Sunday Business Post editor resigns

THE editor of The Sunday Business Post, Ted Harding, resigned unexpectedly yesterday.

Staff at the Dublin-based newspaper, which is part of the Thomas Crosbie Holdings (TCH) group, the owner of the Irish Examiner, were told of Mr Harding’s departure at a meeting yesterday morning.

Sunday Business Post chief executive Fiachra O’Riordan said Mr Harding had left to pursue other personal and professional interests and wished him well for the future.

The paper has no deputy editor to take charge on an interim basis but will appoint a permanent successor to Mr Harding in coming weeks. The position will be advertised internally and in the national press before the end of the week.

Mr Harding had held the job since 2001, when he succeeded Damien Kiberd, one of the Post’s co-founders who had edited the paper since it was set up in 1989.

Mr Harding previously held the position of deputy editor. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said it was dismayed by Mr Harding’s departure.

“Editorial staff wish to express support for Ted Harding’s decisions, which have led to record readership of 168,000, an increase of 10% on the same period last year,” the union said.

The NUJ also said it was concerned the paper’s editorial independence was under threat.

Journalists at the paper have requested a meeting with TCH managing director Anthony Dinan “to discuss recent and future developments” in the wake of Mr Harding’s departure.

Mr Dinan declined to comment on yesterday’s developments.

Mr Harding was unavailable for comment. It is understood he will continue in his role as presenter of the Sunday Business Show on independent national radio station Today FM.

TCH bought The Sunday Business Post from British newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror for €10 million two years ago.