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FAIRFAX METRO MEDIA APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW HOLDEN AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE AGE AND THE SUNDAY AGE APPOINTMENT OF STEVE FOLEY AS NEWS DIRECTOR, MELBOURNE
June 26, 2012: Fairfax Metro Media, a division of Fairfax Media, has today announced the appointment of Andrew Holden as editor-in-chief of The Age and The Sunday Age, and the appointment of Steve Foley as news director, Melbourne. The changes are part of the editorial newsroom review project that will be further explained to staff this week. All other current positions, titles and newsroom functions remain in place. Andrew Holden With more than 25 years in journalism including 7.5 years at The Age, Holden has been editor of Fairfaxs The Press in New Zealand for the past four years. He was in the papers historic building when a major earthquake struck Christchurch on 22 February 2011. Marshaling his team on the streets, he helped ensure that there was an edition the next day, informing residents of the destruction across their city. He led the team through 14 months in portable cabins that worked as makeshift newsrooms, and recently into their new home back in the centre of the city. For its efforts over the year, The Press has won an unprecedented double for its circulation category as Daily Newspaper of the Year at the PANPA and the NZ Media Awards. The editorial director of Metro Media, Garry Linnell, said: Andrews leadership during the earthquake attracted world-wide notice and acclaim. It wasnt just the exemplary manner in which he guided and cared for his staff at a time of crisis it was also the way he led the Christchurch community, informing them of the situation and keeping a cool, calm voice when others might have trembled. Andrew loves Melbourne and The Age I worked alongside him for several years and admired his professionalism, his absolute belief in the masthead and what it represents and his never ending reservoir of ideas. Hes an engaging, intelligent and mature journalist who will champion Melbourne, champion The Age and continue the mastheads long-running and trusted relationship with the people of Victoria.

Holden said on this appointment: Im really excited about returning to The Age. Its journalism has long been the best in Victoria, and as the current PANPA Newspaper of the Year for the largest circulation category, it is also the leading newsroom in Australia. There are many challenges facing our industry, but the fact that The Age has such depth of quality means it will be able to deliver the journalism its readers expect, regardless whether that is online, in print of through phones and tablets. Holden is a lifelong St Kilda fan and has been at every one of the Saints Grand Finals since 1971, with the exception of the replay against Collingwood in 2010. He has an affinity for newspapers having started out as a paperboy. He grew up with The Age in his family home and now returns to the paper after 12 years in New Zealand. Holden went to Balwyn Primary School and Carey Grammar and started his journalism career on the Sun News-Pictorial. He worked on a range of suburban papers in Melbourne and spent seven-and-a-half years with The Sunday Age and The Age, which included responsibility for editorial production for all Fairfax papers during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He was part of the team that won a Walkley Award for Best Graphics, produced as part of the Olympics coverage. Holden was also editor of Melbourne Express, Fairfaxs free commuter tabloid newspaper, in 2001.

Steve Foley With a career spanning over forty years in journalism where he has performed almost every job imaginable, Foley is perfectly placed to take up the new role of news director, Melbourne. Foley has been a journalist since 1971 when he started as a copy boy with The Sun News-Pictorial. Among many roles, he has been Victorian editor of The Australian, editor-in-chief of Leader Newspapers, and editor of The Sunday Age. He is currently editor of The Saturday Age. Garry Linnell said: He has a zeal for journalism and storytelling coupled with a great flair for design. He is also a genuine newsroom leader and mentor to many younger staff. Foley has long been a believer in newsroom transformation and has been a strong advocate for change over many years. These appointments will be effective next week.

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About Fairfax Media Fairfax Media is Australasias leading media company with metropolitan, rural and regional publications and websites across Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media publishes the highly respected metropolitan publications The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age along with, Australias leading online news websites smh.com.au, theage.com.au, Brisbanetimes.com.au and WAtoday.com.au. Other niche websites include the popular parenting website Essentialbaby.com.au and the youth site TheVine.com.au. The company has a large stable of successful websites in key vertical markets including New Zealands largest website, TradeMe.co.nz, RSVP.com.au, Stayz.com.au, InvestSmart.com.au, OMG, Australian Property Monitors, Commerce Australia, TenderLink and the recently acquired Occupancy. Fairfax Media also has a strong classified advertising business with print and online publications including: Drive, MyCareer, and Domain.

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