Jason Adrians, executive editor of the Wisconsin State Journal, has been named vice president of local news for Lee Enterprises, the Madison newspaper announced this week.
Adrians had served as executive editor of the State Journal since September 2020, following the departure of longtime editor John Smalley. Longtime city editor Phil Brinkman has been named interim editor while the newspaper searches for Adrians’ replacement.
In his new role, Adrians will be the top news executive for all Lee local news organizations, including the State Journal. He previously had held the role of national editor for Lee since January 2017.
A UW-Eau Claire graduate and 25-year newspaper veteran, Adrians has spent the majority of his career with Lee Enterprises. He started as a sports reporter for the (Eau Claire) Leader-Telegram while in college before his career took him to a variety of newspaper roles in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Florida and Wyoming.
- RELATED: Ross McDuffie named president of Madison Media Partners
- RELATED: Gilbert, Haudricourt announce retirements from Journal Sentinel
Adrians previously spent nine years on the State Journal staff from 2004 to 2013, rising from news copy editor to assistant sports editor to night editor. Following a two-year stint at the Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, where he served as editor and later publisher, Adrians returned to Wisconsin as executive editor at The Post-Crescent in Appleton.
He returned to Madison in 2017 to lead Lee’s national news desk.
