Phil Bronstein
Encyclopedia
Phil Bronstein was the executive vice president and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle
.
, Associated Press
, the World Affairs Council
and Media Alliance
. Bronstein was a 1986 Pulitzer Prize
finalist for his work in the Philippines and went on to cover conflicts in other parts of Southeast Asia, El Salvador, Peru and the Middle East. He was named executive editor of the Examiner in 1991, having previously served as managing editor for news. Under his service, the Examiner circulation declined rapidly, which Bronstein blamed on the afternoon delivery of the paper.
Bronstein was named executive vice president and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle
in March 2003. He had been senior vice president and executive editor of the paper when Hearst Corp. bought The Chronicle. They then transferred ownership of the declining Examiner to the politically well-connected Fang family in March 2000.
After years of circulation drops, in late March 2007, Bronstein called an emergency staff meeting and reportedly stated that the news business "is broken, and no one knows how to fix it." This meeting occurred after several weeks of articles focused on the influence of the Internet
and the blogosphere
made front page headlines in the Chronicle.
On January 23, 2008, Bronstein announced that he was leaving his job as editor of the Chronicle to take an editor-at-large position with Hearst Newspapers. Ward Bushee, editor of the Arizona Republic, was announced as Bronstein's replacement effective February 1, 2008.
from February 1998 until January 2004. Together they adopted a son Roan. Later he remarried. He lives in Mill Valley, CA with his wife and three kids.
In June 2001, he was seriously injured by a Komodo dragon
. He entered its enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo
after being invited in by the dragon's keeper. Bronstein was bitten on his bare foot, as the keeper had told him to take off his white shoes, which could have potentially excited the dragon.
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
.
Career
Bronstein's career began as a reporter with KQED-TV in San Francisco. He would later move to the San Francisco Examiner. At the Examiner, Bronstein specialized in investigative projects and was a foreign correspondent for eight years. He has won awards for his coverage of the Philippines from the Overseas Press ClubOverseas Press Club
The Overseas Press Club of America was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member...
, Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, the World Affairs Council
World Affairs Council
World Affairs Council may refer to:* World Affairs Councils of America, a non-profit, non-partisan umbrella organization for world affairs councils throughout the United States...
and Media Alliance
Media Alliance
Media Alliance is a 34 year-old American media resource and advocacy center for media workers, non-profit organizations, and social justice activists. Its mission is excellence, ethics, diversity, and accountability in all aspects of the media in the interests of peace, justice, and social...
. Bronstein was a 1986 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
finalist for his work in the Philippines and went on to cover conflicts in other parts of Southeast Asia, El Salvador, Peru and the Middle East. He was named executive editor of the Examiner in 1991, having previously served as managing editor for news. Under his service, the Examiner circulation declined rapidly, which Bronstein blamed on the afternoon delivery of the paper.
Bronstein was named executive vice president and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
in March 2003. He had been senior vice president and executive editor of the paper when Hearst Corp. bought The Chronicle. They then transferred ownership of the declining Examiner to the politically well-connected Fang family in March 2000.
After years of circulation drops, in late March 2007, Bronstein called an emergency staff meeting and reportedly stated that the news business "is broken, and no one knows how to fix it." This meeting occurred after several weeks of articles focused on the influence of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and the blogosphere
Blogosphere
The blogosphere is made up of all blogs and their interconnections. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community or as a social network in which everyday authors can publish their opinions...
made front page headlines in the Chronicle.
On January 23, 2008, Bronstein announced that he was leaving his job as editor of the Chronicle to take an editor-at-large position with Hearst Newspapers. Ward Bushee, editor of the Arizona Republic, was announced as Bronstein's replacement effective February 1, 2008.
Personal life
He was married to actress Sharon StoneSharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
from February 1998 until January 2004. Together they adopted a son Roan. Later he remarried. He lives in Mill Valley, CA with his wife and three kids.
In June 2001, he was seriously injured by a Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
. He entered its enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo , is a zoo founded in 1966 and located in Los Angeles, California. The City of Los Angeles owns the entire zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals...
after being invited in by the dragon's keeper. Bronstein was bitten on his bare foot, as the keeper had told him to take off his white shoes, which could have potentially excited the dragon.
External links
- Bronstein's Official Hearst Corp. biography page
- Transcript: Sharon Stone vs. the Komodo Dragon from Time.com regarding Bronstein's attack by a Komodo Dragon