Only ‘fine tuning’ by paper’s woman editor

Press, 16 February 1984, Page 14

Only ‘fine tuning’ by paper’s woman editor

PA Auckland The first woman editor of a big New Zealand newspaper, Judy McGregor, of the “Sunday News,” says she will not bow to feminist pressure to abolish the newspaper’s weekly array of topless women.

“I think it would be foolish to change a success story,” said Miss McGreogr, who will take over the post from Mr John Giles in seven weeks.

“The changes I plan will be more a case of fine tuning. ‘Sunday News’ already has a winning recipe,” she said.

“As a feminist, there are a lot more things to get upset about than a rather healthy, lusty, young female

body.” Miss McGregor said that regular reader polls had proved the popularity of the paper’s page three. “Page three is an institution for us and we’re not ashamed of having a strong entertainment content,” she said.

Miss McGregor said that she hoped her appointment would be the first of many top jobs for women in journalism.

“While I may the be the first (editor of a major paper), I don’t think I’ll be the last,” she said.

“If women stay in journalism long enough, newspaper employers will have to acknowledge their executive potential.”