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Editor to leave regional daily after 15 months in charge

A regional daily editor appointed to the top job on his paper last year after seven years as deputy is to leave the role.

Richard Bowyer, editor of Stoke daily The Sentinel, is to leave the Local World-owned title at the end of this week, it has been announced.

Richard, who also oversees sister titles the Staffordshire Newsletter and Leek Post & Times, was appointed Sentinel editor in July last year after predecessor Mike Sassi left to take on the top job at the Nottingham Post.

Previously, Richard had been deputy editor at the title for seven years, having also served as deputy to Mike at his previous paper, the Lincolnshire Echo.

A company announcement credited Richard with having led The Sentinel’s journalists through a period of transformation – including a move to new offices in the city centre and a greater emphasis towards the paper’s online offering.

He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Sentinel and feel immensely proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to edit the largest regional newspaper in the Local World group.

“I am leaving at a time when the newspaper has just been nominated for five industry awards for work during my tenure, the web site has hit one million unique visitors for the last three months and we hit the biggest-ever daily audience of more than 100,000.

“The Sentinel and the weekly teams are extremely talented and dedicated and I would like to thank them all for their support and hard work during my time as Editor and all those people I have worked with during the 22 years of my career with Northcliffe and Local World.”

Michelle Gesell, managing director at The Sentinel, added: “Under Richard’s Editorship The Sentinel has continued to be a vital champion for people in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

“I know how proud he is of the newspapers and websites he has helped to evolve. We wish Richard all the best in the future.

Richard began his career in journalism at the Coalville and Ashby Times before moving to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph and then the Wolverhampton Express & Star.

He joined the Derby Telegraph as district news editor in 1992 before moving onto the Echo 1999. A successor to Richard in Stoke has yet to be announced.

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  • October 13, 2014 at 1:05 pm
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    A great shame – Richard is a fine journalist.

    I notice that this announcement comes on the same day that The Sentinel is praised on this site for its work in helping save the Wedgwood Collection for North Staffs – another example of the great work the paper has done during Richard’s time there as deputy and editor.

    Good luck for the future, mate.

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  • October 13, 2014 at 3:13 pm
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    One of the best campaigning journalists I have had the pleasure of working with. The Sentinel is losing a great editor.

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  • October 13, 2014 at 4:33 pm
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    Wow, I’m shocked. Good luck mate – and if you want a break away from it all you know where I am!

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  • October 13, 2014 at 5:04 pm
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    Cue imminent announcement about a job sharing role for another editor. We have one here already. *rolls eyes*

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  • October 13, 2014 at 5:12 pm
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    After this decision don’t let anyone from Local World, locally or nationally, look you in the eye and tell you they are serious about the stewardship or standards of their papers.

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  • October 14, 2014 at 7:31 am
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    I taught many a journalist shorthand under your editorship at the Lincolnshire Echo. You always showed concern for their training and helped them to gain their qualifications and metaphorically got the big stick out when they slacked. Good luck

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  • October 14, 2014 at 7:33 am
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    Whoops! I should say ‘Deputy editorship’ At the Echo. How could |I forget Mike Sassi as editor at that time?

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  • October 14, 2014 at 9:28 am
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    And it’s currently business planning time, when editors and their managing directors sit down to see how they might meet London’s ‘top down’ targets for 2015. #justsaying

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