Gay Journalist
Appointed to Head Arizona Republic

Randy Lovely has become the only openly gay editor of a major U.S. newspaper after his promotion as vice president of news of The A rizona Republic, according to Editor and Publisher.

Lovely, 43, is a 16-year employee at Gannett, which owns the newspaper. He joined the Republic in 2002 as managing editor and was then promoted to executive editor in 2005. Lovely previously worked at The [Fort Myers, Fla.] News-Press; The Times in Shreveport, La.; and the Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif.

He is replacing Ward Bushee, who is moving to the San Francisco Chronicle.

According to Editor and Publisher, Lovely is possibly the first openly gay editor ever appointed to the top post of a major daily in the U.S.; he follows Roy Aarons, the former executive editor of the Oakland Tribune who came out in 1990 after serving in his position for seven years. Aarons died in 2004. (The Advocate)