Tony Gallagher is out after four years as Daily Telegraph editor as a major restructure of the business was announced today.
The changes follow the appointment of US digital media expert Jason Seiken as editor in chief of Telegraph Media Group in October last year.
Very surprised to read that @gallaghereditor has left the @telegraph. He's hard as nails but he edited a beautiful newspaper.
— tom_watson (@tom_watson) January 21, 2014
The shake-up sees assistant editor (news) Chris Evans appointed "acting" editor, Monday to Friday, of the Daily Telegraph print edition. Sunday Telegraph editor Ian MacGregor has been made "acting" weekend print editor of the Saturday and Sunday editions. Evans joined the Telegraph as news editor in 2007.
Under @gallaghereditor The Telegraph was strikingly independent of the Tory Party- relentlessly reader-focused. CCHQ will hope that changes.
— Tim Montgomerie (@TimMontgomerie) January 21, 2014
Telegraph Media Group chief executive Murdoch MacLennan said: "Tony has done an excellent job for the newspaper and helped us to maintain our position as Britain’s leading quality daily. "In particular he played a pivotal role in the investigation into MPs’ expenses. I would like to thank him and wish him every success in the future.”
He added: “While continuing to produce brilliant newspapers in print and maintaining The Telegraph’s character and quality, the restructuring is designed to build on the Telegraph brand in order to attract customers with the very best, digital products possible.
“Unlike our rivals, The Telegraph remains profitable but we face increasing pressure on circulation and advertising revenue streams. To protect the company’s future we need rapidly to embrace and adapt to the new digital world in which our customers live.”
Cannot believe @tonygallagher gone as editor of the Telegraph. That must be one of the biggest shocks in Fleet St of recent times.
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) January 21, 2014
Seiken said: “We must reinvent the way we work and move beyond simply putting news and information online and be an essential part of the audience’s lives. Our competition is no longer only newspapers and we must innovate to survive. “Since I joined TMG I have been talking to the staff at all levels. There is great enthusiasm waiting to be unlocked and the restructuring will open up enormous opportunities for our staff.”
Telegraph sources: "Tony deliberately left through the middle of the office and was banged out. Everything ground to a halt for a bit."
— Media Guido (@MediaGuido) January 21, 2014
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
