Honolulu Advertiser editor Mark Platte will be leaving the newspaper tomorrow to take a job as news director of Hawaii News Now.

Platte is scheduled to start May 10 in the Hawaii News Now newsroom and will work with departing news director Chris Archer over the ensuing 16 days as part of the transition process.

"I have enjoyed my years at The Advertiser and we have made great strides with an incredible staff," Platte said. "But I'm excited about this new chapter in my career to help Hawaii News Now reach even greater heights. They have a wonderful team over there."

Platte's departure follows the sale of The Advertiser to the owner of the rival Honolulu Star-Bulletin in a deal that is expected to close Monday.

Lee Webber, Advertiser president and publisher, praised Platte's work at the state's largest newspaper.

"Mark has served us well during the past four years as editor and has worked with us all to continually improve The Advertiser during his nearly decade-long tenure here," Webber said.

Platte joined The Advertiser in November 2000 as the assistant managing editor for news. He became the senior vice president and editor in May 2006.

In that capacity, Platte has managed and directed more than 130 journalists working in The Advertiser's newsroom and is credited with leading the growth of honoluluadver tiser.com to a website brimming with breaking news, video, blogs, photo galleries and reader polls that now generates 17 million to 20 million page views per month.

He has also worked at the Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Orange County (Ca.) Register and Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"I have every confidence in Mark and I am most pleased and excited he has accepted this very challenging and critical role in our station operation," said Rick Blangiardi, general manager of Hawaii News Now.