Shona Martyn returns to journalism, joins Fairfax as editor of Spectrum
Journalist, editor, and book publisher, Shona Martyn, has been appointed as editor of The Sydney Morning Herald’s Spectrum.
Martyn was previously editor of Fairfax’s Good Weekend between 1987 and 1989, founding editor of HQ Magazine for ACP, and most recently has worked as a publishing director at HarperCollins Publishers.
In her time at HarperCollins Publishers, which began in 1999, Martyn worked as publishing director of Australian and New Zealand Books, and her role later extended to publishing director for International and Australian Books and General Books.
She published authors such as Jimmy Barnes, Peter FitzSimons, Richard Glover and Rosie Waterland and was also on the board of the Sydney Writers’ Festival for eight years.
Martyn said she was excited to be returning to journalism and Fairfax Media.
“I’m one of Spectrum’s multitude of loyal and culturally adventurous readers,” she said.
“After a highly enjoyable period in book publishing, this is a welcome opportunity to focus more broadly across the arts and into the lifestyle area too.”
She said Spectrum will be committed to quality.
“My aim will be to inform, surprise, entertain, educate and challenge readers, in print and in digital, by publishing stories that matter; stories to keep and share,” Martyn said.
Lisa Davies, editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, said Martyn’s appointment underline the Herald’s “unrelenting commitment” to covering the Sydney arts scene.
“I am delighted Shona is returning to The Sydney Morning Herald. Her vision for Sydney’s arts and culture bible is exciting, and I can’t wait for readers to see how she will reinvigorate one of the masthead’s most important sections,” Davies said.
I question the appointment of someone who has been out of journalism for as long as Shona has, when the media landscape has changed so dramatically. I’m not questioning Shona’s talents, just her relevance to this role at this time – especially when so many superb people have just been pushed out the door at Fairfax. This appointment is curious.
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As long as she doesn’t let Mike Carlton back to Fairfax she’ll be fine.
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