Financial Times reports:
The editor of the BBC’s flagship current-affairs programme is leaving to work in Google’s communications team.
Peter Barron, who has edited Newsnight since May 2004, has been appointed as the search engine’s head of communications and public affairs for the UK, Ireland and Benelux regions.
“Google is the most interesting and exciting company of my lifetime and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work there,” he said in a statement.The BBC’s director of news, Helen Boaden, said: “We are very sorry to lose Peter whose creativity and brilliant journalism have made Newsnight so impressive over the last few years.”
Among the longest-serving Newsnight editors, Mr Barron maintained audience figures and broke more news stories through the programme, even amid staff and budget cuts.
Is this a trend?
Yes it is, and it will continue.
