New editor to herald changing roles at the top in INM

WHO WILL replace Stephen Rae as editor of the Evening Herald? Rae has moved to edit the Irish Independent, where he will be assisted by his Herald deputy Ian Mallon, who also moves across to become the Irish Independent’s head of operations.

The Herald is being steered by executive editor Claire Grady and operations editor Alan Steenson for now, and it is understood that the title of editor will be officially bestowed at some point.

The fiefdom however is no longer what it was.

In a change to the Independent News & Media group’s editorial hierarchy, Rae will continue to have oversight of the Herald and his replacement will be required to be mindful of the needs of the group, not just the Herald.

Such a structural change effectively paves the way for a cost-saving merger of operations between the Irish Independent and the Herald, although this is likely to be on INM management’s wish list for the future rather than in its immediate in-tray.

A coalescing of editorial staff at the Thomas Crosbie Holdings’ Irish Examiner and its Evening Echo sister paper is a more imminent prospect, assuming the external accountants in situ at TCH’s Cork headquarters don’t opt to close the Echo altogether.