Gannett announces the retirement of Gary Stout and an executive appointment

Stout will be succeeded as president and publisher of The DailyNews Leader in Staunton, VA, by Roger Watson, who previously wasgeneral manager of The News Examiner in Hendersonville, TN.

"Gary Stout has served the company and his communities with greatintegrity and commitment," said Gary L. Watson, president of theNewspaper Division. "He could always be counted on to deliver what hepromised. We wish him and his family all the best."

Prior to joining The Daily News Leader, Stout was the presidentand publisher of Gannett newspapers in Little Falls, MN, and Danville,IL. He also served as president of Gannett Offset from 1988 to 2001.

Roger Watson joined Gannett in 1996 as editor and general managerof the Black Mountain (NC) News. In 2000, he was named president andpublisher of the Marietta (OH) Times. He relocated to Hendersonvillein 2002. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University.

"Roger has proven himself to be a strong newspaper executive whounderstands the role of community journalism," said Gary Watson. "Hewill do well in Staunton." The two Watsons are not related.

Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and informationcompany that publishes 101 daily newspapers in the USA, including USATODAY, the nation's largest-selling daily newspaper. The company alsoowns more than 900 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND,a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is theUnited Kingdom's second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquestpublishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and anetwork of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 21television stations in the United States and is an Internet leaderwith sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers includingUSATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.