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Daily editor bows out after 42 years with firm

A Scottish daily editor who has worked for the same publisher for 42 years has announced he is stepping down next month.

Bill Hutcheon has led Dundee-based paper The Courier for more than eight years as part of a 42-year career with DC Thomson titles but has now decided to take early retirement.

He will leave the paper at the end of March and the company will begin the search for his successor.

Bill announced the move to close colleagues on Wednesday and a wider company statement went out from DC Thomson chairman Andrew Thomson yesterday.

It said: “On behalf of DC Thomson and the directors, I would like to thank Bill for his tremendous contribution to the company.

“Bill has been a key member of The Courier team for many years, having joined the newspaper at our office in Aberdeen before moving to our Bank Street premises in Dundee.

“The Courier remains one of the best performing regional newspapers in the UK, which is a real credit to Bill’s tenure as editor.

“Bill will remain in his post as editor until 31st March 2011 when he will retire. We will keep you informed of our plans in terms of finding a successor for him in due course.

“Please join me in thanking Bill for his dedicated service and in wishing him a long and very happy retirement.”

Bill told HTFP he had decided it was the right time to ‘call it a day’.

He added: “There are some exciting challenges ahead for the paper but my feeling is that it would be better handled by someone else.”