A new top team has been announced at two Yorkshire dailies which will see each title regain its own editor.
Sheffield Star editor James Mitchinson, left, has been appointed editor of the Yorkshire Post and editorial director for Yorkshire in succession to Jeremy Clifford, who is moving to a group-wide role.
But in a surprise move, Jeremy has announced he is recreating the role of editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post, which last had a separate editor in 2012.
This role goes to Nicola Furbisher, currently managing editor of the YP and YEP and Jeremy’s effective Number Two for the past two years.
The changes were announced in an email to staff which has been seen by HTFP.
James moves on after two years at The Star, having joined the paper from the Derbyshire Times where he succeeded Nicola as editor in 2011.
In his email, Jeremy said: “James has shown in the two years he has been at The Star, Sheffield what he is capable of. His drive and vision, coupled with a track record of delivering the results we need, have made him the right choice to lead The Yorkshire Post team.”
“I look forward to seeing James and the team working to further develop The Yorkshire Post in print and online – particularly following the successful relaunch of the website last week.”
“To enable James to concentrate on his new role, and the wider position of editorial director for Yorkshire, I am recreating the role of editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post. I am pleased to confirm that this position will be taken on by Nicola Furbisher.
“Nicola has been a superb support to me in my role as editorial director of Yorkshire and brings her local knowledge and experience of both titles to this position. In addition to her editorship of the YEP, Nicola continues as managing editor of The Yorkshire Post, and will work closely with James.”
The YEP last had a dedicated editor in 2012, when Paul Napier held the role, but later that year it was combined with the YP editorship under Peter Charlton.
Jeremy, who is moving to become editor-in-chief of JP, then succeeded Peter as editor of both titles in 2013.
In his new role, Jeremy will oversee an editorial structure comprising ten senior editors covering each JP division who will all report directly to him.
As well as James, they are Ian Stewart (Scottish dailies), Colin Hume (Scottish weeklies), Joy Yates (North East), Gillian Parkinson (North West), Mark Waldron and Gary Shipton (South), Graeme Huston (Ireland), Frank O’Donnell (digital content) and Tim Robinson (group editorial design.)
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Err… Who’s going to be the editor of The Star? Hopefully someone who really has ‘drive and vision’…
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The YP – Yorkshire’s National Newspaper – is very different to the Derbyshire weeklies, or Sheffield Star.
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Does anyone know what they’re doing – no editor, new editor, decentralised subbing, centralised subbing. Come on: newspapers have been around for a few centuries now. Surely we’ve all cracked the best of working and even with the changes introduced by the internet, the underlying basis of journalism is still the same.
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Cheer up James… it’s Christmas!
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Roger Jones: “Does anyone know what they’re doing?” Ha, ha, that’s a Christmas cracker, sir.
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Very Hacked Off: You mean different from…
#pedant
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No information then about the people who are going to be producing the stuff that actually goes in the papers and on-line – you know, reporters, feature writers, subs, snappers.
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Peter Lazenby: you’re such an analogue old guy. They’re just workers, it’s the movers, groovers and shakers we want to hear about. Anyway, there might not be any of them left in the brave new UGC world we inhabit.
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divide and conquer, you say?
what a shame – clearly no confidence from the new maestro.
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George would be very proud Mitcho. For heaven sake give HTFP a fresh pic.
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Surely it is at least a positive step? next papers will be employing local reporters, attending local events and writing their own copy. Remember you read it here.
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Just to make this clear, there are now three people employed in managerial roles whereas before there was only one? Jeremy Clifford was editor of both Yorkshire titles and got promoted. His old job has been split into two. And there was me thinking JP was trying to cut costs.
Meanwhile so many of its papers are chronically understaffed and more and more is being asked of reporters.
Too many chiefs….
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