Yakima Herald-Republic names new top editor

YAKIMA - Alison Bath, executive editor of the Times newspaper of Shreveport, La., was named Wednesday to the top editor’s position at the Yakima Herald-Republic.

She succeeds Bob Crider, who was promoted to Herald-Republic publisher in February when then-publisher Sharon Prill was named the Seattle Times vice president of strategic initiatives. The change is effective May 31.

“I’m excited to get there and meet the community and be part of the community and embrace everything that makes Yakima its own distinct place,” said Bath, 54, in a phone interview shortly after the announcement.

Bath, whose title will be managing editor, has spent the past nine years at the Shreveport paper, first as an investigative reporter and leader of the newsroom’s “Watchdog Team,” then as an editor. She has been executive editor for the past year and a half. She has also worked as a freelance writer in Reno, Nev., a reporter and editor for the Reno Gazette-Journal and a correspondent for USA Today. She is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, where she studied journalism.

A significant part of her focus as executive editor in Shreveport has been the development and oversight of digital content, and that along with her investigative background was a big factor in her selection, Crider said.

“We did a national search and got three finalists out of that after I did five phone interviews,” he said. “They’re all really good. What stood out most about her is her digital experience and expertise.”

Under Bath’s leadership, he expects to see the Herald-Republic’s online presence become more dynamic. There will be more video, more documents posted and more reporters posting stories directly from the field, Crider said. That emphasis on breaking news and investigative work should not detract from the paper’s focus on longer stories and features, he said.

In addition to the big-picture direction of the Herald-Republic newsroom, Bath plans to be deeply involved in its day-to-day operations, editing copy and working directly with reporters. Both aspects of the job will emphasize civic-minded investigative journalism, she said.

“One of my priorities has always been good watchdog journalism,” Bath said. “The community counts on us to be watchdogs. So I intend to infuse the newsroom with that, and I think that’s going to be easy. In my interviews there I could see there is a huge appetite for that.”

The Herald-Republic is a smaller paper than the Times of Shreveport – roughly 22,000 daily circulation and 25,000 Sunday circulation in Yakima compared with 27,857 daily and 36,091 Sunday in Shreveport – but Bath said she sees great potential in the Yakima paper, which is owned by the Seattle Times company.

“The Yakima Herald is a good paper with a good reputation in the industry and a good company that has a strong news focus,” she said.

She also has connections in the Northwest. Her daughter, Delaney Lake, 22, is a student at the University of Washington.

“I adore Washington,” Bath said. “I think it’s beautiful country. I’m excited to be able to be in the outdoors again.”

Bath and her husband, Brett Lake, also have a son, Chris Lake, 27. Brett Lake, a regional manager for a parking-services company, will look for work in the Yakima area once he arrives, Bath said.

Crider, 64, has been the Herald-Republic’s top editor since 2009, when he returned for a second stint at the paper after three years in the same position at the Portland (Maine) Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He had previously served for nine years as an editor in Yakima. He has served the dual role of publisher and top editor since February as the search for his replacement took place.