Ryan Blethen will serve as the next publisher of The Seattle Times, the daily newspaper his great-great-grandfather founded in 1896, the company announced Wednesday.

Blethen, 52, succeeds his father, Frank Blethen, 80, who will step down Dec. 31 after four decades in the role.

Ryan Blethen started working full time with The Seattle Times Company in 1997 and has served in multiple roles, most recently as assistant managing editor and associate publisher.

He represents the fifth Blethen generation, and is the eighth Blethen family member to lead The Times, one of the few family-owned newspapers still standing in a disrupted media sector marked by cuts and closures.

Frank Blethen, who has also served as The Seattle Times’ CEO and board chair, will continue as chair. Alan Fisco, The Times’

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