Chicago Tribune Scott Smith, 57, says recently announced plans by
Sam Zell and
Randy Michaels to redesign Tribune Co.'s papers and reduce the number of pages didn't precipitate
his departure. He insists he never intended to stay beyond assisting the Zell team with its transition. "If there's going to be the next new wave of important changes, it's important that those decisions be made by people who are going to own the outcomes and that frankly wasn't my likely time horizon." ||
Tribune ombud: "I doubt that readers want a formula, cookie-cutter look to the newspaper. It needn't be that way."
