The editor of the Belfast-based Irish News, Mr Tom Collins, has resigned to take up a position as director of communications with Queen's University Belfast.
Last year, his joint editorials on the Drumcree standoff with Mr Geoff Martin, editor of Belfast's other morning paper, the News Letter, won the International Federation of Journalists' Award for Tolerance and Understanding.
"It's very amicable and there's no background of difficulties," Mr Collins said yesterday. He has edited Northern Ireland's main nationalist newspaper since 1993. "Everybody has a shelf-life. What I have always been keen to do is anticipate that. The paper is doing very well: sales are over 50,000 a day, up from about 42,000 when I became editor, so there's been a period of sustained growth.
"I think papers need people with fresh ideas and, given the period that we are moving into now, all the papers here are going to have to change their pitch and this is as good a time as any for me to move on," said Mr Collins.
From Lurgan, Co Armagh, Mr Collins started his career as a reporter and later editor of the Carrickfergus Advertiser. He was deputy editor of the Irish News from 1990 to '93. In his new post he will be responsible for developing relations between Queen's University and the wider community, including the media.
Paying tribute to Mr Collins, the managing director of the Irish News, Mr Dominic Fitzpatrick, said: "We are very sorry Tom has decided to leave. We wish him well in his new job."
The post of editor of the Irish News is to be advertised shortly.
