Private Media makes Peter Fray redundant in ‘editorial restructuring’
Managing editor of Private Media and editor-in-chief of Crikey, Peter Fray, has been made redundant from the publishing group amid its ongoing legal dispute with Lachlan Murdoch.
Private Media confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Fray’s dual role was made redundant due to an “editorial restructuring”.
Peter Fray
However, he will stay engaged with Private Media’s legal defence against News Corp’s co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch, who is suing Crikey for defamation over an article published in June 2022 that referred to the Murdoch family as the “unindicted co-conspirator” in the US Capitol attack.
Private Media’s CEO, Will Hayward thanked Peter for the “huge and positive” contribution he’s made at the company: “We wish him every success with his career from here.”
Fray said it had been an honour to work with Private Media staff and contributors: “I have every expectation that Private Media will build on the hard work of recent years. I wish everyone great success.”
Crikey was named Newsletter of the Year at Mumbrella’s Publish Awards in 2022.
Before joining Private Media in 2019, Fray served as the deputy editor of The Australian (News Corp Australia), editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and the Sun-Herald (then Fairfax Media), and editor of the Canberra Times (now owned by ACM but formerly part of Fairfax) and the Sunday Age (previously Fairfax Media and now Nine).
Last month, the Australian federal court agreed to add Hayward and Private Media’s chairman, Eric Beecher as respondents of the Murdoch case. The trial date for the case has been moved from March to October as a result.
Private Media owns mastheads including Crikey, The Mandarin and Smart Company.
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Darcy Song was a reporter at Mumbrella, covering media owners, adtech and social platforms. She left in October 2023.
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