Media Insider: Top editor quits after less than six months amid Stuff leadership changes

Caitlin Cherry on the cover of The Dominion Post on the day the newspaper announced it was changing its name. Photo / RNZ

One of Stuff’s top editors has quit after less than six months in the role, amid a raft of leadership changes at the media company.

Caitlin Cherry was announced by Stuff, with fanfare, as the editor of The Dominion Post in December last year, and she started in the role on February 7.

“We’re thrilled to have Caitlin leading our newsroom in the capital. She is a fierce advocate for the city and as a lifelong Wellingtonian, she is inherently aware of all that is newsworthy in the city and region,” said then Stuff chief content officer Joanna Norris in December. Norris has since moved to one of three new managing director roles in the business, under new CEO Laura Maxwell.

By late April The Dominion Post’s masthead had been simplified to The Post, with an associated digital paywall site for most of its journalism.

On Tuesday, Bernadette Courtney, Stuff’s newsrooms editor-in-chief, announced to staff: “We are sad to let you know that Caitlin Cherry has resigned as Stuff’s Wellington editor. She has made a huge impact in this role.

“Caitlin is a champion for Wellington and for Stuff’s Wellington reporting team,” Courtney said in an internal email leaked to the Herald.

“She and the team have thrown themselves into ensuring all the important issues are covered - particularly infrastructure, arts and culture and leadership.”

Courtney said Cherry had decided to move on from the business “to take on her next challenge”.

Cherry finishes on Friday.

“Caitlin has brought pragmatism, enthusiasm and a collaborative leadership style. Her energy, strong news judgment, passion for journalism and clear communication will be missed.”

Cherry did not wish to comment last week, but sources say she did not seek to apply for a proposed new role that included her existing duties.

Before joining Stuff, Cherry was head of content at Consumer NZ. She had previously been a journalist, producer and news leader at RNZ for more than 20 years.

It is no secret Stuff is looking to restructure much of its senior editorial leadership team, and may combine the Wellington editorship with that of the Sundays editor role, currently held by Tracy Watkins.

A number of other staff have also been taken through employment proposals in the past two weeks.

“Stuff is transforming,” said Stuff spokeswoman Candice Robertson, in response to Media Insider questions last week.

“This involves modernising our newsroom and leadership structures, roles and responsibilities, as well as adding new roles that look to the future,” Robertson said.

“Incoming CEO Laura Maxwell and the managing directors who have been promoted to lead the new businesses are building the future operating model. Any internal discussions are confidential.

“We are excited about the future of Stuff, our people and bringing our new products and content to New Zealanders.”

* 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.