Steve Rossi named publisher of MediaNews Group’s Bay Area papers

The veteran former Knight Ridder honcho replaces Mac Tully as publisher of Bay Area News Group, which publishes the Mercury News and its various editions, including the Contra Costa Times and Oakland Tribune. Tully takes over as president and chief executive at the chain’s Denver Post. Rossi has served as Tully’s second in command here. He’s a former executive VP and general manager of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News who joined Knight Ridder’s corporate staff when it moved from Miami to San Jose. He came aboard at MediaNews Group after the Merc and other Bay Area properties were flipped to McClatchy and then MediaNews in 2006. Merc has the announcement.