AddThis SmartLayers

Editor bids farewell to paper as he starts new role

An editor has bade farewell to a regional daily as he takes up a new role leading two sister titles.

Jeremy Clifford, left, has left his job as editor of the The Star in Sheffield and the weekly Sheffield Telegraph to lead fellow Johnston Press titles the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post.

He took up the new role on Monday, succeeding Peter Charlton as editorial director of Yorkshire Post Newspapers, after his appointment was announced in June following an extensive headhunt.

Among his first challenges in Leeds will be to replace several key staff who have also announced their departures including the news editors of both the YP and the YEP.

In a TwitLonger blog post to his Twitter followers, Jeremy said he had been “privileged” to lead The Star for the last two-and-a-half- years.

He wrote that the staff he had worked with in Sheffield were “a wonderfully committed and professional team, with many, many years of experience who have helped to guide me to make the right decisions for your newspaper and digital platforms.”

In writing about The Star, Jeremy said it was: “A great newspaper fighting for its voice among the growing noise of other publishing platforms.

“But loved by so many readers – and disliked by a few who like to take a snipe at it – that is your right – but we always try to do our best in reporting the news, sport and features.

“We outpublish every other media organisation in this region, with not only news, features and sport, but also supplements, listings, columnists, nostalgia, entertainment, people supplements, education…. the list goes on.

“We have to take difficult decisions every day and do this with the knowledge of our marketplace and readership. I think we get it right most of the time.”

His replacement at The Star has yet to be announced by Johnston Press.

Added Jeremy: “I hope those who have followed me have found my site informative, enjoyable and thought provoking – difficult to achieve all the time – and in 140 characters!

“Please continue to follow the new editor of The Star when that person is announced and starts their Twitter site.”

Jeremy was previously editor of the Northants Telegraph and during his career, he has also worked at the Leicester Mercury, South Wales Echo, Derby Telegraph and Hull Daily Mail.

He is also chairman of the editorial board of directors at JP, which was set up to provide editorial leadership and develop best practice across the group.

One comment

You can follow all replies to this entry through the comments feed.
  • September 3, 2013 at 9:38 am
    Permalink

    All the best Jez. Massive challenge ahead for you there. I’m sure you’ll make a great success of it.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(0)