Cartoonist Tony Auth Leaving Philadelphia Inquirer
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia Inquirer's Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Tony Auth is leaving the paper. Auth's resignation comes as the Inquirer's owner is trying to cut 37 jobs. Editors are sorry to see Auth go.
"Tony Auth's name might be more synonymous with the Inquirer than perhaps any journalist we've had."
Inquirer executive editor Stan Wischnowski says Auth's resignation is a huge loss for the paper, one that can't be made up.
"You don't replace somebody like that, you don't replace a legend."
Wischnowski says it's a difficult time for the paper and its sister publications, the Daily News and philly.com, which are up for sale and in the midst of combining newsrooms, in addition to cutting 37 jobs through buy-outs and lay-offs.
Auth could not be reached for comment. He's been at the paper for more than 40 years.
He won the Pulitzer in 1976 and was a finalist in 2010. But in November, two of his cartoons were killed and sources say he was worried about the combined newsroom. The Daily News also has a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist.
Reports are that Auth will go to a non-profit website associated with public radio.
