Tuesday 20 October 2009

Trinity's Brum editors vote with their feet as Post goes weekly and Mail overnight

Trinity Mirror is to lose the editors of both the Birmingham Mail and Birmingham Post after it was announced today that they are both leaving the company.
The announcement that they are both going comes as Trinity confirmed as expected that the Post is to go weekly from 12 November and the Mail switching to overnight printing. Around 40 editorial jobs are likely to go as part of the changes.
Dave Brookes, Coventry Telegraph editor, is to return to Fort Dunlop as editor of the Birmingham Mail and editor-in-chief of all Birmingham titles. He was previously editor of the Sunday Mercury and also worked on the Birmingham Mail for many years.
Darren Parkin, editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror's Coventry weeklies series, will replace Dave Brookes as the editor of the Coventry Telegraph.
Trinity said Steve Dyson (pictured), who is also editor of the Sunday Mercury, has "chosen to leave his position."
Dyson ran an editors' blog about the proposed switch to overnight printing which would end "live" on the day news. Postings were overwhelmingly against the move.
He said: "It has been a privilege working on these fine newspapers. They have provided me with great experiences, from my days as a reporter to my last seven years as an editor. I've been really lucky and will never forget my 17 years with the company."
Dyson will stay on until December to help implement the planned changes.
Trinity said Marc Reeves has "also decided to leave the company" and his successor will be appointed later this year.
He said: "It was my lifelong ambition to edit the Birmingham Post, my home town newspaper, and I've had nearly four years doing exactly that. I feel truly honoured to have been editor when the Post celebrated its 150th anniversary, and to have played a part in the development of its online services and forays into social media.
"My focus now is shaping the Post for the changes and challenges ahead and handing over the reins to my successor before I leave at the end of the year."
Reeves also ran an editors' blog on the future of the Birmingham Post but never gave his own view on the move to go weekly.

No comments: