Tony Gallagher leaves The Daily Telegraph

It has been reported that Tony Gallagher has left his role as editor of The Daily Telegraph.

Media Guido has published the Telegraph Gallagher Statement in Full, in which it says Gallagher is leaving the company as the business ‘moves to the next phase of its digital transformation’.

It also says that Chris Evans, assistant editor (news), has been appointed acting print editor of the Monday to Friday editions of The Daily Telegraph. Ian MacGregor, editor of The Sunday Telegraph, has been appointed acting weekend print editor with responsibility for the Saturday and Sunday edition. Both will report to Jason Seiken, chief content officer and editor-in-chief.

Murdoch MacLennan, chief executive of the Telegraph Media Group, said: ‘The restructuring is designed to build on the Telegraph brand in order to attract customers with the very best digital products possible.’

Jason Seiken said: ‘We must reinvent the way we work and move beyond simply putting news and information online and be an essential part of the audience’s lives. Our competition is no longer only newspapers and we must innovate to survive.’

Digital is obviously at the heart of the decision, something Anne McElvoy, Economist public policy editor, agrees with: 

Very sorry to see @gallaghereditor leave the Telegraph. Truly professional, driven editor. Looks like major heave towards digital on cards

— anne mcelvoy (@annemcelvoy) January 21, 2014

The news of the departure seems to have come from nowhere, as this tweet from Telegraph journalist Ben Bryant shows:

Daily Telegraph editor Tony Gallagher has left. Newsroom in shock. Some in tears

— Ben Bryant (@benbryant) January 21, 2014

As digital continues to shape the way media is consumed in 2014, expect more big changes to be on the way.