The weekday Australian has appointed its first female editor in its 56-year history in Michelle Gunn, the editor of the Weekend Australian since 2012.
Editor John Lehmann is moving into a commercial and managing editor role, the editor-in-chief, Christopher Dore, told staff at a meeting on Friday afternoon.
The managing editor, Helen Trinca, has been made an associate editor and will remain as the editor of magazine The Deal.
Gunn, who will remain as editor of the Weekend Australian, began her career as a cadet journalist at the News Corp publication based at Holt Street in Surry Hills.
“I am thrilled to be taking on the role of editor at such a critical time, as Australia remakes itself in response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Gunn said. “The Australian has an important role to play in this period of recovery and reconstruction, giving voice to the aspirations of people across the country and making the arguments for growth and prosperity.”
Gunn was a social affairs reporter and national chief of staff before taking over the Weekend Australian under the former editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell.
Mitchell was replaced by Paul Whittaker five years ago when he retired. In 2018 Whittaker left to head Sky News Australia.
Gunn is the first person to be in charge of both the weekday and weekend papers, and all the digital platforms at the Australian.
News Corp’s executive chairman for Australasia, Michael Miller, said: “Over three decades in senior roles at The Australian, Michelle has acquired a deep understanding and insight into The Australian’s audience, the issues they care about, and the paper’s unique position leading the agenda on the nation’s debates.
“There isn’t a person in Australia more qualified to edit The Australian at such an important time in its history.”
After four years as editor Lehmann would focus on driving commercial and consumer revenue, Miller said.
Miller said the masthead’s cross-platform audience of more than 3.5 million was its highest ever and digital subscriptions now made up two-thirds of total subscriptions.
News Corp lost US$1bn in the three months to the end of March and is expecting more financial pain as the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis continues.
In Australia the company has suspended printing of 60 newspapers in its community stable and made some staff redundant.
Gunn is not the first female editor at News Corp Australia. The editor-in-chief of news.com.au is Kate de Brito and the editor is Lisa Muxworthy. Jeni Cooper was the editor of the Sunday Telegraph a decade ago.
The political journalist Michelle Grattan was the first woman to edit an Australian metropolitan daily newspaper when she took over the Canberra Times in 1993.