Jill Abramson To Be Executive Editor Of 'The New York Times'

"Jill Abramson, a former investigative reporter and Washington bureau chief for The New York Times, will become the paper's executive editor, succeeding Bill Keller, who is stepping down to become a full-time writer for the paper," the Times announced this morning.

Currently the Times' managing editor, Abramson "will be the first woman to be editor in the paper's 160-year history," the Times says. It quotes her as saying that is "meaningful to me. ... You stand on the shoulders of those who came before you, and I couldn't be prouder to be standing on Bill's shoulders."

Dean Baquet, the Times' Washington bureau chief, steps up to be managing editor. He's a former top editor at the Los Angeles Times.

The appointments take effect Sept. 6.

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