Sunnyvale, California — Internet pioneer Yahoo Inc., on Monday announced that it has recruited Jai Singh, whose hiring from CNET Networks benefited The Huffington Post gain journalism credibility, as editor-in-chief for the Yahoo! Media Network, recruiting him from the Huffington Post Media Group.
The move is a big one in the online journalism sphere. Before moving to the HuffPo as managing editor in 2009, which is now the key content unit of AOL, Singh ran CNET Networks. At Yahoo, he will be responsible for increasing original content and performance across all platforms—and for all of YMN’s leading brands, not only Yahoo News. He will report to Mickie Rosen, SVP of Yahoo! Media Network.
“Jai is one of the most advanced and respected editorial thinkers in digital media today, and a great addition to our editorial bench strength,” Mickie Rosen, senior vice president of Yahoo! Media Network, said in a statement.
Yahoo enclosed the announcement in details of its performance during the polar-opposite high-profile events of the past few days namely: the royal wedding and the assassination of Osama bin Laden. Singh’s hiring is described as an “effort to extend and accelerate the company’s leadership positions and further develop a unique and distinct voice across its brands.”
At HPMG, Singh was managing day-to-day news and editorial operations. On the contrary, his role at Yahoo sounds more strategic and certainly puts him in a different position in terms of overall responsibility than at AOL, where Arianna Huffington is editor-in-chief. Not all editors will report to him directly but he will be responsible for the overall editorial tone.
As editor-in-chief, Singh will help reform the company as it increases its original content creation, building the unique voice and programming of Yahoo!’s leading properties, the statement said.
A Huffington Post spokesman said:
“This is about geography–Jai made clear his inclination to move back to California, where his family is located. He moved from California to work with us and, unfortunately, this job requires his being in the newsroom in New York. We loved working with him, wish him well with his new job, and look forward to staying in touch.”
“Jai’s appointment comes on the heels of one of the most event-filled news weeks in Yahoo! history, which underscores the importance of our editorial operations,” said Rosen.
During his long journey in journalism, Singh was at CNET for 12 years, leaving in 2008 after creating News.com, building other new brands and dealing with numerous corporate changes, including the merger with Ziff-Davis.
Later, after a while, he joined HuffPo in mid-2009, moving to New York and staying for roughly two years. Again, he will be moving west with Sunnyvale as his base, but will work in Santa Monica and New York as well.