New Sun Editor Says Job Is Best In Newspapers
Rebekah Wade, who takes over from David Yelland today as editor of The Sun, has described her new job as “the best in newspapers.”
The former News Of The World editor said that she can’t wait to get started in the position left vacant following Yelland’s surprise resignation yesterday (see Yelland Quits As Editor Of The Sun).
Commenting on her appointment, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, said: “Rebekah has proven her talent as a great campaigning editor. She has produced a popular, powerful and often controversial News Of The World. I am confident she will triumph again at The Sun.”
Wade, who is already the youngest editor on Fleet Street, now becomes the first ever female editor of The Sun and the first woman to edit a ‘red top’ daily newspaper. She joined News International in 1990 as feature writer on Sunday magazine and became News of the World features editor in 1994. She then went on to become deputy editor of the title in 1995 before becoming deputy editor of The Sun in 1998 and editor of the News of the World in May 2000.
Wade has a reputation for being something of a tough cookie and it is expected that her appointment will herald a number of significant changes at the paper.
Yelland, who was editor of The Sun for almost five years, is moving on to a senior management role within the company and is entering business school in the US. Murdoch described his editorship as “fabulously successful” and said that his skills would be missed.
He said: “David’s great talent brought a depth and quality to The Sun that has placed it among the country’s most respected voices. His skills will be missed there, but I look forward to working with him in a senior role for years to come.”
Yelland added: “It has been an exhilarating five years, but personally and professionally I know this is the right time for a change. I had discussions with management late last year and we agreed this was the best time to make the move. I’m 40 this year – it’s time for me to move on to the next stage in my career.”
The Sun has been the UK’s highest circulating daily newspaper for some time and the latest ABC results for the six months ending December 2002 show that the paper has seen its circulation increase by 4.1% year on year to 3,615,397, up from 3,472,841 in the same period the previous year.
However, the paper, which recently emerged from a fierce coverprice war with the Daily Mirror (see The Sun Signals An End To The Price War), has seen circulation fluctuate over the last five years, falling from just below 3.8 million in the six months ending December 1997.
News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk
Recent Newspaper Stories from NewsLine Sinyor Resigns From Trinity Mirror Financial Times Set For New Year Relaunch Newspapers Face Massive Decline In Recruitment Ads Subscribers can access ten years of NewsLine articles by clicking the Search button to the left