Social networking pulled down the editor of New South Wales' Glen Innes Examiner.

The CEO and publisher of Australian Regional Publishing, Fairfax Media, Allan Browne said, “The actions of Matt Nicholls, editor of Glen Innes Examiner newspaper, were totally unacceptable and we deeply regret any hurt caused to the family and friends of Constable Bill Crews and the Glen Innes community.”

Matt Nicholls, the editor of the regional newspaper, was allegedly posting insensitive comments on Facebook about the killing Constable Will Crews. Nicholls allegedly posted on his personal page that the killing of the young policeman, who was born and bred in Glen Innes, would expand the circulation of the paper.

Nicholls is also alleged to have suggested the Glen Innes Examiner would take advantage of the drug raid incident in which the 26-year-old officer was shot dead. Nicholls reportedly denied making the posts.

Nevertheless, publisher Browne said, “Mr. Nicholls has been stood down from his position as editor, effective immediately.”

Another newspaper man lost his post in London. Former editor David Montgomery, the founder of London's Mecom Group plc, stepped down as the chief executive due to pressure from shareholders.

The sub-editor who rose to chief executive said, “The business has weathered the recession well and is transforming into a broader content business with accelerating online revenue.”

Montgomery's resignation is expected to end months of shareholder dissatisfaction. The company's share price took a deep 97 percent fall in 2008. Prices rose by 85 percent in 2009. Dissatisfaction was revived in July when half-year pre-tax profits of £24m beat analysts' expectations.

Shareholders took their dissatisfaction on Montgomery's leadership of the company. Aviva, Invesco and Legal & General Investment Management, which control 57 percent of Mecom shares, urged chairman Alasdair Locke in July to replace the former newspaper editor with Patrick Tillieux, a senior broadcast executive.

The investors also wanted to oust Keith Allen, chief operating officer. The board later on changed their minds. They insisted that they were prepared to drop their candidate in exchange for Montgomery being kicked out.

The former Mirror Group chief executive “took a very unselfish step to avoid what would have been a bloodbath” according to a colleague.

Montgomery founded the group a decade ago. The media group now owns 30 newspapers and 200 websites across the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, and Denmark.

Montgomery owns Mecom shares worth about £1 million ($1.67 million) since he has invested £400,000 in the company's last rights issue.