D-G Scuttles ‘Business Matters’ Editor Title

After having four chiefs in as many years, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has eliminated the title “editor” of the newspaper’s weekly “Northwest Arkansas Business Matters” section.

On Dec. 1, the D-G announced that Chris Sheffield, the former Business Matters editor, had been promoted to “business editor” and John Magsam, a city government reporter, is now “assistant business editor.” Those positions refer to all business coverage for the newspaper’s Northwest Arkansas operations.

Previously, the second-in-command in on the D-G’s Springdale business desk was referred to as editor of Business Matters. That was the top position at the section. That position has been replaced by the assistant business editor designation. Apparently, the duties of the two editors will be less delineated between the Business Matters and daily business coverage.

“Both of us are going to be contributing our ideas and leadership to the daily and Sunday product,” Sheffield was quoted as saying in the Oct. 3 issue of the D-G. The “Sunday product” refers to Business Matters.

Sheffield, who has been with the D-G since January 2000, replaces John Cummins. After a year with the D-G, Cummins left the newspaper last fall to serve as managing editor for the Nashville Business Journal in Tennessee.

The D-G began publishing the Business Matters section in 1997. Previous Business Matters editors include Susan Scantlin, Tony Cox, Richard Bedard and Sheffield. Scantlin oversees the newspaper’s entire Northwest Arkansas operation. Cox and Bedard left for out-of-state jobs.