Brian Oliver, the highly regarded and respected sports editor at The Observer since 1998, is to leave the paper.
It is understood that the decision is “by mutual consent”.
In a note circulated to staff tonight, it said: “After 13 years of great work as sports editor, Brian Oliver is moving on to new pastures.
“Because of accumulated holiday entitlement this will be his last week, though he will be returning for a fitting farewell to his friends some time over the next few weeks.”
Oliver will be seen as the latest casualty of the steady process of merger of the sport staffs of The Observer and its daily stablemate, The Guardian, which has seen wholesale departures from among Oliver’s carefully recruited group of acclaimed specialist correspondents.
Oliver had previously been a senior sports desk staffer at the Daily Telegraph. During his time at the Obs, they launched the critically and commercially successful Observer Sport Monthly, which ultimately was another victim of the company’s various cut-backs.
No successor has yet been named, although it seems likely that management will look to appoint a more junior, internal candidate.
OTHER RECENT ARTICLES ABOUT SPORTS DESK JOB CHANGES
- One-third of UK journalism jobs cut in past decade
- Rugby league correspondent Chris Irvine latest to leave The Times
- PA Sport under scrutiny in cost-cutting drive
- Wapping tabloids axe four staff ahead of the World Cup
- Tomas, Butler and Hamilton go as Obs re-launches
Who will be this year’s SJA British Sports Journalism Awards winners?
Atherton? Collins? Copley? Heavey? Stelling? Samuel?
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