By Chris Zappone
The Age's editor-in-chief Andrew Jaspan has been replaced one day after Fairfax Media announced 550 jobs would go at its Australian and New Zealand operations.
Senior deputy editor Paul Ramadge will step into Mr Jaspan's role as acting editor-in-chief until a permanent choice is made, the company said in an internal email.
"The company has decided that for this next critical stage of The Age we would have fresh editorial and executive leadership," said Don Churchill, chief executive and publisher of Fairfax's Victorian metropolitan and community publishing, in the email.
"Under Andrew's editorship, The Age benefited from an innovative redesign and consistent, strong growth in circulation and readership, and agenda-setting journalism," the emailed statement said.
"The Age was named Newspaper of the Year by PANPA in 2007, one of the industry's highest honours. The company is discussing with Andrew the ways his skills and expertise can be made available within the company."
In a brief farewell to The Age's staff, Mr Jaspan said he was particularly proud of the newspaper's reinvigorated arts and sports coverage as well as its focus on breaking news, under his direction.
Mr Jaspan said he only learned of the decision this morning, adding that management had decided "someone else is to carry the torch.''
Mr Jaspan joined The Age in 2004 from The Sunday Herald in Scotland where he had been editor since 1999. He replaced Michael Gawenda in the role.
Staff changes
Mr Jaspan's exit from the editor-in-chief role comes one day after the head of The Age's newspaper sales and marketing, Antony Catalano, resigned following management changes, with a new head of sales position to be occupied by The Age's advertising director David Hoath.
Fairfax shares rose yesterday on news that the company would seek job cuts in its metropolitan newspaper division, including about 165 editorial staff. Fairfax publishes this website, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.
The shares today gave up yesterday's gains, losing 16 cents, or 5.4%, to close at $2.82. Fairfax shares went ex-dividend today, accounting for 10 cents of the drop.
Last week the company said profit from its metropolitan newspaper division shrank 8.9% to $174.1 million in the year to June 30, 2008, hurt by a slump in advertising revenue. The company's overall profit rose 47% to $389 million.
"Jaspan has done a good job and might well consider himself unlucky," said Harold Mitchell of advertising buying agency Mitchell Communication Group, who called the departing editor "an unusual and fiery character."
There have been nine editors at The Age since 1975. Only Mr Gawenda and Creighton Burns held the position longer during that period.
The newspaper's circulation gained from 2006-08 in a tough market. Monday to Friday sales rose 4%, Saturday 2%, and The Sunday Age gained 10%, said Mr Mitchell, who heads the largest media buying agency in Australia.
Mr Jaspan also pushed hard for exclusives, he said. "He wanted to make a paper you must not miss."
Rise of the internet
Media companies around the world are attempting to refocus resources to adjust to the rise of the internet. Fairfax's strategy includes expanding online, including offerings such as dating service RSVP, and adding new platforms such as radio stations.
Monash University journalism professor Chris Nash said media firms are yet to settle on a single model.
"Various proprietors have been searching for one for sometime but it's not clear what it is," he said. "The situation is very much in flux."
czappone@fairfax.com
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