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Leeds editors survive the chop as new roles announced

Two Yorkshire daily editors whose jobs were combined in a recent restructure have survived the chop after both were appointed to new roles.

Yorkshire Post editor Peter Charlton and Yorkshire Evening Post boss Paul Napier were told earlier this month that their jobs were being merged and both were placed at risk of redundancy.

The duo had been due to go head to head for the single editorial job overseeing the two Leeds-based titles, which are owned by Johnston Press.

But Paul has now been appointed to the newly-created role of group editorial development director, with responsibility for accelerating the company’s ‘digital first’ strategy.

It means that Peter, one of the great survivors of the regional press with three editorships already under his belt, will continue to have overall responsibility for the YP in his new role as editorial director.

He said of his new appointment: “I am looking forward to helping to shape this business in the future. Editing the Yorkshire Post alone is a great privilege and the opportunity to extend my role will enable me to better target our journalism at both our two key titles and online.

“The regional press faces a challenging future. We must maintain both our momentum and standards in order to meet those changing needs.

“To my mind, the Yorkshire Post is regional journalism’s leading title and, in the Evening Post, we have a paper and website that should reflect and campaign for the people of  Leeds.”

The appointments, which will take effect on 7 May, were announced in a statement issued by Johnston Press yesterday.

It read:  “Paul Napier, currently editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post, has been appointed group editorial development director, responsible for accelerating digital content initiatives.  Paul will report to Henry Faure Walker, digital and business development director.

“Peter Charlton, currently editor of the Yorkshire Post, has been appointed editorial director for Yorkshire Post Newspapers Limited.

“Peter will take responsibility for the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post in his new role and continue to report to Helen Oldham, managing director of Yorkshire Post Newspapers Limited. “

7 comments

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  • April 27, 2012 at 10:06 am
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    Two little dickie birds, sitting on a wall,
    Both of them sweating on a bloody great fall,
    Suddenly both were safe, a great relief to all,
    Right said Peter, right said Paul.

    … Can I be Poet Laureate now? I’ve nothing else to do.

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  • April 27, 2012 at 10:23 am
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    That’s going to be a very long shift Peter . . .

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  • April 27, 2012 at 11:15 am
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    So the new group editorial development director will report to the digital and business development director. Is this what JP mean by their new, simplified management structure?

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  • April 27, 2012 at 4:01 pm
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    Ah, the beauty of high-profile white collar roles – your chums in the boardroom will always create a job for you

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  • April 27, 2012 at 4:08 pm
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    Time to get the bunting out.
    Shame about the thousands JP has got rid of recently

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  • April 27, 2012 at 5:06 pm
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    Was this job not in the pipeline until today?
    They look very silly and dare I say they may be winging it.

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