The appointment of Marjorie Scardino as chief executive of media group
Pearson caused some excitement last week. Scepticism that she was an
insider rather than the desired ‘heavy-hitting outsider’ prompted City
analysts to dismiss her as an unknown quantity.
However, a cocktail reception on 18 October apparently impressed
commentators as subsequent coverage focussed on her ‘feisty nature’ and
four-year track record at the Economist. That she once closed down her
own unprofitable publishing business in the US was held up as evidence
that she can take the sort of ruthless decision to produce the necessary
‘big shake-up’ at Pearson.
Some journalists suggested that being American was an integral factor in
her appointment; as drive, energy and a fondness for plain speaking
appear to be qualities lacking in her British counterparts.
While all the broadsheets profiled Scardino or new chairman Dennis
Stevenson, the Economist carried the shortest announcement at just 2.5
column centimetres.
Evaluation and analysis by Carma International. Cuttings supplied by The
Broadcast Monitoring Company. ‘What The Papers Say’ can also be found
at: http//www.carma.com/carma
