05/27/2005

Lou Ferrara named online editor of The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Lou Ferrara, the general manager of online and television news operations of the Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune, has been named online editor of The Associated Press.

The appointment was announced May 27 by Thomas Kent, AP deputy managing editor/news services.

Ferrara will be responsible for producing AP's text, video and multimedia services for the Web. He will also work with all of AP's news operations to develop multimedia coverage of breaking news and enterprise stories for Web needs.

He succeeds Mark Cardwell, who has been named director of newspaper online development in AP's newspaper and new media marketing group.

Ferrara will begin his duties July 1.

Ferrara, 35, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and has worked at newspapers in North Carolina, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. In 1993, he joined the Herald-Tribune, working first as a reporter, then as assistant city editor, city editor and Web site manager.

Since 2001, he has overseen the Herald-Tribune's electronic operations, which include the Web site heraldtribune.com and a 24-hour local news station, SNN6. He has played a key role in bringing together print, television and online operations in one newsroom.

Ferrara, 35, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and has worked at newspapers in North Carolina, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. In 1993, he joined the Herald-Tribune, working first as a reporter, then as assistant city editor, city editor and Web site manager.

Heraldtribune.com won the 2004 national online deadline reporting award from the Society of Professional Journalists for its coverage of Hurricane Charley.

Contact: Jack Stokes, AP Corporate Communications, 212.621.1720