The editorial structure of Fairfax is shifting, with the publishing giant confirming plans for a shake-up today.
The intent is to improve delivery of the company’s 24/7 digital news and newspapers, with media editorial director Sean Aylmer stating: “The new structure will deliver greater focus on content creation and distribution roles – with our editorial people focused on the creation of content and our distribution people focused on the dissemination of our content. We believe this will strengthen our audience-first approach.
“It will simplify newsroom workflows, and allows reporters and editors more autonomy to better manage their workloads and create content that meets the 24/7 demands of our audiences.”
But the restructure is a tricky one and not yet set in stone: “We will be consulting across the newsroom extensively over the next 10 days and looking for feedback before finalising the model,” Aylmer continues.
The changes have promised no job cuts but will see the departure of Andrew Holden from his position as The Age’s editor after 13 years at the company. Holden says of his departure: “It's an enormous privilege to be editor-in-chief of The Age and I have thoroughly enjoyed that experience.
"It is an outstanding newsroom and perfectly placed to thrive in the new media environment. After eight years of leading newsrooms through many challenges, I'm looking forward to new opportunities."
