Richard Zannino exits Dow Jones

Vet Leslie Hinton will take exec's place

By DADE HAYES

A wave of changes have begun in the exec suite at Dow Jones, a week before News Corp.'s $5 billion takeover of the company and its crown jewel, The Wall Street Journal, becomes official.

Richard Zannino is out as CEO, he announced Thursday, and News Corp. vet Leslie Hinton will take his place.

Robert Thomson, editor of the Times of London, is also coming aboard as editor of the Journal and will report to Hinton.

It is believed that a wave of other moves is in the immediate offing.

News Corp. honcho Rupert Murdoch, given his long history in newspapers and avid pursuit of the Journal, is expected to have a fairly active role in its management.