HoldtheFrontPage celebrates the 10th anniversary of its February 2000 launch today and senior figures across the regional press industry have been sending us their congratulations on the milestone.

Here are some of the messages we have received over the past few days from editors and other industry leaders. Feel free to leave your own messages in the comments below.

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“Congratulations HoldtheFrontPage on your 10th birthday. The site has become an invaluable resource and a positive advocate of the whole of the regional press and the biggest compliment I can pay it that I simply cannot imagine not having this site on my ‘favourites’ list. Keep up the good work.”

Sam Holliday – Editor, Bath Chronicle

 

“Despite being at the centre of the communications industry, journalists often aren’t very good about communicating with each other, and delivering important messages about their industry. HoldtheFrontPage has done much to address that problem over the past ten years. It has become a daily source of information, debate and ideas and it seems to me to have gone from strength to strength.”

Peter Barron – Editor, The Northern Echo

 

“Many thanks to HoldtheFrontPage for doing such a terrific job over the last ten years keeping people in touch with the latest journalism training news, debates, events, awards and job opportunities. It’s a fantastic source of information for everyone, from students and trainees to editors and publishers. All best wishes for the next ten years!”

Joanne Butcher – Chief Executive, National Council for the Training of Journalists

 

“HoldtheFrontPage is essential daily reading for anyone who wants to know who is who and what is what across the regional press. Congratulations on ten years of great service.”

Bob Satchwell – Executive Director, Society of Editors

 

“Congratulations to all at HTFP for your continuing service to our industry! The Evening Star celebrates 125 years of service to our community on 17 February this year – I hope HTFP will be around for a similar birthday, sadly none of us will be around to enjoy it! Best wishes to Paul and the team – great stories and great service.”

Nigel Pickover – Editor, Evening Star, Ipswich

 

“Many congratulations to Hold the Front Page on your tenth birthday. From its launch, HTFP brought a breath of fresh air to the reporting of our industry and has become a daily must-read. Here’s to the next ten.”

Neil Benson – Editorial Director, Regionals, Trinity Mirror

 

“HoldtheFrontPage has become a byword in the business — the journos’ choice for news, campaigns, jobs, and more. Anyone who wants the best turns to HoldtheFrontPage. It’s a must if you want to know what’s happening in the industry. It gives instant, wide-ranging, unmatched coverage. It’s up-to-date. And it’s independent and fearless. Happy birthday to a top-notch team.”

Paul Delmar – Head of Press Photography and Photojournalism at Norton College, Sheffield

 

“Hearty congratulations to HTFP for its consistently fair, accurate and balanced coverage of the regional and local newspaper industry over the last ten years. We need a strong, independent website that not only offers support by flagging up good practice and initiatives, but also breathes confidence with swift reports on ‘bad’ news stories, allowing reasoned comment and criticisms. Here’s to the next ten years.”

Steve Dyson – Media commentator and freelance journalist

 

“HoldtheFrontPage is a great one-stop-shop for news, ideas, information and recruitment. It has evolved over the past ten years to establish itself as a valuable resource for journalists. We wish it every success for the next decade and beyond.”

Denise Eaton – Editor, Gravesend and Dartford Messenger series

 

“Congratulations to HoldtheFrontPage on reaching an important milestone. In its ten years, the website has established itself as the first port of call for anyone who wants to know what is going on in the world of journalism – and that’s not just me saying that, I keep hearing the same thing from members of Birmingham Press Club. Keep up the good work!

Philip Parkin – Operations Director, Birmingham Press Club

 

“Congratulations to HoldtheFrontPage on celebrating its tenth birthday. The site helps provide regular updates on news from around the industry and at a time when our industry faces so many changes, so quickly, it’s one of the great tools used to remain informed. I wish the site and its team all the best over the next ten years and beyond.”

Hannah Walker – Editor-in-chief, South London Press

 

“Ten years on and still essential reading for everyone with an interest in the regional press. There are three sites I check each morning – and HTFP is at the top of the list! Congratulations on fulfilling your mission so successfully, and keep up the good work.”

Tony Jaffa – Head of Media and Publishing, Foot Anstey Solicitors

 

“The reporting of the regional newspaper industry has often been squeezed between the monoliths of its national sibling and the broadcasting sector, so building a powerful brand which many of your competitors often quote is to be congratulated. Most importantly, HTFP has given a detailed profile of the industry to those who work in it – something that had been always lacking. Many media launches of the last 10 years have fallen by the wayside, but you have succeeded. The second ten years may well be more challenging than the first, but the site is positioned well to make a strong go of it. Well done.”

Neil Fowler – Former regional editor, now an Associate Member of Nuffield College, University of Oxford.

 

“HoldtheFrontPage has become the must-go site for journalists: especially among newly-qualified students. Whenever we place an ad on the site the response we get is fantastic. And that’s why we only need to advertise for a single week.”

Malcolm Starbrook – Group Editor, East London Newspapers

 

“HoldtheFrontPage has become an invaluable tool for editors over the last decade, whether it be for advertising for staff or keeping abreast of developments in the industry. It is one of the first websites I check when I arrive at my desk every morning. I’ve stolen with pride from other papers whose ideas have been featured on HTFP and at least half of the talented staff I’m proud to be associated with at the Worcester News have been recruited via the site.”

Kevin Ward – Editor, Worcester News

Comments

David Scott (08/02/2010 11:59:48)
It is my first port of call every morning when I log on. An invaluable source of up-to-date news about the industry. Many congratulations.

FAST WOMAN (08/02/2010 13:49:56)
10 YEARS??? Is that how long ago we clicked?
You’ve given us an excellent news service, provided a forum for debate and helped people start careers or change their workplace through the jobs section.
Congratulations and here’s to the next 10.

Viv Hargreaves (08/02/2010 15:16:33)
Well done HoldtheFrontPage on your 10th birthday. You’ve been invaluable to me as a source of info, a means of advertising jobs and for running stories about the quirky things that happen in the Forest of Dean.