Bill Jamieson steps down as Scotsman executive editor

Bill Jamieson is understood to be standing down as executive editor of The Scotsman.

Jamieson, who won both business journalist of the year and journalist of the year at the 2009 Scottish Press Awards, will continue writing for both the Scotsman and its sister title Scotland on Sunday, according to All Media Scotland.

Jamieson, 66, has been executive editor at the paper for the past 11 years and joined from The Sunday Telegraph where he was economics editor.

All Media Scotland said that Jamieson had cited his workload and age as reasons for his decision, but said he was also planning to set up a new journalism venture described as a

one-stop business news website, comprising a daily summary and flash comment on Scottish economic and business data, a ‘traffic lights’ summary of how Scotland’s economy overall is faring, and a fulminating blog which my wife insists will be kept brief.

He told the website:

I recently had earnest tutorials from a young newsdesk trainee, on temporary secondment, on ‘data blogging’ – the art of turning stacks of otherwise dull figures into fresh and eye-catching graphics. I love it.

It’s the new journalism – and certainly will be so for anyone on the business/finance beat.

I remain fanatically loyal to The Scotsman, do not at all agree with the ‘Death of Journalism’ thesis, and believe this to be a crisis of transition, not termination.

You only have to see the figures for sales of iPhone and tablets, Facebook usage and Twitter accounts to see there is more communication than ever. And with this there will be plenty of demand for news that is accurate, news you can trust.

Last year Jamieson predicted his paper and The Herald would be brought together and run as one business ‘in the next few years’as a way of shielding the titles against a growing crisis in the Scottish press.