Leaving journalism to run a public sector development company was ‘too good an opportunity to miss’, outgoing Leicester Mercury editor Nick Carter has said.
Carter, a journalist for 34 years and Mercury editor for 16 years, has resigned to become chairman of the Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Development Company, set up by city and county councils.
When asked if the regional press crisis had influenced his decision, Carter told Press Gazette: ‘The industry is going through one of its more challenging phases – but at this end of my working life, this was too good an opportunity to miss.”
Carter said he was happy going from hunter to hunted. ‘The company will be in the media gaze, but I’m confident what we’re doing will be recognised and properly reported,’he said.
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‘It’s a great challenge with a real opportunity to make a difference to the economic futures of Leicester and Leicestershire.”
He added the possibility of the new role was first raised ‘a long time ago”.
Carter’s departure was announced to staff on Friday. The memo, seen by Press Gazette, said: ‘It is with mixed feelings that I leave the newspaper.
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“They have been exciting times as we worked to meet the challenge of keeping this rather remarkable title on the right course.
‘Given that our performance continues to outstrip that of other large newspapers, I think we have not done a bad job.
‘I have been particularly impressed by the resilience people have shown in the past few years, during what have been very difficult and uncertain times.
‘We have continued to produce a quality newspaper under challenging circumstances.”
Carter said his departure date and successor would be confirmed ‘in due course”.
In the first half of 2008, the Leicester Mercury had a circulation of 69,069, according to ABC.
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