Observing a shake-up

Another one bites the dust.

Okay, not literally, but Roger Alton has nonetheless decided to leave the fold of The Observer after nearly a decade at its helm, and more than 30 years within the wider Guardian group. I was having a quiet pint in the Sekforde Arms with a few Farringdon journos when the message bleeped through that he'd left. And while the official Media Guardian write-up linked to above is done up all respectful tribute stylee, the whisperings behind the scene are saying that his departure was, well, somewhat on the acrimonious side. It seems the two main behind-the-scenes gripes at the Guardian Media Group is the rapidly approaching advent of 24-hour production (job losses ahoy) and the ongoing efforts to merge the Guardian and the Observer into a single paper. Without going into possibly libellous detail, itwould appear that Alton was being fairly vocal in his opposition to both moves. More detail in this piece by Roy Greenslade in today's Evening Standard, the title of which beautifully showcases the limitations of print pieces in accomdating last-minute breaking news. More details were to be found at the Coach and Horses, behind Grauniad HQ, but such revelations will only become known to me tomorrow, once my mole wakes/sobers up (Mole! Facebook me some details, will you!).