A town whose weekly newspaper was recently axed as part of a series of cutbacks by Trinity Mirror is to get a brand new title in the New Year.
The Wokingham Times was one of three papers closed by the regional publisher this month as part of the move towards a digital-only operation in Berkshire.
It left the Wokingham News, owned by the Berkshire Media Group, as the only remaining title in the town.
But Phil Creighton, a former features editor of the Times, has now announced plans for another weekly paper for the town to be called the Wokingham Independent.
The new newspaper will be produced by an independent company, Xn Media, which already produces a glossy monthly magazine for the area called Xn currently edited by Phil.
A launch date has yet to be finalised, but Xn decided to go public with its plans to “reassure the public” after the Times’ final edition was published last week.
Said Phil: “Wokingham is a wonderful town with a host of impressive community events that bring people together. For it not to have its very own newspaper is unthinkable.
“We’ve spoken to a lot of people and they are distraught at the closure of the Wokingham Times, so it’s a pleasure to step in.
“Our plans will not be revolutionary. It will not be new and improved. It will not be chasing digital clicks by producing listicles and online quizzes. Instead, we promise a right riveting read that helps bring the community together and hold the powers that be to account.
“We’ll announce more plans in January, but we want to reassure people ahead of Christmas that something exciting is in the works.”
The Times was closed along with sister titles the Reading Post and Get Reading ahead of the move to an online-only operation based around the getreading.co.uk website.
The announcement led to the loss of 26 roles at the Berkshire titles although 12 new ones are being created.
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Sounds like a venture to be applauded. All the best!
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I really hope this is a success – it deserves to be. Perhaps a new paper for Reading as well?
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Fantastic news. May this be the first of many.
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Good luck – hope it works!
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This is the future.
The big media companies will sell off the titles and be replaced by smaller orgs that give a monkey’s.
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Good luck. A message to local early retired journalists, those previously axed etc: the big groups wanted ‘content’ of any sort for free – one of the reasons your professional services were no longer required.
It would be wonderful if you could occasionally feed suitable stories and pix to this new venture free of charge, at least until it gets on its feet.
The success of papers like this could halt the madness the ‘big boys’ are infested with, so saving jobs in 2015, and eventually creating some new ones. You can fight back with your talent.
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Well done, Phil. A very noble gesture and I am sure it will get a lot of support from local people.
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Good idea Ed. Been such a waste of experience and talent so far and wish this brave venture every success. At last some positive news!
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Brilliant. Let’s hope we see more of this in 2015 and get rid of the greed-driven fat cats squeezing the lifeblood out of the business.Quality will always win out, have faith.
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Newspapers and magazines free from corporate money-grabbers/cost-cutters will succeed so long as they are ultra local and embedded in the communities they serve – I speak from experience!
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Great news. Not so sure print is dead. Just dead men on the tiller to tip overboard. Happy Christmas shipmates!
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Well done Phil. Hope it proves a success. I am sure a few of your old colleagues will be happy to provide free copy to get the new publication off the ground.
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What? – news and features in English with real headlines, effectively packaged and with advertising advising readers of local facilities and services, turning the page when readers want to instead of waiting for some bonkers pop-up to leave. It’ll never catch on – I’ll stick with the cutting edge stuff thanks, cut and pasted into print, oh wait …. what print? Think I’ll go walk the dog. Merry Christmas.
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