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Yorkshire daily editors’ roles merged as more changes announced

Two more senior editors within Johnston Press are in talks over their futures as a wide-ranging editorial shake-up across the company continues.

Peter Charlton, editor of the Yorkshire Post, and Paul Napier, boss of the Yorkshire Evening Post, have been placed on notice of redundancy.

The company has confirmed it plans to combine their roles into that of a single editor covering both titles.

The move follows the abrupt departure of Lancashire Evening Post editor Simon Reynolds earlier today amid similar proposals in the North-West region.

Further changes at the regional publishing group are expected as new chief executive Ashley Highfield seeks to refashion the largely print-based business for the digital age.

The news was announced at lunchtime today by Helen Oldham, managing director of JP’s West Yorkshire publishing unit.

She said in a statement:  “As part of the overall objective of creating a more efficient management structure, we are proposing to make the following change:

“The roles of Editor of the Yorkshire Post and Editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post will be combined into a single role with responsibility for both titles.  We are in consultation with both Peter Charlton and Paul Napier and further announcements will be made in due course. ”

Peter has been editor of the YP since October 2004 when he took over from Rachael Campey.  He had previously been editor of sister title the Sheffield Star.

Paul took over as chief of the YEP in March 2006, moving from the Hartlepool Mail where he was also editor.

17 comments

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  • April 11, 2012 at 5:17 pm
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    I’m just getting something out of the fridge.

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  • April 11, 2012 at 6:05 pm
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    One editor, one paper is next move, how long before it’s one weekly paper?

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  • April 12, 2012 at 10:03 am
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    Corporate rationalisation – one more step away from serving the community and closer to serving the shareholders.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 11:03 am
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    Oh dear, this isn’t good at all for what were once two distinct newspapers with a proud history each. Sadly inevitable, however, especially with JP’s track record for cost cutting. I suspect other editors in centres which publish more than one newspaper will be watching closely and fearing for their jobs..

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  • April 12, 2012 at 12:13 pm
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    Morale at rock bottom. What a joke of a company. No-one will be left soon.
    Lions led by donkeys.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 2:48 pm
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    When will it ever stop, one after the other, working every member of staff to the point where they can take no more, probably in the hope they will leave and that they will have one less redundancy payout to make, everyone walking on eggshells, I feel sorry for them, it’s time this company looked into cutting wages at the top and paying more to those nearer the bottom of the chain who do all the work for pittance. Too many top dogs in the company that’s the problem, thing is it seems working gets you nowhere, nowadays in JP it’s the pure art of brown nosing that pays good wages.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 3:14 pm
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    New boss much like the old one then?
    Sigh. High hopes that a regime change would see more respect for editors. How naive.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm
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    Another nail in the coffin for a once great newspaper. How long before it is a weekly?

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  • April 12, 2012 at 3:25 pm
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    The YP is Yorkshire’s National Newspaper – there should be a campaign in the Ridings to stop this now. Advertisers make your views known, business people make your views known.
    The YP is an institution and needs support.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 3:41 pm
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    Glad I got off that particular sinking ship before the rush to the lifeboats.When the two editors become one I am pretty sure I know who is going to get the captain’s job.

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  • April 12, 2012 at 4:43 pm
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    Will the last one out at JP make sure they tweet that the lights have been turned off…

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  • April 13, 2012 at 11:26 am
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    Sitting here (the wonderful JP Atex system is completely down and has been all morning), I just wonder what’s next. Editors are being sold down the river, district offices are closing, yet staff are working above and beyond the call of duty to bring in stories and advertising revenue. And what do advertisers want? People to read and act on their adverts. Will people click on the website to view the latest sofa sale? No!! They want to view NEWS. They can flip through a tangible product (newspaper) and look at everything at their leisure. But online – no one will bother viewing the ads. So revenue will fall, and the downward spiral will continue. Happy days.

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  • April 13, 2012 at 5:05 pm
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    Very sad news indeed. I had the pleasure of working under Paul Napier when he was editor of the Banbury Guardian and found him a very honourable man.

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  • April 16, 2012 at 11:56 am
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    worked over the hill in Bradford – so know both titles well. Sad to read of the demise of regional press in the UK. But readers have been deserting print for years, so it’s no great surprise.
    No readers = no circulation = less ad revenue = less staff.
    Commercial reality.
    Thankfully got out years ago and made it to Oz, where we are a lot safer.

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  • April 16, 2012 at 2:35 pm
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    “Thankfully got out years ago and made it to Oz, where we are a lot safer.”

    Yes, the solution to all our problems. We all go to Australia.
    Not everybody can take that option. There are journalists with Jackass Press and other publishers who have homes, children and roots in their community. They have been pushed from pillar to post, from subbing hub to non hub.They have had to move homes, move schools and for what?
    JP bosses should hang their heads in shame. In this instance they have ruined not one, but two newspapers, they have contributed nothing to the city of Leeds and its people and they have shattered employees’ lives. Good for you pedrowe. Enjoy Down Under but what makes you think Oz will escape all this?

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