On Wednesday afternoon, the New York Times reported that executive editor Jill Abramson is “unexpectedly” leaving her position and the paper for reasons that are still unclear. The world heard the surprise news at roughly the same time as the people who work at the Times, and staffers quickly took to Twitter to express their shock, make jokes, applaud the choice to make managing editor Dean Baquet Abramson’s replacement, and wonder what the hell just happened.
Big newsroom surprise: Dean Baquet in, Jill Abramson out at helm of NY Times.
— Richard Perez-Pena (@perezpena) May 14, 2014The reasons for the switch were not immediately clear....
Editor change at NYT http://t.co/D64cdBuwmM
— Doreen Carvajal (@dorcarvajal) May 14, 2014Despite the shock of the news - welcoming the first black executive editor of the New York Times is a historic moment.
— ▵ Jenna Wortham ▵ (@jennydeluxe) May 14, 2014this is a hell of a thing to happen when I'm on deadline. having a hard time focusing on Marion Cotillard & Joaquin Phoenix just now.
— a. o. scott (@aoscott) May 14, 2014Dean Baquet notes that the paper is better now than when Jill Abramson took over -- and that is true.
— Patricia Cohen (@PatcohenNYT) May 14, 2014Also really well-kept secret even in a newsroom full of reporters and gossips.
— Patricia Cohen (@PatcohenNYT) May 14, 2014At 2:30 pm ET today, all reporting by NYT correspondents worldwide came to a halt for 45 minutes.
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) May 14, 2014It's Abramson, no 'explnd' card needed. MT @ezraklein: The weird thing about Abramoff's exit ...http://t.co/575KmSmpSr
— katephillips (@katephillips) May 14, 2014Don’t look to me for insight on this one, Twitter
— Jacob Harris (@harrisj) May 14, 2014RT if you picked the wrong 10 minute window to not check your email during a meeting.
— Michael Roston (@michaelroston) May 14, 2014Tattoos mark a crucial moment in life, why would she remove it? RT Abramson has iconic @nytimes T on her back http://t.co/o3u7B5aii7
— Elias Lopez (@elopez_nyc) May 14, 2014Holy cow!
— Anne Barnard (@ABarnardNYT) May 14, 2014Sorry tweeps, I am not in NYT newsroom today, but can say that this leadership shift was expected eventually - just not now.
— Laurie Goodstein (@lauriegnyt) May 14, 2014PEOPLE I AM TRYING TO GET SOME WORK DONE HERE STOP ASKING ME WHAT HAPPENED I DON'T KNOW.
— John Schwartz — NYT (@jswatz) May 14, 2014i know everything but i'm a human paywall sorry
— Leah Finnegan (@leahfinnegan) May 14, 2014So many jokes I can't RT or fav.
— Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) May 14, 2014Exciting times to be sitting across the room from @PeterLattman and the @NYTmedia gang...
— Matt Chaban (@MC_NYC) May 14, 2014Dudes, there's just a lot of crazy s%*t going on.
— Rosie Schaap (@rosieschaap) May 14, 2014First Black Executive editor of The New York Times = Dean Baquet
— Emily B. Hager (@emilybhager) May 14, 2014Jill Abramson is a great journalist. I will miss her.
— Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) May 14, 2014So, anything happen at your office today?
— Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) May 14, 2014WEDNESDAYS, AMIRITE. | The New York Times Replaces Abramson as Executive Editor http://t.co/BSIsK7KbUL
— Reyna Desai (@reynadesai) May 14, 2014The Jill Abramson news is to the media people I follow as the Jose Fernandez news was to the fantasy baseball people I follow.
— Adam Sternbergh (@sternbergh) May 14, 2014I've been informed that the frogurt machine on the 14th floor still works. So far, the Baquet regime is working out well. #transitions
— Mary Pilon (@marypilon) May 14, 2014Nothing from times on Jill Abramson has said "resign," yet news reports say she's "replaced" seems no one wants to use f-word. such delicacy
— Ford Fessenden (@fordfess) May 14, 2014New boss today. I guess I'll keep that golden retriever I bought anyway. http://t.co/bLPWAMQJbh http://t.co/mEwCbl5nON
— Danny Hakim (@dannyhakim) May 14, 2014Stepped out for late lunch & came back to find I've got a new boss. Jill Abramson out as exec editor, @deanbaquet in. http://t.co/RICSfnts8w
— James G. Cobb (@NYTjamescobb) May 14, 2014People I haven't heard from in years are calling -- and I haven't even come into any money.
— Stephanie Strom (@ssstrom) May 14, 2014A day of peculiar coincidences. RT @Ombudsman: What's going on? Top female editor of LeMonde quits. http://t.co/aH1zT88ZML
— Heather Tal Murphy (@heathertal) May 14, 2014Evidently some editors are still here! RT @Jeffrey_Cane: Ah-hem......@dgelles: Oh right, about that story I'm supposed to write...
— David Gelles (@dgelles) May 14, 2014btw, @JillAbramson is a great journalist
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 14, 2014I picked an interesting moment to stop in and check my mailbox today.
— Nate Chinen (@natechinen) May 14, 2014Side note: Dean Baquet is a college dropout. Take that, higher ed.
— David Joachim, NYT (@davidjoachim) May 14, 2014So nice to know you care
— Paul Werdel (@prwerdel) May 14, 2014Well. Who wants to talk about Monday's episode of Louie?
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 14, 2014quick handiwork under pressure by @jmyint http://t.co/LRl2w2mXMA
— mlouttit (@mlouttit) May 14, 2014The new era RT @lpolgreen: Dean Baquet presiding over his first page 1 meeting as executive editor of the NYT http://t.co/vyJYekc4D1
— Motoko Rich (@motokorich) May 14, 2014
