Michael Miller, executive chairman of News Corp Australasia and Peter Blunden, Victorian managing director – editorial and chairman of the editorial board, have today announced two significant changes to the editorial leadership team at News Corp Australia.
Sam Weir, editor of The Courier-Mail in Brisbane since 2017, has been appointed editor of the Herald Sun in Melbourne, and Damon Johnston, editor of the Herald Sun for the past seven years has been appointed Victorian editor of The Australian.
Damon Johnston
Michael Miller commented: “Sam is one of Australia’s most experienced editors. He has spent his career at News Corp Australia, beginning as a cadet journalist in Adelaide, and previously edited The Sunday Times in Perth and The Advertiser in Adelaide.
“We are delighted he has agreed to take on the editorship of the Herald Sun, Australia’s largest-selling daily newspaper and we wish him every success.”
“Under Damon’s leadership the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun broke some of Australia’s most important stories,” Miller said.
“We know Damon will bring that same talent and investigative skills to his new role in driving Victorian coverage for The Australian.”
Weir and Johnston will take up their roles early next year. The new editor of The Courier-Mail is expected to be announced in the New Year.
In new emma readership data released today, the Herald Sun has the most readers of any newspaper on weekdays (903,000) and Saturday (691,000).
The Sunday Telegraph with 698,000 has the biggest Sunday audience.