Herald's Purcell to oversee Ottaway newspapers

Boston Herald owner and publisher Patrick J. Purcell has been named executive chairman of Dow Jones & Company's Ottaway Newspapers Inc., Dow Jones said today.

Effective Jan. 5, Purcell will oversee Ottaway's eight daily newspapers and 15 weeklies, magazines and Internet sites in seven states, including the Cape Cod Times and New Bedford Standard-Times in Massachusetts. Purcell, who was not immediately available for comment, will continue as owner and publisher of the Herald, according to the newspaper's website.

He will replace Andrew Langhoff who was named publisher of The Wall Street Journal Europe and managing director of Dow Jones Consumer Media Group in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"Andrew and Pat are veteran executives with proven track records at growing print and digital publications,'' said Les Hinton, chief executive officer of Dow Jones. "These appointments signal our continued desire to invest in all of our brands around the globe.''

Robert Christie, Dow Jones vice president of communications, said it is unlikely there will be much news sharing between the Boston Herald and the Ottaway newspapers because most of them are outside of the Boston area. Dow Jones, which has been printing the Herald for two months, is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
(By Jenifer McKim, Globe staff)