Jim Johnson, the new managing editor of the O’Rourke Media Group newspapers in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota, introduced himself to readers in a column Thursday.
Johnson will oversee five publications, two of which are online-only. They include the (Hudson) Star-Observer and River Falls Journal in Wisconsin and the Cannon Falls Beacon, Hastings Star Gazette and (Red Wing) Republican Eagle in Minnesota. The Republican Eagle also serves Ellsworth across the border in Wisconsin.
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He fills the role vacated by Anne Jacobson, who left in September to become communications manager for Red Wing Public Schools. Jacobson had been with the company for 20 years, serving as editor of the Republican Eagle and later as news director for the former RiverTown newspapers.
Johnson joins O’Rourke Media Group after spending the last 18 months as managing editor of the Southeast Iowa Union in Washington, Iowa. He previously owned two weekly newspapers in Iowa, The News in Kalona and the Anamosa Journal-Eureka. While in Iowa, Johnson also served on the Iowa Newspaper Association Board of Directors from February 2017 to June 2020.
Prior to his time in Iowa, Johnson spent 15 years with the Omaha World-Herald from March 1997 to April 2012. He worked in several roles, including information systems manager, IS security administrator, news service manager and intellectual property manager.
Johnson’s past experience also includes five years in editorial roles at the Lincoln Journal Star and seven years in various editorial roles at four daily newspapers in California, the Redlands Daily Facts, Ontario Daily Report, Fontana Herald-News and The (Riverside) Press-Enterprise.
