Journalism.co.uk Editors' Blog » Trinity Mirror

#soe09: Audio – Trinity Mirror’s Neil Benson on newspapers as PR agencies

Laura Oliver — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:37:16 +0000

There was a mixed reaction (as you might expect from a room full of newspaper editors) to Trinity Mirror Regionals’ editorial director Neil Benson’s suggestion yesterday that newspaper groups could make money from running ‘arm’s length PR agencies’.

Journalism.co.uk spoke to Benson at the Society of Editors conference to find out more about the scheme in Northumberland (in which he refers to Brian Aitken, editor of the Journal) and the potential for newspaper groups to work with local authorities:

Below he explains why newspapers running PR agencies in-house could work:

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Marc Reeves on why he’s stepping down as editor at the Birmingham Post

Judith Townend — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:10:22 +0000

Yesterday it was announced that 40 redundancies would be made at Trinity Mirror’s Birmingham titles. Among those due to leave are Steve Dyson, editor of the Birmingham Mail, and Marc Reeves, editor of the Post.

Reeves writes about the changes on his blog:

“As a member of the editorial team, I was also under consultation, and I thought it was very important that I should make a clear decision whether to stay and see the changes through – or to go and give the paper a fresh start under a new editor.

“I believe that to stay I would have to commit to be editor for a considerable period into the future, but that after almost four years in the job already, the time is right for a new pair of hands to pick up the reins.”

Full post at this link…

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Trinity Mirror announces exit for Birmingham Post and Mail editors

Laura Oliver — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:29:59 +0000

UPDATE – Full report on changes at BPM Media now available on Journalism.co.uk.

Trinity Mirror has announced that Birmingham Mail editor Steve Dyson and Birmingham Post editor Marc Reeves will step down from their roles by the end of the year, as part of wider changes at BPM Media.

Dave Brookes, Coventry Telegraph editor, has been named as editor-in-chief across all BPM titles (Post, Mail, Telegraph and Sunday Mercury) and as editor of the Birmingham Mail.

The changes, which are the result of a consultation at Trinity’s Birmingham division, will include:

The Post going weekly
A risk of approximately 40 editorial redundancies
A further 42 redundancies from the transport, distribution and newspaper sales departments

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Simon Kelner remembers his days on the Neath Guardian in its last issue

Judith Townend — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:29:02 +0000

As reported last week, the weekly Neath Guardian owned by Trinity Mirror is to close, and in its last issue, Simon Kelner, editor-in chief of the Independent and the Independent on Sunday reflects on his days at the newspaper.

“It seems inconceivable that a town whose people thrive on knowing what’s going on, who make it their business to know everyone else’s business, will have no town crier.

“Hard though it may be to believe in this multi-media age, but the Guardian once occupied a central role in the life of the town, and sold (yes, sold) upwards of 10,000 copies a week.”

Roy Greenslade reproduces the article on his Guardian blog…

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Update on cuts at Trinity Mirror’s Media Wales – 15 (.2) jobs at risk

Judith Townend — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:03:31 +0000

Yesterday we reported how 13.2 jobs could go at Media Wales, subsidary of Trinity Mirror which publishes The Western Mail, The South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday and the Celtic series of weekly papers.

Union members at Media Wales will hold a strike ballot, after they were not guaranteed there would be no compulsory redundancies. Two weekly newspapers, the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians, which Trinity Mirror says are loss-making, will also be closed.

We asked TM why the extra 0.2 of a job? It’s a part-time role but in fact, the total anticipated redundancies amount to ‘approximately 15′ a spokesperson said. So, in fact, it’s 15.2: 12 full-time roles at the surviving newspapers; and three full-time and one part-time at the two weeklies due to be closed in October.

Trinity Mirror has responded to the strike ballot with this statement:

“We are disappointed that the NUJ has chosen this course of action which does nothing to address the commercial challenges facing Media Wales. However, we are continuing to work with the NUJ and all staff to try to achieve these necessary changes through voluntary means.”

“Since the introduction of our multimedia newsroom in April 2008, we have continued to review its progress and to seek new ways of improving the way we work. We now believe the time is right, when taking the economic conditions into account, to make further changes to build on what we have achieved,” said Alan Edmunds, publishing director, Media Wales.

“The decision to cease publication of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians reflects the challenging economic conditions affecting our local advertising markets and a declining trend in weekly newspaper sales,” said Sara Wilde, regional managing mirector, Trinity Mirror North West and Wales.

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#FollowJourn: @danowen/online editor

Donna Goddard — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:30:38 +0000

#FollowJourn: Dan Owen

Who? Executive editor online, Trinity Mirror

What? Responsible for the print editions of North Wales Weekly News and the Denbighshire Visitor, and edits companion websites for North Wales such as dailypost.co.uk. Prior to this he was a reporter for North Wales Weekly News.

Where? @danowen

Contact? dan.owen [at] northwalesnews.co.uk

Just as we like to supply you with fresh and innovative tips every day, we’re recommending journalists to follow online too. They might be from any sector of the industry: please send suggestions (you can nominate yourself) to judith or laura [at] journalism.co.uk; or to @journalismnews.

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13.2 jobs could go at Trinity Mirror’s Media Wales; NUJ members to hold strike ballot

Judith Townend — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:38:00 +0000

A plan to cut 13.2 jobs at Media Wales, a Trinity Mirror-owned subsidiary, was announced this afternoon without the guarantee of no compulsory redundancies. A two month consultation period will now be held.

The company also announced the closure of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardian paid-for weeklies on October 1.

In response, union members at Media Wales will hold a strike ballot, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said today.

Media Wales publishes The Western Mail, The South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday and the Celtic series of weekly papers.

“Although we have been briefed fully about the financial position of the company and the group, we are determined that no NUJ member should be made compulsorily redundant as a result of these cuts. We expect the company to ensure that will be the outcome,” said Martin Shipton, NUJ father of chapel at Media Wales.

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More Trinity Mirror cuts: three North West and North Wales weeklies closed

Judith Townend — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:31:27 +0000

Trinity Mirror today confirmed the closure of three weekly titles in the North West and North Wales. The Wrexham Chronicle, the Mid-Cheshire Chronicle and the Whitchurch Herald will all publish their last editions the week commencing September 28.

The company anticipates that eight editorial and three commercial roles will be lost as a result of these closures. ‘A period of consultation has begun with all affected staff,’ Trinity Mirror said in a release issued today.

The company claimed it would now focus on ‘market-leading, healthy and profitable titles and associated online products’.

“Whilst these announcements relate to the closure of three titles and the subsequent effect this will have on jobs, these decisions also herald the strength and robustness of the titles that remain, namely the Chester Chronicle series, Flintshire Chronicle, Ellesmere Port Pioneer, Crewe Chronicle series, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News and the Mid Cheshire Buysell,” said Carl Wood, publishing director at Trinity Mirror Cheshire.

“This decision reflects the challenging economic conditions affecting our local advertising markets and, as such, the current revenue and circulation of these titles does not provide us with a strong enough base for sustainable and profitable publication of these titles either now or in the longer term,” added Sara Wilde, managing director, Trinity Mirror Regional North West and Wales.

“Taking this difficult decision now will enable us to move forward into 2010 and beyond as we look to protect and develop our strong portfolio of print and online products within the North Wales and Cheshire market.”

Trinity Mirror announced in August it was entering a period of consultation at its Midlands titles, with a plan to make the Birmingham Post weekly and to print the Birmingham Mail overnight. In July, Trinity Mirror announced the closure of seven of its weekly titles in the Midlands region, resulting in 94 redundancies from a number of departments across the publisher’s Midlands operation.

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HTFP: Burton Trader relaunched under independent owner

Laura Oliver — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:25:42 +0000

A local businessman has bought former Trinity Mirror title the Burton Trader, which was closed in July.

The title, now under Chris Clark’s ownership, will be renamed as the Independent Trader.

The relaunch will also see the return of several Burton Trader staff, including reporters who were made redundant as part of the July cutbacks.

Full story at this link…

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Birmingham Post News Blog: ‘Why the Post must go weekly’

Laura Oliver — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:39:06 +0000

Marc Reeves, editor of the Birmingham Post, explains the economic and structural reasons behind publisher Trinity Mirror’s decision to switch the Post from a daily to a weekly title.

In exemplary style on the site’s news blog (’it’s absolutely the right thing to do to give the whole region a say in what could be the most important decision for the Post in its 151-year history’) Reeves outlines why the move to weekly is the best option for the Post in light of these pressures.

“The weekly model will provide a much more comprehensive package of information, entertainment and advertising, and I believe will do more to preserve the brand values of the Post, and therefore offer a more sustainable future for the title. We think we will be able to retain most of the essential elements that exist in the current model and incorporate them in a weekly Post.”

Full post at this link…

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