Chronicle’s changes at the top

Philip Hirst

Several board changes have been announced by Hirst, Kidd and Rennie Ltd, owner of the Oldham Evening Chronicle and shareholders in Rochdale Online.

Hubert Hirst (73) is retiring as chairman after 51 years in the business. Managing director Philip Hirst (62) takes his place as chairman, while editor David Whaley (53) takes on the new role of managing editor.

In his time at the Chronicle, Hubert Hirst oversaw revolutionary changes in the industry, from 19th century methods of production that existed as late as 1980 to the introduction of computers as the basis of newspaper production. He also masterminded the rebuilding of the Chronicle’s offices in Union Street in the early 1970s and the installation of a printing press in a new press hall in 1990.

Philip Hirst, in his 40th year at the Chronicle, becomes chairman after 10 years as editor and another 13 as managing director.

Former deputy editor David Whaley became editor in 2010. Raised in Shaw, he trained at the Chronicle before spending 15 years at other newspapers, including the Lincolnshire Echo and the Birmingham Post and Mail, before returning in 2000 as deputy to editor Jim Williams.

New chairman Phillip Hirst said: “The newspaper industry has absorbed many changes over the last few years, but there remain many challenges as the collision of print and digital worlds continues to alter the landscape of news.

“Those structural changes to the industry are compounded by the continuing recession and by politicians who on the one hand profess to love local newspapers, but on the other appear to want to damage them.

“We still believe a daily newspaper is good for local democracy, and will continue to strive to provide it.”