Editors quit as Fairfax revamp continues

Three of Australia's leading editors have quit as Fairfax Media continues the radical overhaul of its news business.

Amanda Wilson, The Sydney Morning Herald's first female editor, Herald editor-in-chief Peter Fray and The Age editor-in-chief Paul Ramadge all resigned yesterday.

It comes a week after Fairfax announced it was shedding 1900 jobs over three years and overhauling its publishing and news gathering models, including the introduction of paid-for website content.

Sean Aylmer was named editor-in-chief at the Sydney Morning Herald and sister title, the Sun-Herald, with overall responsibility for the mastheads' print and digital platforms.

Mr Aylmer was formerly editor-in-chief of Fairfax business title BRW, and was appointed national business editor, Metro Media, in November last year.

Darren Goodsir, editor of the Herald's website smh.com.au, was handed the newly-created role of director of news, Sydney - a hands-on role leading Fairfax's local newsroom.

He took to Twitter shortly after the announcement to say: "Excited to be SMH news director at time of huge change. Lots to do!"

The appointments take effect from the end of this week, a Fairfax spokesman said.

Mr Fray is set to leave the company on July 5 and Ms Wilson finishes this Friday.

A replacement for Mr Ramadge is set to be announced today.

Fairfax journalists used social networking websites to comment on the upheaval.

"Tears in the newsroom. Garry Linnell, recently appointed editorial director, also appears v emotional as he pays tribute to Amanda and Peter," the SMH's crime editor Lisa Davies posted on Twitter.

The editorial director of Fairfax's Metro Media Garry Linnell, a former editor of News Limited's The Daily Telegraph, praised Mr Fray for handling the difficult and lonely job of editing a daily newspaper.

"Peter thrived in those situations and we will miss his editing and publishing skills - and his leadership," he said in a statement.

Fairfax Media chief executive Greg Hywood said Ms Wilson had been an exemplary editor.

"She continued to build the reputation of the newspaper while at the same time guiding it through a period of enormous change," he said.

Mr Ramadge said The Age had stood up to vested interests.

"When we were challenged, by economic conditions or by those with narrow interests, we stood as one, resolute in our ethics and standards," he said in a statement.

"These are extremely challenging times for the media."

The change at Fairfax comes as mining magnate Gina Rinehart pushes to have three seats on the company board.

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