WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT

COMMON THREAD from page 17

MICHAEL FLEISCHER

HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO

Renaissance Media is to help create a
new paradigm for how the American
Jewish community is communicated to
today," Horwitz says.
"One thing we are conscious of is that
while our primary focus is meeting the
A New Paradigm
needs of the Jewish community,
we recognize that we are part of
Horwitz started in journalism as a
a larger community."
copyboy trainee" at the New
Horwitz sees JRM sustaining
Haven journal - Courier in 1970,
its
mission of being "the pre-
and worked summers there
eminent gatherer and dissemina-
through high school and college
tor of information for and about
as a sports reporter and copy edi-
the American Jewish communi-
tor. While at the University of
Mich ael
ty." Under the JRM umbrella
Connecticut, he served as editor
Steinh ardt
are plans for a multi-dimension-
of the student daily.
al information platform that will
Following graduation, he was
include
newspapers,
magazines, broad-
hired by the New Haven Register, where •
cast,
cable,
Web
and
wireless technolo-
he worked for four years as a reporter,
gies.
bureau chief and columnist. A master's
New technologies will provide ways to
degree from Yale University's School of
customize sections of the paper toward
Management provided the bridge from
young adults, the Orthodox community,
the editorial to the business side of pub-
seniors, interfaith families and others —
lishing.
or direct a reader to the JNWeb site
In 1982, he became manager of mar-
www.detroitjewishnews.com for more
keting, research and planning for the
in-depth coverage. Horwitz expects the
Baltimore Sun. There, he met the late
paper to build business alliances and
Charles A. Buerger, publisher of the
joint ventures with other media to pro-
Baltimore Jewish Times, who would pur-
vide more content sources and operating
chase the Detroit Jewish News from
Slomovitz in 1984. Buerger sent Horwitz efficiencies.
to assist the Detroit paper.
When Buerger died unexpectedly in
From The Ashes
1996, Horwitz was publisher of the
These new ideas, however, are not sim-
and
vice
president
of
Detroit Jewish News
ply experiments, but a matter of sur-
its parent company, Baltimore-based
vival.
Waterspout Communications.
"A stand-alone Jewish weekly newspa-
In February 2000, Horwitz and
per, whether in Detroit, -Boston or any-
Michael H. Steinhardt, a New York City-
where in the United States, has a limited
based investor, philanthropist and com-
future if unable to tap into the array of
munal activist, acquired the Detroit
Jewish News, the Atlanta Jewish Times and communication options available to the
the local Style magazine from Waterspout Jewish community today," Horwitz says.
But never far from his discussion
Communications and the Buerger family.
about the paper is the important sup-
Horwitz was drawn to Steinhardt's
port by, and reflection of, the commu-
fresh philanthropic approach to the
Jewish community — thatis, to engage nity it serves. This was never clearer
than after the devastating fire that
even secular, unaffiliated and less-
struck the Jewish News' Southfield
involved Jews in a more Jewish way of
offices the night of Jan. 27.
life.
Horwitz considers the silver lining of
Horwitz and Steinhardt have high
that
fire to be the tremendous outpour-
expectations for the new enterprise.
ing of support from Jews and non-Jews
"Michael was not only interested in
that drove home the impact the paper
the Detroit and Atlanta publications,
has on people's lives.
which were well regarded and commer-
He tells the story of a friend who said
cially viable," Horwitz says, "but also in
he was glad the issue after the fire came
positioning them to serve as a launching
out a day late. "That one day the paper
pad for the creation of an enterprise that
was late, he said, underscored for the
would become Jewish Renaissance
entire community just how much a part
Media URN')."
the paper is of their Fridays and, by
Besides being the parent company of
extension, their lives.
the Detroit and Atlanta newspapers and
"The challenge," Horwitz adds, "is
SO magazine, JRM has begun a news
making sure that every Friday the corn-
service and acquired the Web site
munity, which is becoming more diverse
Jewish.com
and less monolithic, sees a reflection of
"There's every reason to expect that
itself in our pages." ❑
Michael's involvement with Jewish

his savvy business sense has maintained
the paper's voice and viability in a com-
munications market currently facing
tough times.

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT - INVESTMENTS

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