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Roger Alton | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1947-12-20)20 December 1947 (age 77) Oxford, England |
| Education | Clifton College |
| Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer(s) | The Independent,The Observer,The Times |
Roger Alton (born 20 December 1947) is an English journalist. He was formerly editor ofThe Independent andThe Observer, and executive editor ofThe Times.[1]
He was educated atClifton College andExeter College, Oxford.[2][3]
He joined theLiverpool Post on graduation, moving toThe Guardian five years later as a sub-editor.[4]
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He was the editor of the British national Sunday newspaperThe Observer from 1998 to 2007. Under his editorship,The Observer's editorial view supported theinvasion of Iraq, a stance that Alton, speaking toStephen Sackur on theBBC'sHARDtalk[5] (22 August 2008) has since admitted may have been incorrect.
He resigned on 24 October 2007 after "a bitter falling-out with senior figures at the title's sister paper,The Guardian", and leftThe Observer at the end of 2007.[6] Previously he was arts editor and G2 editor ofThe Guardian. He oversaw a rise in circulation during his editorship and introduced the award-winning Observer Sports, Food, and Music Monthlies.[7]
In April 2008, Alton was confirmed as the new editor ofThe Independent, beginning work on 1 July 2008.[8] Joining at the start of the recession,The Independent's circulation and advertising revenues fell sharply.[9] He also wrote a fortnightly sport column in theSpectator.[10] Alton resigned fromThe Independent in April 2010 when the paper reverted to its former editor,Simon Kelner.[9]
On 24 May 2010, Alton was appointed executive editor ofThe Times, succeeding Alex O’Connell, who was appointed arts editor. Alton began at his new paper on 28 June 2010. Alton leftThe Times in 2015.[11]
Alton was briefly married toHelen Lederer, with whom he had a daughter, Hannah.[12]
In July 2011, Roger Alton gave an interview withChannel 4 News in which he lambasted members of the websiteMumsnet for campaigning against theNews of the World.[13] Some members of the website had campaigned against the newspaper after it was revealed that theNews of the World employees had hacked mobile phone voicemail messages, including those of murdered teenagerMilly Dowler and, allegedly, victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings. Alton turned his anger on members of the public who campaigned against these practices, labelling the Mumsnet members "fair trade tea"-drinking, "organic shortbread"-eating "yummy mummies." Theinterview quickly became a hit onYouTube.[14]
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Adrian Hamilton | Deputy Editor ofThe Observer 1994–1998 with Jocelyn Targett | Succeeded by John Mulholland and Paul Webster |
| Preceded by | Editor ofThe Observer 1998–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Editor ofThe Independent 2008–2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Alex O’Connell | Executive Editor ofThe Times 2010–2015 | Succeeded by Jeremy Griffin |