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Four editor roles merged into two at JP titles

Regional publisher Johnston Press has carried out another shake-up of its Scottish titles that has seen four weekly editor roles reduced to two.

Two papers in Fife have been merged under a single editor along with two more to the north of Glasgow.

It means that Fife Free Press editor Allan Crow has added the Glenrothes Gazette to his portfolio, while Kirkintilloch Herald boss Jim Holland is now additionally editor of the Milngavie Herald.

Gail Milne, who had been been editor of the Gazette, and former Herald news chief Allan McIntyre, have left the company.

The proposed shake-up was originally announced in May but it has only recently been decided which of the four editors will be staying on.

Andrew Richardson, managing director of JP’s Scottish division, said:  “After a detailed review of operations in Scotland to identify efficiency savings, the following organisation changes have taken place.

“The Fife Free Press and the Glenrothes Gazette will be edited by one person, Allan Crow, and the Kirkintilloch Herald and the Milngavie Herald will also be edited by one person, Jim Holland.

“As a result of these changes two editors, Gail Milne and Allan McIntyre, have now left the business.”

3 comments

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  • June 22, 2012 at 10:49 am
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    Anyone who knows anything about modern day editing in a local newspaper knows that the only way one editor can edit two titles is to have a team of subs around him/her filling space on a page. Filling space, being the operative phrase.
    However, to be a true local paper editor, knowing the local issues and personalities, and selecting/prioritising the interesting local content, you can only focus on one title.

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  • June 22, 2012 at 3:54 pm
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    I think it speaks volumes that this story has been online all day and until now no one has commented.
    It’s JP, again, slash and burn, get rid of experienced (but costly) staff. Double up, get one person to do several people’s jobs, leading to stress, a decline in quality, a tailspin of confusion.
    It’s JP again. We’re all getting to the stage where we just shrug our shoulders and carry on. Because that’s all we can do as the hierarchy presses on with its murderous rampage.

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  • June 22, 2012 at 4:07 pm
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    Exactly right, Scribbler,
    The bloodlust-driven JP hierarchy don’t/won’t/can’t listen.
    We may as well be speaking Martian for all they ever heed the legion of critics.
    In some quarters, we who weep at the destruction of a once-proud company are labelled as bleaters and urged to ‘get real’
    Some of us still believe…fewer and fewer of us around to say it…only a matter of time before for us, too, the rest is silence…………………..
    JP RIP

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