Carin Smolders is stepping down as editor-in-chief of the Brabants Dagblad. She has decided to resign from her position because she does not experience sufficient support from the editorial staff to chart a new course, DPG Media reports.
Recently, the Brabants Dagblad has experienced unrest due to changes, according to the publisher. The announcement of a plenary editorial meeting and the announcement that part of the editorial staff wanted to lose confidence in the editor-in-chief prompted Smolders to withdraw.
Smolders: “Changes are desperately needed for a healthy future of the Brabants Dagblad. Unfortunately, I have to conclude that I do not experience sufficient support from the editorial staff to really implement the desired changes.”
Culture of fear
Last week, Omroep Brabant already reported that Smolders’ position was wavering. Smolders’ management style was described as ‘humiliating’. She would be too concerned with details and not open to other opinions. The result: a ‘sick and unsafe atmosphere’ in the workplace. The word ‘culture of fear’ is regularly mentioned in conversations with employees.
An example is given of an editor who is addressed by Smolders with a raised voice in the presence of colleagues during a meeting. “You should be more humble, your story was bad,” it was said. Several sources mention the story of a manager who was suddenly given a lower position after he indirectly criticized Smolders’ actions to a colleague.”
Short career
Smolders only worked at the newspaper for ten months. In an internal email to the editors of the newspaper, which is owned by Omroep Brabant, she writes: “As editor-in-chief I am critical and outspoken, but always with an eye for the human side. Some people feel seen by this, others feel might have looked at.”
She lashes out at employees who went to Omroep Brabant to tell their story. “I find that incomprehensible and duplicitous. This knowingly undermines the support for continuing with me as editor-in-chief.”
According to Smolders, she does not want employees at the newspaper to face each other, something she believes would happen at the planned editorial meeting. “That is why I am taking a step back and resigning from my position as editor-in-chief of the Brabants Dagblad.”
‘The welfare of editors comes first’
Allard Besse, director of ADR Nieuwsmedia (the group to which Brabants Dagblad belongs), said in a press release on Wednesday afternoon: “Carin shows that she puts the well-being of the editorial staff and the Brabants Dagblad first. We have examined in various ways why the collaboration The editorial process was difficult. Unfortunately, improvement actions have not yet achieved the desired results. It is clear that we have to continue working on a more open culture in which everyone feels seen and valued.”
Since the appointment of the new editor-in-chief Carin Smolders, there has been unrest in the editorial office.