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Styles pips Montellier to Teesside editorship

Trinity Mirror has today named Chris Styles as the new editor of the Teesside-based Evening Gazette.

Chris, a former deputy editor of the Evening Chronicle, moves from the role of executive editor of Trinity’s ncjMedia business, which publishes the Chronicle and sister daily The Journal.

He succeeds Darren Thwaites who moved from Middlesbrough to take over from Paul Robertson at the Evening Chronicle earlier this year.

Peter Montellier, a former editor of Newcastle’s Sunday Sun, had been appointed ‘interim editor’ in Teesside following Darren’s departure, but has failed to land the role on a permanent basis.

The move marks a return for Chris, pictured left, who was news editor at the Evening Gazette before his move to Newcastle in 2002.

He started his career more than 20 years ago on his home town paper, the Oldham Evening Chronicle, and also worked for the Express & Echo, Exeter.

Bob Cuffe, managing director of Gazette Media Company and ncjMedia, said: “Chris has an outstanding CV, and fully deserves this exciting opportunity.

“He takes over with the Evening Gazette in fine shape, with a strong newspaper sales performance, a growing digital audience and an excellent team to support him”

Chris, who will take on his new role early in the New Year, added: “I am delighted and privileged to have been given the opportunity to edit the Evening Gazette and look forward to helping develop such a trusted brand.

“I would like to thank my colleagues and friends in Newcastle for all the help they have given me over the past nine years.”

9 comments

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  • November 30, 2011 at 9:41 am
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    …and many thanks to Monty for a tremendous period as acting editor. (I’m sure the MD meant to say something like that…)

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  • November 30, 2011 at 10:59 am
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    Chris deserves this opportunity. He was an outstanding deputy and I have no doubt he will be a success on Teesside.

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  • November 30, 2011 at 2:14 pm
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    Why the line about Mr Montellier having “failed to land the role”? And a headline to match, no less. Why aren’t any other applicants who “failed” to get the job mentioned? Since when do you mention the other candidates for jobs?

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  • November 30, 2011 at 2:47 pm
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    Have to agree with ‘Reader’ – that headline seems very harsh on Peter Montellier, and it’s most unusual to single out other applicants for a job when announcing a new appointment. In fact, I can’t remember htfp ever doing it before. I don’t know either person, so have no axe to grind, and wish Chris well.

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  • November 30, 2011 at 2:52 pm
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    I would contend that if one of the unsuccessful applicants is the acting editor it is relevant to report that fact. But certainly no slight was intended towards Peter Montellier.

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  • November 30, 2011 at 3:12 pm
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    Aw come on, don’t be so sensitive! The Htfp editor makes sense. Think about it. If any stand-in boss – in football, say – went for and failed to get the job, it would be a story. And this is a site about journalism – ie, it’s allowed to spot stories!. Also, Monty missing out is a wider story in terms of what’s next for such a skilled, well-respected newspaper man, who I’m sure the Teesside MD will thank at some point…

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  • December 1, 2011 at 10:02 am
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    Sorry but I think it’s very obvious from the response that a simple mention that Chris Styles had been appointed, rather than ‘Styles pips Montellier’ would been far more appropriate. Long live Monty!

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  • December 1, 2011 at 2:30 pm
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    I can see some people are still getting completely the wrong idea about this so let me spell it out again. Absolutely no slight was intended towards Peter Montellier in the writing of this story and knowing Peter as I do, I would be surprised if he himself took it that way.

    The fact is that, by and large, acting editors are usually appointed to the top job, albeit sometimes after a bit of a wait and occasionally even after other candidates have been considered. On the ‘man bites dog’ definition of news, it is therefore a story in my book if, as on this occasion, someone else is appointed instead – especially when the incumbent is generally held to have done a good job in the interim.

    By the same token, had Steven Fletcher not been confirmed in the role of editor of the Lincolnshire Echo despite having come in at short notice to steer the paper through the biggest upheaval in its 118-year history, that would have been quite a story too. In those circumstances, I think most HTFP readers would have been surprised if we had glossed over that angle as RT and Co seem to be suggesting.

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  • December 13, 2011 at 9:49 am
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    All the best to Monty – a brilliant newspaper man.

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