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Lew Katz Says Inquirer Ownership Structure Was Ignored In Editor's Dismissal

By Steve Tawa

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A second day of testimony was underway today in the courtroom drama featuring the bickering owners of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

Lewis Katz, one of two members of the managing committee of the newspapers' ownership group, testified that the ownership was structured such that both he and business partner George Norcross had blocking power over the other in case there was disagreement.

Katz says that while he thinks publisher Robert Hall is a good guy, he would not -- and did not -- agree to extend Hall's expired contract.

The lawsuit brought by the Katz faction contends that Hall was not within his authority to fire editor William Marimow last month (see related story).  Katz also believes Hall's attempt to fire certain newsroom editors was because they had negative experiences with a co-managing committee member's family.

The co-owner with whom Katz is feuding is George Norcross, whose daughter, Lexi, runs the newspapers' philly.com web site.

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