AS reported as breaking news on allmediascotland yesterday morning, the editor of the Evening Times has been promoted to the post of editor-in-chief of the Herald group of newspapers, of which the Evening Times is one part and The Herald another.
In a move that also sees him become the editor of The Herald, Donald Martin takes on his new job today, when it should become clearer just how his new role will impact on the operation of all three newspaper titles in the group, the third being the Sunday Herald.
The announcement made yesterday the last day in post for Herald editor, Charles McGhee, who, in July, announced he was stepping down – after two-and-a-half years in the job, ten with the company. An insider described his leaving speech as “low key”.
It also came on the day members of the National Union of Journalists were meant to begin a work-to-rule, protesting against cost-cutting at the papers. That was suspended pending on-going negotiations.
Today at 3pm, staff from all three papers will be addressed by Martin, who will be expected to outline his plans for the future. It is being speculated that he’ll give details how publishers, Newsquest, intend exactly to make a reported two million pounds’ worth of cuts from editorial.
That Martin will be both group editor-in-chief and Herald editor raises inevitable speculation that the production of all three titles will soon start being brought together.
Martin joined the Evening Times from the Aberdeen Evening Express, where he was editor, to replace McGhee when he moved over to edit The Herald.
Martin is also a former editor the North West Evening Mail, deputy editor of the Cambridge Evening News and chief sub and production editor of the Reading Evening Post. His first editorship, at the age of 24, was at the free, weekly Edinburgh and Lothians Post.
He is quoted in the Press Gazette, saying: “I am fully-committed to ensuring that The Herald, Evening Times and the Sunday Herald, along with our digital products, are strong, vibrant Scottish brands which reflect and appeal to the communities that we serve.”
