A regional daily editor will leave his title this week to take up a new senior management role as part of a internal reshuffle by Newsquest.
Kevin Ward, left, who has been the editor of the Worcester News since 2007, will move to Newport to take up the position of publisher for East Wales and Gloucestershire from next Monday.
His replacement at the paper has been announced as Peter John, currently publisher of the Stourbridge division.
The changes mean Trevor Sallis will take on his responsibilities in Stourbridge, as well as remaining publisher at the Worcester division.
Kevin told HTFP: “I’m delighted to be offered this opportunity as Publisher of the East Wales and Gloucestershire divisions. But I’m also sad to be leaving the Worcester News after four extremely enjoyable years.
“In that time we have won a number of awards, including Midlands Newspaper of the Year last year, and we have a record number of nominations at this year’s Midlands Media Awards.
“The editorial staff in Worcester are second to none and I am immensely grateful for the support they have offered me in my time as Editor. We have produced some fantastic newspapers and I’m very proud of all we have achieved over the last four years.
“I worked in Newport for 18 years before coming to Worcester and I am looking forward to going back and helping two extremely successful divisions to grow further.”
The restructure was announced to staff yesterday by Gavin Steacy, regional managing director for Newsquest, who will also take on responsibility for the Hereford division under the shake-up.
In his statement, he said all the management changes would take effect from next Monday.
Kevin, who already lives in Gwent, was appointed to become editor of the Worcester News in May 2007 when Stewart Gilbert retired after seven years at the helm.
He joined the Worcester News from a role as publisher for Newsquest’s weekly titles in East Wales, having previously worked at Newport’s South Wales Argus for 15 years, progressing through a number of roles to become deputy editor.
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
what’s a publisher? fancy name for something else?
Report this comment
A publisher is someone who comes in and does the dirty work, sacks staff, cuts costs, makes the product (their term) worse and then gets a big pay off when the title closes.
Report this comment
The headline says it all: editor steps UP to management role. In other words, the person in charge of editorial is no more than a middle manager at best, a lackey of senior management at worst. During the days when newspapers really were newspapers, no-one stood higher in the pecking order than the editor, whose independence was inviolable. Nowadays, a senior journalist who reaches the editor’s chair will probably find himself answering to a former ad rep or accounts clerk who thinks a yarn is something you darn with. No wonder the industry is going down the toilet. As the former Sunday Express editor John Junor used to say: ‘Pass the sick bag, Alice!’
Report this comment