NEW YORK (AP) – The Village Voice, which has had four editors in just over a year, has fired its most recent one after management concerns came to a head following a controversial staff meeting, a spokeswoman said Saturday.

David Blum was fired Friday after just six months as editor in chief.

His termination came after a Wednesday meeting in which staffers discussed a lack of racial diversity in the paper’s hiring. Wayne Barrett, a Voice staff member, said Mr. Blum responded to concerns in a way some may have construed as offensive or dismissive. Mr. Barrett said, however, he was surprised to learn Mr. Blum had been ousted.

Voice spokeswoman Maggie Shnayerson said although the meeting was the “catalyst” for Blum’s dismissal, the real reason was differences in management styles.

“David Blum is not a racist,” she said. “It was not a decision that was reached in any kind of knee-jerk way. It was in response to concerns that had been growing. It’s just an ongoing feeling that it wasn’t working.”

Mr. Blum declined to comment Saturday.

The famed alternative weekly newspaper has had turbulent turnover at the top, especially after a 2006 merger. Veteran editor Don Forst resigned in December 2005. In March of last year, his replacement, Doug Simmons, was fired after a fabrication scandal involving a reporter. Erik Wemple, who had been editing the Washington City Paper, resigned two weeks after being hired in June. Blum took over in September.

Bill Jensen, a former editor of the Boston Phoenix who directs new media for Village Voice Media, will serve as the interim editor in chief now that Mr. Blum is gone, Ms. Shnayerson said.

The Voice, founded in 1955, covers arts, entertainment and news with an irreverent style that often stretches conventions at most major newspapers. In January 2006, Village Voice Media, which runs the Voice and five other papers, merged with Phoenix-based New Times Media, the publisher of 11 alternative weeklies.

The 17 papers have a combined weekly circulation of 1.8 million.