Phil Bronstein, the executive editor, the top dog at the San Francisco Chronicle is out of that job. He is now an "editor at large" for Hearst Newspapers.

Mr Bronstein, had a pugnacious reputation at the newspaper. And a larger than life quality that included marriage to Sharon Stone, one of Hollywood's top actors.

He tried to stem losses at the SF Chron, that had been reported to be as much as $1m/ week, by cutting 100 newsroom jobs last summer, leaving 300 jobs. It was the largest single cut in the newsroom of a major daily newspaper.

There is now no managing editor or executive editor at the SF Chron. According to my contacts at the newspaper, middle managers are concerned replacements for the top jobs will sweep in a new team.

His bio: http://www.hearst.com/biographies/new_bio_editor_sanfran.html

From MarketWire - Hearst announcement:

Phil Bronstein Named Editor-at-Large of Hearst Newspapers Division and the San Francisco Chronicle

Hearst Newspapers announced today that San Francisco Chronicle Editor Phil Bronstein will be shifting his role from running day-to-day operations in the newsroom to taking on broader strategic responsibilities at the paper and for its owner, Hearst Corporation. Bronstein will remain executive vice president of The Chronicle and will assume the title editor-at-large, both for the paper and for the newspapers division of Hearst. A new editor will be announced shortly.

Commenting on the announcement, George B. Irish, president, Hearst Newspapers, said, "I asked Phil to consider having a larger role at Hearst, in addition to strategic responsibilities at the San Francisco Chronicle. I am delighted that he has agreed."

Bronstein will continue to represent The Chronicle in the community as a principal public face of the paper. Working with all departments, he will help shape the role of the paper and its Web site, www.sfgate.com, in San Francisco and the Bay Area. In addition, Bronstein will work with the newspapers division to oversee investigative projects that may involve multiple properties using resources throughout Hearst. He will also seek to expand successful strategies he initiated at The Chronicle to other Hearst papers, and will work with the office of Hearst's General Counsel on First Amendment issues, including a federal shield law for reporters. He will also work directly with top digital media executives at Hearst Newspapers to identify ideas and content that can be applied across the company.