Former Observer editor Roger Alton has given his backing to Tortoise Media‘s bid to buy his old title.
Alton was one of three former Observer editors to accuse Guardian Media Group owner the Scott Trust of abrogating its responsibilities to the title by putting it up for sale.
But writing to Press Gazette, Alton has made clear that he supports Tortoise Media’s bid. Meanwhile, the NUJ is currently balloting Guardian and Observer staff over potential strike action in protest against the deal.
Roger Alton: Tortoise would offer Observer ‘a massive new shot in the arm’
Alton writes: “I had the great privilege of editing the paper for nearly a decade from 1998 (though I had also spent a fantastic few months working there as a teenager in the 1960s, which convinced me that this was the life everybody should want, and that newspapers were the lifeblood of a healthy society).
“So I feel great loyalty and affection for the paper, which is after all the oldest Sunday paper in the world (b 1791) and has not just been responsible for some of the bravest and best campaigns of recent years, but is also a source of great fun and entertainment and some of the best writing around.
“This is why I am so cheered by the arrival of Tortoise media. Clearly the Scott Trust, owners of the Guardian, wants to wash its hands of the Obs, which it has always seemed to view as an unwanted and charismatic neighbour arriving at a sedate family dinner.
“In my view, Tortoise would clearly be an ideal new owner. It too has a proud record in major campaigns, its journalism is widely admired, its podcasts pioneering too. And it has on its staff some of the best journalists in the country. It is also utterly committed to preserving the newspaper as a print product, as well as developing a substantial digital presence.
“My belief is that Tortoise would not just be an ideal custodian of the traditions and qualities of the Observer, but would also, as a highly-skilled multi-media organisation, offer a massive new shot in the arm.”
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