The Globe and Mail shakes up management, adds first public editor
In moves that editor-in-chief John Stackhouse say reflect the shifts in the industry, The Globe and Mail is shaking up its management. J-Source’s Belinda Alzner reports on Sylvia Stead’s appointment as The Globe’s first public editor as well as the other newly created positions and changed roles that reflect a move toward greater accountability and a more digital focus.
In moves that editor-in-chief John Stackhouse say reflect the shifts in the industry, The Globe and Mail is shaking up its management. J-Source’s Belinda Alzner reports on Sylvia Stead’s appointment as The Globe’s first public editor as well as the other newly created positions and changed roles that reflect a move toward greater accountability and a more digital focus.
The Globe and Mail is shaking things up with the naming of its first public editor and the creation of a number of other new positions and changed roles in its management team.
A memo sent yesterday from editor-in-chief John Stackhouse outlines the management changes, which are meant to “take advantage of the profound shifts in media.” They include putting an increased emphasis on digital, growing multimedia and interactive news and creating a more transparent and accessible newsroom at Canada’s largest newspaper.
Sylvia Stead, who was up until now, The Globe’s associate editor, will step into the role of public editor on Monday. It is a role that was designed to address issues of journalistic integrity, provide transparency and accountability, and build The Globe’s credibility.
The following editors will see themselves in new positions or with changed roles:
- Sylvia Stead, Public Editor (New position, as J-Source reported yesterday.)
- Jill Borra, Executive Editor (New position. Borra was formerly Managing Editor, features)
- Adrian Norris, Creative Director (New position. Norris was formerly Managing Editor, presentation)
- David Walmsley, Managing Editor (New position. Walmsley was formerly Managing Editor, news and sport)
- Elena Cherney, Editor, Report on Business (Assuming new responsibilities)
- Anjali Kapoor, Director, digital news strategy (Kapoor was formerly Managing Editor, digital)
The Globe and Mail will have its first public editor in Stead. Her responsibilities will include explaining The Globe’s work and purpose to readers, responding to concerns as well as investigating complaints and signs of lapses in journalistic standards. However, unlike most public editors and ombudsmen, she will report to Stackhouse, with “dotted-line responsibility” to the publisher. It’s unusual — most public editors report only to the publisher as a means to have autonomy from the editorial staff, but Stead says her responsibility will allow her to “report to the publisher on issues as needed.”
Borra was a leader on the team that launched the re-design of the print and online projects and joined the Globe in 2000 with Report on Business Magazine. Stackhouse writes in his memo that one of her challenges as Executive Editor will be to “create new, commercially sustainable and journalistically valuable outlets in print and digital media” and to revamp print sections. Her role also includes the growing importance of fostering reader engagement.
[node:ad]Stackhouse says The Globe will be increasing their emphasis on its digital presence with the addition of the Creative Director position. Perhaps most interestingly, Norris’ role will include managing staff to create “the right newsroom culture to shape our future.” As Stackhouse writes: “As much as technology is transforming media, our success will depend much more on how all of us change and improve the way we approach journalism – and each other.”
Walmsley will assume oversight for all daily journalism and all editorial spending, says Stackhouse.
Stackhouse also announced that The Globe will begin some sort of subscription-based model with its business readers, as Cherney will be taking a leadership position in the strategic project that will develop the subscription product.
Kapoor will be moving to Singapore for two years, according to Stackhouse’s memo, but will work part-time in her new position to advise on digital strategy to editorial staff and the public editor.
All of the changes will take effect on Jan. 23.
