Questions for papers remain after Katz's death

Wealthy South Jersey businessman Lewis Katz, who died alongside six others when a private jet crashed in Massachusetts on Saturday night, is being remembered today as a savvy businessman, charter-school advocate, political heavyweight and local philanthropist.

But for most Inquirer and Daily News reporters (and for readers attuned to the inside game of the city's beleaguered newspapers) Katz was first and foremost their boss. Just last week, Katz and philanthropist Gerry Lenfest defeated South Jersey political boss George Norcross in a nasty public battle for ownership of Interstate General Media, which controls the Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com.

The struggle between the two ownership groups had torn the company apart. And it had become uncomfortably personal. Norcross backed the firing of editor Bill Marimow, whom Katz and Lenfest waged a legal battle to reinstate. Norcross' daughter was placed in a leadership role at Philly.com and quickly made newsroom enemies for her TMZ-like sensibility. Katz's longtime companion, Nancy Phillips, is the Inquirer's city editor, and was accused by Norcross allies of meddling on behalf of Marimow.

Now, Katz's 42-year-old son, Drew, will take his father's place on the IGM board. The succession was expected, but not envisioned so soon.

It's impossible to say how the younger Katz will tackle the company's enduring problems: a muddled and self-destructive web operation, the sometimes puzzling existence of three competing newsrooms and the question of how to make money in an industry that is hemorrhaging it. More on Drew Katz here from the Daily News and Inquirer.

One notable thing has already changed in the wake of last week's sale: The Inquirer's editorial page was today returned to a full two-page spread after being cut in half last year. Many in the newsroom accused Norcross of orchestrating the cut. Norcross' camp claimed that the cut was made on Marimow's initiative.

The restoration of the editorial page, says one newsroom source who requested anonymity, "puts to rest the entire preposterous notion — one preposterously entertained at length by the local media — that Marimow and not Norcross wanted to kill the editorial board."

It was also announced today that Lexie Norcross will be leaving the position of vice president of digital operations once the company's sale is completed, and that former owner Brian Tierney will return to the paper as a consultant to Lenfest. Lenfest became the paper's interim publisher after Bob Hall, a Norcross ally and Marimow rival, retired last week.

Katz and Lenfest's purchase of the paper did not eliminate the uncertainty over the financially troubled newspapers' future. Many reporters feared the real-politicking, heavy hand that Norcross' absolute rule could have brought to the papers. Critics said that the papers were too wedded to an archaic and mediocre status quo, and were unenthused about a staunch Marimow supporter taking the helm.

But the sale at least gave reporters some opportunity, after years of institutional-existential fright, to return their attention to reporting.

"It's very hard to comment, or write, about the future," says Inquirer columnist Karen Heller. "But, if anything, I would imagine this tragedy would strengthen our resolve and mission to put out a great paper and websites, and realize Lew's vision."