The Richmond Times-Dispatch has hired a video business development manager to devise “video solutions” for the newspaper’s inRich.com website. Rick Thornton, a senior editor at the Times-Dispatch since 2004, will take charge of the initiative.

Thornton's unit will include videographers and sales focused solely on advertising. "We¹ve made a lot of strides with news video. Now we need to advance video as an effective tool for advertisers to reach customers and keep the cash register ringing," stated Thomas Silvestri, publisher of the Times-Dispatch.

Thornton was part of a special “innovation team” formed earlier this year to examine new advertising opportunities. Said inRich.com General Manager Michael Fibison: "We are eager to learn as we innovate in this expanding medium."

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