Hearst Corp. put in play a succession plan when it tapped its newspaper CEO Steven Swartz to move up into the No. 2 slot in the media giant as chief operating officer, overseeing newspapers, magazines and TV holdings.

The move suggests Swartz, a youngish executive who has experience in the magazine and newspaper side of the media giant, has nosed out Scott Sassa, a board member and the president and CEO of Hearst Entertainment and Syndication as heir apparent to succeed 78-year-old Frank Bennack, Jr. as Hearst Corp. CEO.