Peter Saunders, the editor of the daily Birmingham Post between 1984 and 1989, has died from cancer aged 85.
Saunders was born in Newport, South Wales, and went on to study at the London School of Economics and Political Science before kickstarting his journalism career at the Gloucestershire Echo.
He moved on to the Sunderland Echo in 1962 as a sports reporter and sub-editor before joining the Yorkshire Post the following year.
A former lecturer in journalism at Cardiff College of Commerce, he started work at the Birmingham Post in 1984, rising from sub-editor to assistant chief sub-editor, chief sub-editor, assistant editor, deputy editor, executive editor and, eventually, editor.
He was at the helm of the Post from 1984 until 1989.
While working at the Birmingham Post, Saunders was also a guest lecturer for the International Institute for Journalism in Berlin – a role he held from 1973 until his retirement.
As a guest lecturer, he was involved in running seminars at the Institute and travelling to many countries, including Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, Bangladesh, India and Tanzania, to promote press freedom.
Saunders moved back to Newport in 2002, and is survived by Teresa, his wife of 62 years, his two daughters, Rachel and Gail, and three grandchildren.
Paying tribute, former Birmingham Post business reporter Barry Phillips described Peter as calm in the editor’s chair and always approachable.
“And this was at a period of some turmoil in ownership of the titles – not to mention staff sharing and the rapid development of IT,” said Phillips.
At the time of Saunders’s tenancy at the Post, the paper was owned by Birmingham Post & Mail Limited under newspaper proprietor Sir Edward Iliffe.
In 1987, American publisher Ralph Ingersoll II bought out the controlling interest of the Iliffe family, which led to the Post reverting to a broadsheet format in 1991, soon after Saunders left the role.
PR consultant Bob Keys remembered Peter as the editor who launched the successful Post Business Awards, “a true journo who left a lasting impression”, he said.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
