AAP editor in chief Tony Gillies to step down
The new Australian Associated Press (AAP) will be revealed in August, but editor in chief Tony Gillies has announced he won’t be part of it, saying he will stand down from July 31.
“For 15 weeks we’ve worked so hard to save the AAP Newswire. Days out from that remarkable outcome, it’s time to advise I will not join the new, smaller wire. Here as EiC until July 31. I will miss my inspirational AAP family,” Gillies said in a tweet this morning.
For 15 weeks we've worked so hard to save the AAP Newswire. Days out from that remarkable outcome, it's time to advise I will not join the new, smaller wire. Here as EiC until July 31. I will miss my inspirational AAP family. #AAPnewswire
— Tony Gillies (@TonyGillies) June 17, 2020
It was announced in March that AAP would close, following a decision by major shareholders News Corp Australia and Nine. That closure was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, then several potential buyers came to the table.
A consortium fronted by Peter Tonagh eventually succeeded, taking over as the new buyer of the business. Tonagh warned the new owner wouldn’t be the miracle drug the newswire needed, saying job cuts were still to come and that the newswire would be a smaller entity in the future.
Thank you so much Pete. That means a lot coming from you. Yes it has been a crazy game – Hunger Games, RollerBall, Survivor and Greco Roman Wrestling all rolled into one!
— Tony Gillies (@TonyGillies) June 18, 2020
80-90 staff will be employed by the new owners, with around 70-75 editorial staff. 180 journalists were employed by the business at the beginning of 2020.
