Daily Mirror editor Alison Phillips will take charge of the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People newspapers as publisher Reach moves to a seven-day operation for the three tabloid titles.
Staff were told by email this morning there would be a “small number” of jobs at risk of redundancy as a result of the changes, while others will see their working practices altered.
The email, sent by Reach group editor-in-chief Lloyd Embley, said: “This change is not a decision which has been taken lightly.
“But at a time of falling print circulations we are constantly having to look at making our working practices as efficient as possible so we can protect the resources needed to break big stories and run great campaigns across both print and digital.”
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Alison Phillips, who has edited the Daily Mirror since March 2018, will become editor-in-chief of all three titles.
Peter Willis, who currently edits the two Sunday papers, will take on a new role as group executive editor and director of Reach’s Pride of Britain awards after this weekend.
Daily Mirror deputy editor Paul Henderson will now be deputy editor-in-chief with responsibility for both Sunday titles.
Mirror news editor Tom Carlin and Gemma Aldridge, currently deputy editor of the Sunday titles, will become joint deputy editors.
Embley said in a statement: “Our industry has changed considerably over the past few years and it continues to do so – at pace.
“Moving to a seven-day operation allows us to evolve and reshape our newsrooms to best suit our journalistic needs in print and online and to secure the future of our much-loved and trusted brands.
“I’d like to thank Peter for everything he has done over the many years we have worked together, most recently as editor of the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. I wish him every success in his new role.”
Embley added that Phillips has “done a stellar job guiding the Daily Mirror over the past two years and I look forward to seeing her deliver on her mission to strengthen the Mirror’s position as the newsbrand at the heart of the national conversation”.
The Daily Mirror’s circulation fell 12 per cent year-on-year to 451,386 in December according to the latest ABC figures.
The Sunday Mirror declined by 14 per cent to 366,420, and the Sunday People by 13 per cent to 142,563.
The news comes as the Times and Sunday Times are beginning to share more resources across their travel, money, property and sport sections.
Sun on Sunday editor Victoria Newton’s appointment to the top job at the Sun yesterday means both papers will fall under her leadership. News UK confirmed her role, and that of newly promoted deputy editor Keith Poole, would span the seven-day news operation.
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