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Regional daily gets ‘top performer’ as new editor

A much-travelled, award-winning newsroom chief has been appointed to his fourth regional daily editorship.

Kevin Booth, editor of the best performing title in England last year, is taking the reins at the one of Britain’s Top Ten regional titles – the Leicester Mercury.

The Burton Mail’s editor for the last five years replaces Richard Bettsworth who is stepping down from the role to seek a “new challenge.”

Richard, who served as deputy under Mercury predecessors Nick Carter and Keith Perch before becoming editor three years ago, is leaving the business next Friday, ending an association with the former Northcliffe title that goes back to 2000.

“The chance to edit the Mercury is one I can’t resist. I am genuinely excited by the prospect of working with its staff to grow its online and print audience and further enhance its role in the wider community,” said a delighted Kevin, pictured right.

“The last five years in Burton have been extremely rewarding, with the paper continually punching above its weight both in terms of its newspaper sales performance and its campaigning stance.

“Our success in last year’s ABCs was down to the hard work and commitment of a small, but dedicated team and the fact the sales trend has continued this year is clear evidence it was no fluke.”

Kevin, who takes up his new post on 8 September, has edited regional dailies since September, 2000, with his first berth at the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.

Three years later, he was appointed editor of the York Evening Press where in 2004 he led the switch from broadsheet to compact. In 2007, his paper won a clutch of industry awards after its campaign on child abduction brought about a change in the law.

He began in journalism 40 years ago in his home town – on the Stoke Sentinel – and has enjoyed spells on the Derby Telegraph, Birmingham Mail and as deputy editor of the Bristol Post.

Richard, who began his career at The News, Portsmouth, in 1990, has led the newspaper through a time of great change, including a major development of its digital service and huge increase in its web audience.

He’s recently been working on the launch of a new Saturday and weekend edition for the Mercury, which saw sales fall by 14.4pc in 2013 to just over just 36,000 daily.

Richard, pictured above, said: “I have loved every minute of my time on the Mercury and feel immensely proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to edit such a great title and serve such a great city as Leicester.

“It’s been a tough decision to leave a job which I’ve enjoyed so much, but I believe that this is the right time for me to move on and seek a new challenge.”

David Simms, publisher and managing director at the Leicester Mercury, said: “Under Richard’s editorship the Mercury has been a vibrant and influential part of Leicester life.

“He has been a passionate ambassador for our business – he’s been a positive influence across the region, and proud of the newspapers/web sites he’s worked on.”

8 comments

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  • August 22, 2014 at 2:52 pm
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    Another editor *ahem* looking for a new challenge.
    Normally people get the new job BEFORE they leave, not after.

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  • August 22, 2014 at 3:24 pm
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    Any chance of Local World now turning their offer of “fresh opportunities” to editors in the direction of this office?

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  • August 22, 2014 at 4:03 pm
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    I have to ask: is there ANY regional media MD out there who won’t set my Insincerity Klaxon off the minute they speak?

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  • August 22, 2014 at 8:04 pm
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    “I have been blissfully happy to the point of Buddhist Nirvana in my post, feel valued by colleagues and readers, and secure in an environment into which I was brought up to believe in … but am now “stepping down” to rise to the challenge of signing on amongst people that as a middle-class career man about whom I feel pretty terrified and who are totally off my social radar – plus no more salary, of course.” Yeah, yeah. yeah. Nice one, son.

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  • August 23, 2014 at 12:34 pm
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    I’m with you Bert B. Quality is disappearing fast.

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