WEHCO Media names Jay Horton president of its Digital Division

Jay Horton

Jay Horton has been named president of WEHCO Media's digital division.

Horton will oversee the day-to-day operations, powering the company's digital media brands, as well as the Flypaper Digital Marketing Agency with offices in 10 communities.

WEHCO Media, Inc., a family-owned company based in Little Rock, Ark., owns the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as well as newspapers, magazines, cable television companies and digital marketing agencies in Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

"Having the opportunity to lead WEHCO's digital media businesses forward is the best job in the industry," Horton said. "The leadership and commitment of Walter Hussman and Nat Lea to developing the local media model of the next generation is unmatched."

Horton has been a leader in digital media for the past 18 years, responsible for sales and marketing, as well as partner, product and platform development for newspapers, working with Scripps, Knight-Ridder and Gannett.

"Jay is a proven leader in the newspaper industry, his experience in leading digital teams and using digital assets to help customers will be an asset to our company," said Nat Lea, president and CEO of WEHCO Media, Inc. "We welcome Jay and his family to Little Rock."

For the past three years, Horton has operated his own consulting business focused on media and technology, working with many of the top companies in the industry. He also served as the executive producer for this year's Key Executives Mega-Conference, the premier event for the industry.

Horton, his wife Jessica, and boys, Avery and Brennan, will be relocating to the Little Rock area. "When our family visited Arkansas last month, we were instantly charmed by the truly welcoming and friendly spirit of the community. With all the outsized number of city amenities here, and the wealth of outdoor activities, we are looking forward to calling Little Rock home."

Horton is filling the role recently held by Conan Gallaty, who left the company to become the chief digital officer of the Times Publishing Co. in Tampa Bay, Fla. "Digital already captures the most audience and the most revenue of any media," Horton said. "It's also the least regulated, with little oversight over the content that's consumed."

"Our journalism and serving our communities' information needs has never been more important than it is now, and the challenges are great," Horton said. "We have to accelerate our transformation and serve our customers across a multitude of platforms to stay vital in our markets."