Newsquest Scotland names Donald Martin editor-in-chief for titles including the Herald and Evening Times
Newsquest has named Donald Martin as editor-in-chief for its Scottish titles including the Herald, the Sunday Herald, the National and the Glasgow Evening Times.
Newsquest Scotland names Donald Martin as editor-in-chief for titles including the Herald and Evening Times
Martin's appointment marks his return to Newsquest, where he was previously editor-in-chief and editor of the Herald. He re-joins from DC Thomson where he was most recently head of publishing, consumer entertainment.
He will lead the group's 200-strong editorial team across its flagship Scottish titles as well as its 23 other daily and weekly brands and online properties, reporting to Newsquest Scotland managing director Graham Morrison.
Martin said he was "delighted" to be returning to newspapers, describing the Newsquest role as a "fantastic opportunity to work with a new, ambitious management team determined to build the brands and grow the business".
"I am also excited to be leading the talented and dedicated editorial teams producing such great newspapers," he added. "It's a huge portfolio of titles and I am confident that by working well together we can be even more successful."
Martin will take on the role of editor-in-chief for the group in Scotland
The announcement follows on from the departure of former Herald and Times group editor Magnus Llewellin, who left earlier this year to take up the post of Scottish editor at the Times. Since Llewellin vacated his role in May, Graeme Smith has been serving as acting editor-in-chief having formerly been senior assistant editor at the Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald. Smith will now deputise for the editor-in-chief, taking on the position of editor of the Herald.
Smith will sit alongside the group's other title editors including Evening Times editor Graham Shields, the National editor Callum Baird and Sunday Herald editor Neil Mackay.
Martin’s appointment comes just over a year after the long-time editors of Newsquest’s Sunday Herald and Evening Times stepped down from their positions. Richard Walker, previously editor of the Sunday Herald and the National, and ex-Evening Times editor Tony Carlin, both left their posts in September 2015.
There have been several rounds of editorial redundancies at Newsquest's Glasgow titles over the past 18 months, including one in January which saw the publisher cut between 20 to 25 journalism jobs across the Herald, Sunday Herald, Evening Times and the National in an attempt to save £1m.
Last month, the group appointed Sean Duffy, the former commercial director for First Rail, as its commercial director with the view to transforming the digital side of the business.
On today's news, Newsquest Scotland managing director Morrison said: "Donald Martin brings a new era of flair, innovation and drive to one of the most senior editorial roles in the Scottish media.
"His strategic focus, record of success in print and digital and huge potential hold great promise for our pan-Scottish portfolio of print titles and digital products at this time of huge change in the media industry."