News Corp appoints new editors for The Advertiser and Gold Coast Bulletin
News Corp has appointed Matt Deighton as editor of Adelaide’s The Advertiser and Ben English as the Gold Coast Bulletin’s editor.
Deighton, who is currently editor of The Mercury in Hobart, replaces Sam Weir, who was promoted to editor of Queensland’s Courier-Mail two weeks ago.
English, editor of the Townsville Bulletin, will replace Scott Thompson, who has decided to end his temporary post as editor of Gold Coast Bulletin for family reasons.
Deighton, who has been at The Mercury for the last four years, was previously editor-in-chief of Adelaide’s Messenger Community News for five years.
Hobart Mercury editor and incoming editor of The Advertiser, Matt Deighton
Other senior roles included sports editor of Adelaide’s Sunday Mail and assistant editor of Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph.
Deighton said while he loved Tasmania, he was looking forward to returning home to Adelaide and edit The Advertiser, which was “a dream come true” and “the culmination of a lot of hard work.”
“I look forward to editing a newspaper for which I have the highest regard, in a city I know like the back of my hand and with a staff for whom I have the utmost respect,” Deighton said.
English joins the Gold Coast Bulletin after more than 18 months with the Townsville Bulletin, and was previously deputy editor of the Daily Telegraph and News Corp Australia’s European bureau chief.
Ben English, Townsville Bulletin editor, who has been appointed editor of the Gold Coast Bulletin
While he was sad to be leaving his “first-rate team” as the Townsville Bulletin, he added: “At the same time, I am excited and honoured to accept this role at the Gold Coast Bulletin. It has a proud history of championing its readers and community.”
Michael Miller, executive chairman of News Corp said of the new appointments: “Matt Deighton and Ben English are two of News Corp Australia’s most progressive and experienced editors and I am delighted they will lead The Advertiser and Gold Coast Bulletin during such an important period of change in the industry.”
Miller said Deighton’s leadership in Hobart resulted in an increase in paid sales.
“His editorship has been marked by passionate campaigning for local communities, and this was recognised when The Mercury was highly commended in last year’s News Awards,” he said.
Commenting on English’s appointment, Miller added: “Ben’s wide experience in Australia’s fastest moving media marketplace and his business, sport and Olympic roles position him perfectly to take over at the Gold Coast Bulletin as the coast prepares for next year’s Commonwealth Games.”
Miller also thanked Thompson for his efforts.
Thompson is set to depart the company for family reasons
“Scott has been one of our most experienced editors and his contribution will be greatly missed,” he said.
“He has an extraordinary empathy for Queensland and Queenslanders that has been reflected in every role he has held. He is a great friend of News and this has not been an easy decision for him and I respect the choice he has made.”
Thompson, who has been a News Corp editor across various publications over the last 15 years, said the Gold Coast Bulletin was a career highlight.
He added: “But I have a close family member to support and have decided to leave the company at this time. I look forward to welcoming Ben as the new editor to the team.”
Replacements for The Mercury in Hobart and Townsville Bulletin are yet to be announced.
topics
ben english
Gold Coast Bulletin
Matt Deighton
Michael Miller
News Corp
Sam Weir
Scott Thompson
The Advertiser
The Mercury
Townsville Bulletin
