Jim Rosica
The indefatigable Lloyd Dunkelberger, unceremoniously jettisoned by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, has landed at the News Service of Florida (NSF).
The Tallahassee-based state news provider announced the hire on Thursday. Dunkelberger, 62, joins the NSF staff next week.
He “has covered state government since 1983, including 33 regular sessions of the Florida Legislature and eight governors,” according to a News Service announcement.
After his layoff earlier this month from the GateHouse Media-owned Herald-Tribune, Dunkelberger worked briefly for FloridaPolitics.com.
He graduated from the University of Florida College of Journalism in 1977, according to a recent tribute by FloridaPolitics.com contributor Florence Beth Snyder, and began work at the Ocala StarBanner.
The StarBanner, as well as The Gainesville Sun, the Ledger of Lakeland and the Herald-Tribune were once owned by the New York Times Co.
Dunkelberger eventually rose to capital bureau chief of The New York Times Regional Newspapers, known by the pronunciation of its acronym, “Night Train.”
“Dunkelberger’s experience served the public well during the circus known as the 2000 Recount,” Snyder wrote. “The New York Times sent a team of seven to Tallahassee, including Todd Purdum (now with Vanity Fair as National Editor), who cited Dunkelberger’s steady hand as a significant contribution to the Times’ definitive recount coverage.”
The New York Times Co. sold off the newspapers in 2011 to Halifax Media, which was itself later taken over by GateHouse. The company, known for its aggressive cost-cutting, now is fending off a unionization attempt by The Ledger‘s newsroom workers.
At NSF, Dunkelberger will cover higher education, among other topics, the company said.
News Service was founded in 2008 by Craig Sandler, a longtime Massachusetts political reporter. Its sister company is State House News Service in Boston.
Dunkelberger is married to FloridaPolitics.com Editor at Large Rosanne Dunkelberger. They have two adult children.
