Warren Dews Jr. wants “to take the Times-Journal to the next level.”
And as the T-J’s new publisher, Mr. Dews plans to do just that.
Mr. Dews is vice president of Capital Region Independent Media, and Mark Vinciguerra, who owns the T-J, is president.
Having worked with CRIM and Mr. Vinciguerra for five years, Mr. Dews is also publisher of three other company weeklies: The Columbia Paper, The Ravena News-Herald and The Pioneer in Greenville.
Those papers focus on both print and digital editions, and Mr. Dews wants to do the same in Cobleskill, especially expanding the digital presence.
That’s the T-J’s “next level.”
“If people want digital, we need to be there for them,” he said. “If they want print, we need to be there for them, too.”
Mr. Dews described the T-J’s local coverage as “amazing,” adding that he doesn’t want to change that by reducing the amount of local news.
“If it’s the football team or a girl who does something special, that’s where we want to be,” he said.
Mr. Dews plans to be closely tied to the community, as he said he is in other towns.
“I love what I do in whatever town I’m in,” he said. “I want to bring people together for advertisers and readers. Let’s find agreement.”
As for the T-J’s staff, “My goal is to help employees be the best they can be,” Mr. Dews said.
Although Mr. Dews has worked with CRIM for three years, he’s been associated with Mr. Vinciguerra for more than 25 years. Mr. Vinciguerra described his friend as having a “unique set of abilities and skills.
“His ability to relate to people, to create togetherness, to be compassionate but firm and creative and visionary are all what sets him apart,” Mr. Vinciguerra said.
“Schoharie County in general and the Times-Journal in particular will benefit greatly from Warren’s leadership and presence.”
Mr. Dews, 54, started in media with Gannet newspapers in White Plains and also worked for Atlantic Records.
Besides being a CRIM publisher, he also owns two restaurants, including Big Daddy’s in North Adams, Massachusetts.
Mr. Dews has roots in the performing arts, having attended the New York City high school where the musical ‘Fame’ was filmed.
He enjoys a variety of music styles and also sings opera and classical.
Mr. Dews and his wife, Roberta McCulloch-Dews, live in Hinsdale, Massachusetts and have three children: sons Warren C. Dews III, 21, and West Q. Dews, 16 and a daughter, Kennedy B. Dews, 14.