Hetland (57) has been regional media house Stavanger Aftenblad’s editor-in-chief for the past nine years, a period marked by great and swift readjustments and demanding organizational processes, such as the transition to morning newspaper and tabloid format, moving into new locations, the integration into Media Norge, several extensive downsizing processes and not at least the transition from print newspaper to a multimedia media house.
- Consequently, an editor-in-chief’s role has changed and has become administratively more challenging. I have had exciting and challenging years at Stavanger Aftenblad, but I have reached a point where it feels natural to let others take charge, says Hetland.
- Tom Hetland has held leading positions at Stavanger Aftenblad for almost 20 years. We respect his wish to step down to concentrate on the parts of journalism that always has been closest to his heart, such as the editorial comments and being a writing journalist, says Didrik Munch, CEO of Media Norge and Chairman of Stavanger Aftenblad’s Board of Directors.
- With Tom at the helm Stavanger Aftenblad has gone through major transitions, from being a solid newspaper to becoming a complete regional media house which has always maintained and strengthened its dominant position in the Rogaland region of Norway. The Board would like to thank him for the considerable effort he has put down in his more than nine years as Stavanger Aftenblad’s editor-in-chief, Munch adds.
The Board of Directors will immediately start looking for a new editor-in-chief. Meanwhile, Tom Hetland has accepted to remain in the position until his successor is in place.