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But a popular route to bigger bucks is leaving the industry altogether.

Poacher turned gamekeeper: entering the world of PR, where council pay scales can mean guaranteed pay rises for the rest of your career and, if you can survive the new cut-throat world of ‘best practice’ and beating the finance department at its own game, early retirement.

A lot of talent leaves the regional press, in many cases for what job-seekers see as bigger and better things. With the backing of a solid training and wide experience in many valuable skills, a journalist’s expertise can command a lot of money. But many have found the grass only seems greener on the other side of the fence, and countless hacks return to the industry where they first made their mark.

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