J. Todd Foster

Editor

J. Todd Foster was the Herald Courier’s editor from late 2006 to July 2010 and now is the executive editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He is a career investigative reporter who was part of a Spokane, Wash., team named a finalist for the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news. Foster, 49, was the top editor of The News Virginian in Waynesboro following investigative reporting stints at The Oregonian in Portland, The Spokesman-Review in Spokane and the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal.

[TN 0201] - Part 1: Intro and Contribution (5:02)

J. Todd Foster, managing editor, Bristol Herald-Courier, tells how his youthful interest in sports writing led him to the editor’s slot and why his newspaper emphasizes investigative reporting.

[TN 0202] - Part 2: Content & Ethics (3:45)

J. Todd Foster, managing editor, Bristol Herald-Courier, describes the Herald-Courier’s ethics’ standards, which require reporters to read and sign off on the newspaper’s ethical guidelines, annually.

[TN 0203] - Part 3: Strategic Changes (3:24)

J. Todd Foster, managing editor, Bristol Herald-Courier, tells how his community responded when the newspaper’s local obituary notices were moved from “Section A” to a new “Local Section,” and how the Herald-Courier responded.

[TN 0204] - Part 4: Adaptation & The Future (3:26)

J. Todd Foster, managing editor, Bristol Herald-Courier, describes how staff reductions affect a newspaper and how his newspaper decided, strategically, to allocate its personnel to best serve its community.

[TN 0205] - Part 5: Prospects & Preparation (2:38)

J. Todd Foster, managing editor, Bristol Herald-Courier, says there will be fewer newspaper-reporting jobs in the future, but that the best-prepared candidates still need excellent writing and reporting skills to accompany their new media credentials.