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Regional daily editor turned media consultant dies aged 66

A former daily editor who went on to run a successful PR and publishing business has died aged 66 following a long illness.

Ranald Allan edited the Reading Evening Post and then the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette before leaving the industry at the end of 1999 at the relatively young age of 52.

He then moved to Scotland to set up a media agency, Ranald Allan Media Solutions, which he continued to run until his retirement.

Ranald died yesterday morning following a prolonged bout of ill-health.

Peter Montellier, who was Ranald’s deputy in Middlesbrough from 1993 to 1997 before eventually succeeding him as Gazette editor in 2000, was among those paying tribute.

Said Peter:  “As an editor, he was a genuine innovator and a vigorous champion of Teesside. He was a real operator.  I admired him greatly and will miss him massively.”

Born in Aberdeenshire, Ranald also worked at the Press & Journal, Aberdeen, and the Aberdeen Evening Express.

A former chairman of the Northern Region Guild of Editors, he returned to the North-East of Scotland with his wife Jane after leaving Middlesbrough and latterly lived in Inverurie, near Aberdeen.

He spoke about his new role as a media consultant in an interview with HoldtheFrontPage published in the early 2000s.

“I’ve been pretty busy and had plenty of variety but I miss the buzz and urgency of newspapers.  My most satisfying time during the year has been working with the staff of newspapers to improve their efficiency and operational systems,” he said at the time.

6 comments

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  • September 29, 2014 at 9:59 am
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    When I succeeded Ranald at the Gazette, he was extremely helpful, introducing me to key contacts. Such support proved invaluable as it was my first editor’s post. He was highly respected and popular across Teesside.. Very sad to hear the news and thoughts are with his family.

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  • September 29, 2014 at 10:42 am
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    I worked with Ranald when the NEEG was putting in a new editorial system. Unlike many editors, he took an active interest in the system and was the first to come up with suggestions of how it could be improved. Sad news to hear that he has passed away.

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  • September 29, 2014 at 1:08 pm
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    Ranald helped ensure that the reputation of Aberdonians being mean will stay intact. My memories of him are of incredible tightness. It became the stuff of legend to some who worked under his leadership. Incidentally Peter Montellier was the best editor I have worked under.

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  • September 29, 2014 at 1:24 pm
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    One of the big beasts of TRN in the ’90s glory days. Loud, forthright and sometimes a pain in the wotsit to work with but always delightful and congenial company. Newspapers today could do with more like Ranald.

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  • September 29, 2014 at 7:50 pm
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    I had the pleasure of working with Ranald in both Reading and Middlesbrough. He was a true champion of Teesside during his time at the Gazette and cared passionately about the region and its people. He loved papers, but he also seemed to love striking deals and as Peter M says, be was a real innovator in this respect. Very sad to hear of his passing.

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  • September 29, 2014 at 9:18 pm
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    I remember Ranald very well from his stay at Reading. When he came here as editor he quickly introduced modern technology, which in those days was having a TV with a video recorder! Great character and sad to hear of his death.

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