Media movers: David Ferguson, Richard Neville, etc

WELCOME to Media Movers, tracking some of the latest promotions, etc in the Scottish media scene.

FIRST up, congratulations to David Ferguson, a former rugby correspondent at The Scotsman newspaper.

He has been appointed executive director of the Observatory for Sport in Scotland, an independent charity set up to identify and commission independent research into sport and physical activity, to inform and guide policy-making in Scotland.

He takes over from current director, Marie McQuade, in January. The Observatory’s first major piece of research – led by former Sport England head of Strategy Nick Rowe – investigates the true levels of sporting participation across Scotland and will be published early next year.

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MEANWHILE, congratulations too to Richard Neville, appointed to the newly-created role of head of Newspapers at DC Thomson Media.

As reported, here, Catriona MacInnes has also been confirmed as editor of The Courier, following just over a year as acting editor. She becomes the only female editor of a daily newspaper in Scotland.

As part of a wide-ranging shake up of DC Thomson Media’s senior editorial structure, Alan McCabe will take on the role of editor-in-chief of the Aberdeen titles, The Press and Journal and the Evening Express. He will head up the newspaper editorial teams across both newspapers, and will take on the role of editor of The Press and Journal.

Craig Walker remains editor of the Evening Express and Richard Prest will continue to be editor of The Sunday Post.

In addition, David Knight, deputy editor of The Press and Journal, is retiring after 25 years with the paper.

Andrew Kellock, current editor of the Evening Telegraph in Dundee, will take on the role following David’s departure.

David Lord, currently deputy editor of The Courier, will take up the position of editor of The Evening Telegraph, with Bryan Copland, assistant editor of the Evening Telegraph stepping up to become deputy editor.

All of those in new roles will take up their positions at the beginning of January.

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ON the move yourself? Please do get in touch, to pass on your good news.