The editor of The Age’s Business Section, Michael Short, has told his staff that he has been removed as Business editor.
The rumour at the paper is that this is a precursor to a merger of The Age and Sydney Morning Herald business desks, to be announced soon.
If the rumour is accutate it would seem that senior people in Melbourne have been either out of the loop or economical with the truth. The editor of the Age, Paul Ramadge, told the staff House Committee last week that there would be no merger of sections between the two mastheads, and no retrenchments.
I hear Short told his staff today that he was not unhappy with the move, and that he had given management a shortlist of other jobs within the organisation that he would be interested in. It is well known in the newsroom that Short has been keen to move to fresh pastures for some time.
I understand that Short’s deputy, Kirsty Simpson, will be acting as his replacement.
I hear that there was a high level strategy meeting of Fairfax executives at the Quarantine Station conference centre in Sydney last week. Perhaps this is one of the results.
Ramadge and Short have not yet returned calls asking for comment. I will update here as more information comes to hand.
