Reach Scotland editor-in-chief David Dick is moving to a new role to lead the publisher’s national newspaper print strategy.
Dick has been appointed head of print (nationals) after leading Reach’s titles in Scotland, including the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, for seven years. He will also be developing a podcast while in his new role.
He will be primarily leading the print production operation at the likes of the Mirror, Express and Daily Star so that the newsrooms can “focus on continued digital growth, and developing new platforms,” staff were told.
A memo added that the national editors “are, and will remain, the owners of their brands across all platforms, spanning everything from brand strategy through to day to day commissioning”.
Dick told staff in an email on Wednesday: “This is 100% my decision. News brands have always relied on fresh ideas and new energy and the greatest opportunity I can give someone now is for me to take on a new challenge myself, and let someone else have a turn at the best job in Scottish journalism.”
He said the team has “transformed” into Scotland’s “leading digital-first newsroom” and said he was proud of its campaigning journalism on issues like the drug-death crisis and youth violence. Dick also cited how the Daily Record broke the allegations of sex assault made against former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond (who was ultimately acquitted of all charges at trial).
Dick first joined Reach in 2015 when he was appointed digital director in Scotland. He launched city site Glasgow Live the following year and then Edinburgh Live in 2018.
Reach chief content officer David Higgerson told staff in a memo that Dick has been “charged with leading the development of our print content strategy in our national titles at this really important time”.
“I want to say a huge thanks to David for leading our Scotland editorial operation through a crucial time in its history – establishing the Daily Record’s place as the biggest news site in Scotland, as well as building Edinburgh and Glasgow Live into the most-read local sites in Scotland,” he said.
Press Gazette understands a new editor-in-chief for Scotland will be announced shortly.
However some staff in Scotland were unsettled by the news, with one source telling Press Gazette: “Record staff are understandably concerned David’s sudden departure could be the beginning of yet another round of restructuring and job cuts imposed by Reach bosses in London. Despite everything, the Record still regularly sets the news agenda in Scotland. It deserves investment, not more cuts.”
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