DC Thomson announces changes to Aberdeen newsroom

A DC Thomson spokesperson reported the following:

“As part of the ongoing transformation of our media business, the leadership of our Aberdeen newsroom is changing.

“Frank O’Donnell is standing down as editor in chief of The Press and Journal from March 31 this year. Frank is a hugely talented and experienced journalist and editor, and has been fundamental to the transformation of the P&J newsroom and more broadly DC Thomson's news business.

“We would like to thank Frank for his contribution and leadership as we move into the P&J's 275th year as the voice of the north and north east of Scotland, carrying the accolade of Scotland's daily newspaper of the year. We thank him and wish him the very best in the next step in his illustrious career.

“Craig Walker, currently editor of the Evening Express and managing editor for Aberdeen, will now take up a new role as Editor, Aberdeen and the North. Craig has been with the Evening Express for almost twenty years and has been a key part in the evolution of our newsrooms in Aberdeen, Inverness and Elgin. No-one is more knowledgeable and passionate about the region than him. Craig is exceptionally well-placed to progress our transformation, leading our talented teams with focus on serving and representing our local communities with an expanded remit as editor of the P&J.”

Craig Walker said: "I grew up with the Evening Express and P&J and I have been a proud member of this team for 19 years. It's a great privilege to now be asked to lead these titles into their next phase of transformation.

"In recent years we’ve all come together to change not only the newsroom, but also our culture, as we continue to evolve our ways of working and how we serve our communities. I feel strongly that my role is to help colleagues be as good as they can be, to create the right environment for everyone to thrive and for us to continue with our successes in digital and print.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Frank for his constant support and guidance through some challenging times."

Frank O’Donnell said on Twitter on Tuesday: “Today is my final working day as editor of the Press and Journal and editor-in-chief at AJL. The last three years have been some of the most incredible and rewarding in my time as a journalist and I will forever have great memories of the team and what we achieved.”