A weekly editor is set to conduct a review of how content is shared across a regional publisher’s Scottish titles.
Colin Hume, pictured left, who currently edits Johnston Press sister papers the Falkirk Herald and Linlithgow Journal & Gazette, is having his role expanded to undertake the project.
According to AllMediaScotland, Colin will undertake a “review of the editorial operation of weeklies across the majority of Scotland”.
The website adds he “will be looking at, among things, how editorial content might be more efficiently shared”.
In March 2013, Colin was appointed as Scotland’s representative on JP’s newly created editorial board, which was set up to encourage best practice across the company.
His deputy at the Herald, Duncan McCallum, will take over day-to-day responsibility for the running of the paper in the meantime.
Julie Currie, currently editor of the Carluke and Lanark Gazette titles, will look after the Linlithgow Journal & Gazette in his place.
Johnston Press has declined to comment further on the plans. The AllMediaScotland story can be viewed here.
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Uh-oh, this sounds like the prelude to another wave of job cuts, of which we will see many more in 2015 as I predicted in my last post of 2014. It’s going to be another tough 12 months for a rapidly contracting industry. Good luck to those who will be affected here.
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The axeman cometh.
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No good will come of this.
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I hope JP can announce some good news this year. I don’t think this review will bring any.
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Member of editorial board re best practice, eh? Would that be closing local offices, closing receptions to public, sacking reporters and staff, having no sports editors and making all papers look dull with the creativity-killing Atex system? Not much of a qualification is it? Or then again……
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I’m sure Mrs McPhee of Ayr will be tickled pink to read of Mr and Mrs McDuff’s golden wedding in Aberdeen. The whole of Falkirk will be hopping mad when they see the story about the new sewerage plant at Auchtermuchty. And that superstore planning row in Stonehaven is bound to spark a public protest in Tarbert Loch Fyne.
Good luck to all concerned. You’re going to need it etc etc etc…
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Yes Brassington, it will be interesting to see what JP bull he spouts when the chop comes.
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How must guys feel when they set out on such a chore, surely well aware that the company’s sole intent is charging them with being responsible for choosing where the axe will fall on loyal colleagues and leave others, already stressed and underpaid, with an intolerable workload? And further down the line it’s virtually inevitable their own turn will come to be the victim of a similar procedure!
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Perhaps Mr Hume could publicly reassure via HTFP that no jobs will be lost and his work is purely an improvement of systems. That would end any speculation.
Dream on…
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