The situation at the London Evening Standard sports department continues to make headlines, after a report that Steve McKenley, the Sports Editor, stormed out of the paper’s Kensington offices claiming constructive dismissal.
McKenley had replaced Martin Chilton as Sports Editor in January 2008, doubling up with his job in charge of the sports pages of the now-defunct Associated-owned freebie, London Lite.
The demise of the Lite has prompted the Standard to cut 20 editorial jobs because, according to managing editor Doug Wills, the company no longer receives payments from Associated for the production services it provided for the free paper.
It is believed that this may also be connected to McKenley’s abrupt departure, which came on the day that the Standard announced it would be going to a single, West End Final edition from January.
The latest issue of Private Eye reports that, following Lite‘s closure, McKenley was told he would have to take a pay cut. Wills refused to discuss the circumstances of McKenley’s departure when contacted by sportsjournalists.co.uk, although he did confirm that the sports desk would lose five jobs. These include long-standing reporter David Smith.
Before joining London Lite in December 2006, McKenlay’s previous positions included deputy editor of The Sportsman, the failed sports betting title, sports editor of the Sunday Mirror and executive sports editor at The Sun.
McKenley was not available for comment.
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