Mike Klingensmith, publisher and CEO of the Star Tribune, has been elected chairman of the News Media Alliance, an industry trade group formerly known as the Newspaper Association of America.
Klingensmith, who previously served as vice chairman of the NMA, succeeds Tony Hunter, a consultant and former chief executive of the Chicago Tribune.
"It is an honor to assume the role of chairman at a time of tremendous evolution in an industry that is vital to the communities we serve," Klingensmith said in a statement. "The News Media Alliance is united behind a mission to deliver premium content to all of our stakeholders and will continue to drive key initiatives that further our transition from newspapers to multiplatform content and marketing solutions providers."
Klingensmith, a Fridley native, joined the Star Tribune in January 2010 after spending most of his more-than 30-year career in publishing with Time Inc. in New York. He was chief financial officer of the company and held management duties at several of its publications, including publisher of Sports Illustrated and general manager of Time magazine.
He was also the co-developer of the concept for Entertainment Weekly and became its founding publisher in 1989. Before his current role at the Star Tribune, Klingensmith was a managing director of AdMedia Partners, a mergers-and-acquisition advisory firm in New York.
"Through his extensive media career, Mike has demonstrated his unfailing commitment to the industry, and his knowledge of what it takes to be successful amid a changing media landscape will continue to be an invaluable asset to our many diverse members, both print and digital," David Chavern, chief executive of the News Media Alliance, said in a statement.
Members of the Washington-based alliance represent nearly 2,000 news organizations in the United States and Canada.
