Our annual listing of 25 media executives who made a difference this year and are shaping how 2018 will look.
Alex Lavelle, Editor, The Age
The former deputy editor of Fairfax Media’s The Age was required to become the editorial leader of the masthead after his successor Mark Forbes was dismissed in December 2016 after sexual harassment allegations.
Lavelle was the acting editor of The Age until February 2017. He was named editor of the Melbourne daily during an editorial shake-up at Fairfax Media.
From day one, Lavelle has adopted the mantra, honesty is the best policy. Therefore, amid all the staff cuts and changes at Fairfax Media, Lavelle made it a point to have an open discussion with his colleagues about what was happening. He told Mediaweek: “I started from a place of wanting to be completely honest and open with all my staff. So when the cost cutting was announced I invited anyone who wanted to come and have a one-on-one discussion with me. It really helped in keeping everyone on the same page and not having wild rumours and things that weren’t true circulating around the office.”