Comments on: Weekly newspaper editor axed in restructure

By: Crowman

Crowman — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:52:30 +0000

Yet more proof that “loyalty and commitment” don’t mean jack when the axeman cometh.

By: groupie

groupie — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:46:34 +0000

you need a special kind of thick skin to utter this trite “better synergy” rubbish and not cringe as you say it. It means nothing.
reminds me of a thankfully departed HR staffer on one firm where my partner works who said with the utmost conviction that under the Atex-hub etc system (which as we know drastically reduces copy checking) it wasn’t necessary to check copy and people were expected to get it all right all of the time. Where do they find them?

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By: Curious

Curious — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:22:12 +0000

Debbie’s joined an ever-rising scrapheap of ex-editors who used all their skills and knowhow to fight the good fight for their readers and champion their edition – only to be tossed aside to save money.
I think that’s what synergy must mean – fewer is more!
I also feel sorry for the poor buggers left behind who are being asked to watch over extra titles when they already run ragged.

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By: Cherrywonder

Cherrywonder — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:06:41 +0000

What a strange world newspapers have become when it is the “commercial director” who is believed to be qualified to give the valedictory speech on behalf of a reluctantly departing editor.

The glib insincerity given away by “and wish her well” makes you wish they hadn’t bothered.

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By: Oldhack

Oldhack — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:12:43 +0000

Agree with most sentiments, although John Elworthy is a damned good journo. But even the best can be spread too thinly…

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By: groupie

groupie — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:43:55 +0000

lunching, massaging the ego, and smoothing up to politicians is the new career path.

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By: obmiJ

obmiJ — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:11:22 +0000

Another nail in the coffin of the hands-on community editor who actually knows their patch. Bit by bit, the role’s being reduced to that of a glorified regional manager. How many of this new breed of group editors would spot a glaring geographical error in an inexperienced reporter’s copy?

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By: groupie

groupie — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:25:10 +0000

group editors are all the rage. real local editors who know their readership and patch are as rare as honest politicians. somewhere in between are general dogsbodies known as content editors, usually based well away from the paper’s patch. what a dolly mixture .

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By: old hack

old hack — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:22:10 +0000

“With a combined circulation of around 42,000 and the opportunity to share resources we will have better synergy across our Fenland titles.”

Why do local newspaper groups have to make such desperate efforts to put positive spin on what is clearly a cost-saving move which will weaken the paper?

I can’t imagine readers will be impressed by the ‘better synergy’

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