Top editors quit at Australian media giant
AUSTRALIA: Top editors at Australian newspapers The Age and
The Sydney Morning Herald resigned Monday, after parent company Fairfax
last week announced an overhaul designed to embrace the digital era.
Peter Fray, publisher and editor-in-chief at the 180-year-old Sydney
paper, and its first female editor Amanda Wilson, said they were
leaving, as did The Age's editor-in-chief Paul Ramadge. Their
resignations pushed shares in the company down one cent to 57 cents, a
record closing low.
It follows last week's shock announcement that Fairfax will slash
about 1,900 jobs and downside The Herald and The Age from broadsheet to
tabloid size and put the two dailies' websites behind a paywall. “We are
saying farewell to two champions of our profession, and their decision
to leave brings to a close two very distinguished careers with Fairfax,”
Fairfax editorial director Garry Linnell said of Fray and Wilson.
Ramadge, who is expected to depart next month, said he was leaving
the influential Melbourne newspaper with “divided feelings” after
several weeks of talks, but added that he backed the group's new
direction. “The time feels right for me now to go and to chase things
away from the mothership,” he told his newsroom.
“It is in no way a sign that I disagree with the strategy announced
last week. The strategy is right. Another era is about to begin and I
will be among those cheering from the sidelines.” The Australian media
sector is enduring a turbulent period, with the two major newspaper
groups Fairfax and Rupert Murdoch's News Limited both flagging large job
cuts last week.
News is yet to nominate how many positions will go from among its
staff of 11,000 but reports put the figure at 1,000 to 1,500 as media
companies lose readers and advertisers in the switch to online
platforms.
AFP
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