Andrew Jaspan has been reinstated as editor of the Conversation in Australia after a four-month dispute over his future.
In dramatic developments on Wednesday, the academic website’s chairman, Robert Johanson, resigned, telling staff his position had become untenable.
Jaspan had been on enforced leave since September after a management dispute that had enveloped the Melbourne-based headquarters and drawn in the Conversation’s international operations. Jaspan launched the Conversation in Australia in 2011 and the site has since expanded into four other markets.
Announcing Jaspan’s return after a board meeting, the Conversation Media Group said it was reviewing its structure and relationships with overseas operations.
The move raises question marks over the future of staff and board members who had been critical of Jaspan. “There is one view held strongly that Andrew Jaspan is the Conversation and another view that he is just one person,” a source told Guardian Australia shortly before his reinstatement was announced.
In a statement, the Conversation Media Group (TCMG) said:
Following an extensive review of allegations made against Andrew Jaspan the board of TCMG announces that Andrew Jaspan is reinstated with immediate effect.
Further, the board has appointed a committee to look into the future structure of TCMG, its governance and management, as well as arrangements with overseas licensees. The committee will include current members of the board as well as representation from the university sector.
The board believes this will allow TC [the Conversation] to move forwards with a clear strategic focus and a strengthened management structure. As per usual, TC institutes holiday arrangements from next week until 26 January 2016. Andrew will return after taking some annual leave.
All parties regret that it has taken so long to resolve these issues.
The Australian board of the Conversation has been divided for months over pressure to cut ties with Jaspan after Melbourne-based staff sent the board a long letter outlining the problems they had working with Jaspan, who is the executive director and editor as well as the founder and public face of the website.
Pressure to remove Jaspan also came from the international arm of the Conversation. Management of the UK, US and Africa offices wrote a letter of no confidence to the Conversation Media Group asking that Jaspan not have an active role. “We have unfortunately come to the conclusion that it is time for Andrew to leave the project. It is in his interests as well as those of the Conversation that the current situation is resolved quickly and privately,” the letter said.
Jaspan, a former editor of the Observer, published by Guardian Media Group, and the Scotman and Scotland on Sunday, was sacked as editor of the Age in 2008 after 235 journalists voted unanimously to pass a motion accusing him of undermining their ability to report without fear or favour. He launched the Conversation in Australia in 2011.
The Conversation now operates in Australia, Africa, the US, the UK and France, and each website has its own board and executive management, funded by a mixture of universities, research bodies and other public grants.
