Herald editor quits

By Sarah Lagan The editor of The Herald in Glasgow Mark Douglas-Home has left the company after five years.

Among
candidates being tipped for the job are Charles McGhee, editor of the
Evening Times, Glasgow, which is part of the Newsquest (Herald &
Times) stable.

The Sunday Herald is also part of the group. It
was switched from broadsheet to a compact format two weeks ago under
its editor Richard Walker.

Another contender for The Herald
editorship is Kevin McKenna, currently a top editorial executive at the
Scottish Daily Mail. He is a former joint deputy editor of The Herald.

Managing
director Tim Blott said in an announcement to staff: “I wish to thank
Mark for the hard work and endeavour he has put into developing the
title over the last five years. He has been responsible for launching a
portfolio of new products and maintaining high editorial standards. The
company wishes him well for the future. The vacant position of Editor
will now be advertised. In the meantime Deputy Editor Joan McAlpine
will assume senior responsibility.”

Douglas-Home said: “I am leaving The Herald after five very enjoyable, interesting and challenging years.

The
Herald is a terrific newspaper with a very talented and dedicated
staff. It has been an enormous pleasure working with you. I would like
to wish you all every success in the future. I hope to see you again
soon.”

In August it was claimed that three editors at
the Glasgow-based Herald and Times including Douglas-Home and McGhee
resisted cost-cutting proposals implemented by

Blott.

The
Herald had dropped its Health & Wellbeing supplement and imposed a
job freeze before apparently being forced to make immediate savings of
10 per cent.

Douglas-Home edited the Sunday Times Scotland before
joining the Herald in 2000. His deputy Joan McAlpine will step in until
a replacement is found.