Online magazine Slate recently created a dedicated sales force to capitalize on its traffic growth, and now it’s getting a new publisher to lead it. Matt Turck, the vp of sales and marketing who built up the new team, will start in the new role Sept. 10. John Alderman, the outgoing publisher, isn’t going far; he’s been appointed COO of social marketing ad sales firm SocialCode, another Washington Post Co. unit.

Before joining Slate in 2009, Turck spent 20 years at Time Inc., including stints as associate publisher ofTime and publisher ofThis Old House.

Despite somelayoffs last year, including, notably, media critic Jack Shafer, the award-winning Slate has been one of the few bright spots in the Post Co.’s