Four of the NZ Herald’s senior editorial team have chosen to leave the business, NZME announced today, as the company reshapes its newsroom as part of the next phase of its digital-first operation.
Viva managing editor Amanda Linnell, Canvas editor Sarah Daniell, head of journalism planning David Rowe and headof editorial operations Laura Franklin will leave NZME over the coming weeks, while a range of new appointments are set to be announced later this week.
“The confirmed changes to our operating model led to some senior newsroom leadership roles being disestablished, some new roles created and some reporting line changes,” NZME editor-in-chief and chief content officer - publishing Murray Kirkness said today.
“The interview process for the newly created roles has started, and we expect to announce some appointments into key roles this week.”
Kirkness said Linnell, Daniell, Rowe and Franklin had all decided to look for new opportunities. He thanked them for their contributions.
“They are all talented, well-respected members of our newsroom and have made exceptional contributions to NZME, our newsrooms, our publications and our audiences.”
Linnell, who has been editor of Viva for 15 years, told Media Insider: “It’s been amazing. What a job, what a ride.”
She said it had been an honour to lead a magazine and a team of dedicated, talented staff, creating an award-winning weekly magazine, a new app in 2014, a new website, Viva Sessions – “intimate events designed to bring the pages to life and connect with our audience” – and a glossy magazine during the Covid years.
Earlier this year, Viva launched digital subscriptions.
“It has been a non-stop ride of momentous firsts and remarkable achievements, many award-winning,” Linnell said. “But what counts above all is being able to spend my days with such incredibly talented, passionate and fabulous people.”
She hoped to continue to be associated with Viva in some form.
“I look forward to continuing to support the brand and team into the future. This is an opportunity for me to focus on a series of creative projects I have under way and continue to build my love of telling stories and connecting with audiences. I hope to continue to work with Viva and NZME as it continues to build and diversify its premium lifestyle offering.”
NZME head of journalism planning David Rowe.
Rowe said it had been a “gruelling few years of news.
“I’m taking this opportunity to refresh and reboot. I will stay on at NZME until after the October 14 election and continue to be a part of that coverage.
“I don’t have any specific plans after that but will be excited to explore new opportunities.
“I’m hugely grateful for the time I’ve spent at NZME and the Herald, working with incredibly talented people. I’m optimistic for our journalism and what lies ahead for NZME.”
Daniell said it was end of an era for Canvas. “I have never taken for granted this role and it has never been just a job. It’s been curated and executed with real heart.
“When commissioning, shaping and producing a weekly magazine, there isn’t a lot of time for reflection. Our job is to serve the audience, but also to challenge perspectives.”
Over the past four years, since she and her team relaunched Canvas, “it was not good enough to have a magazine that simply ‘followed’.”
She cited a range of work from a team of writers including Joanna Wane and Greg Bruce.
“A couple of highlights for me: Negotiating the scoop with ‘Egg Boy’ - the young man who threw eggs at the Australian senator in an act of protest. Creating and executing the Postcard Project, which marked 125 years of suffrage, in which I corralled extraordinary women like Margaret Atwood and Joanna Lumley and a swag of others. Te Papa now has the postcards in its collection, in recognition of an important record and moment in history.
“I’m fiercely proud to have led a team of journalists, artists, designers and sub-editors who have all taught me so much, saved me sometimes. I have the deepest respect for them.”
NZME head of editorial operations Laura Franklin.
Franklin said she had had a “fulfilling and challenging 30-plus years with NZME in many different roles.
“I’ve been privileged to be involved in some of the biggest transformations in media from turning print products tabloid to training our newsrooms to be digital-first and recently working with the small team that brought the Te Rito journalism cadetship to life.
“I wish NZME, the Herald and its regional and community titles all the best – their people are truly some of the greatest in the business.”
The departures come as NZME reshapes the leadership of its main newsroom and premium lifestyle content and magazine stable to further focus on a digital-first approach, while also establishing a smaller, dedicated unit of journalists focused on the output of its newspapers and magazines.
The company has been in consultation with affected staff and the broader newsroom.
Earlier last week, it confirmed the changes and tweaked some of the proposed job titles, so that several of the new senior leadership roles would be called managing editors. Kirkness himself becomes editor-in-chief as well as chief content officer - publishing.
With the disestablishment of some existing roles, the creation of new roles, and other editorial initiatives, NZME has previously said there is a net loss of one role from the newsroom operation as a result of the changes.
As Media Insider has been reporting over recent weeks, just about every media business is restructuring teams and platforms to handle the rolling waves of digital disruption.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
