paper in 2000, is “leaving his post to take a larger role in the newspaper division of Hearst.”
His new title will be “editor at large.” His job duties haven’t quite been established yet.
It’s funny — a year ago, I would have said the paper desperately needed new direction. The Chron was flailing, heading nowhere, losing circulation and tons of money. But in the past few months, we’ve actually seen some life — opinion pieces and campaigns on the front page (bad ones, for sure, like Chuck Nevius’s crap on the homeless, but at least they were taking on issues), better design, some decent City Hall pieces etc.
So now we get a new editor with deep local roots. I’m holding my breath.