A weekly newspaper whose journalists have been based in a neighbouring town for the past 18 months is to move back into the heart of its patch.
The Slough Observer closed its office in the town in December 2012 with its staff based in Reading since then.
But the Berkshire Media Group title has now confirmed it is to return to the heart of its local community by opening a new office in the town next week.
Managing director Keith McIntyre has told HTFP that with hindsight, the original move should never have happened.
Said Keith: “We appreciate that opening new offices is very much against the current trend of centralisation and consolidation, but with the benefit of hindsight, we should never have moved out of our local communities.
“We are local news organisations and we should never forget that. Our reporters, led by editor Tim Cole will now be able to get out and about much more easily and play a pivotal role covering local news and events.”
Keith revealed that the paper was also in the process of recruiting an additional reporter to bering its newsgathering team up to strength.
He added: “Readers and advertisers will now be able to pop into the office to chat to reporters or place ads and staff don’t face the commute to Reading – everyone should be a winner.”
The new office on Windsor Road in Slough will house around 20 staff comprising of editorial, advertising and distribution teams while BMG’s Bracknell sales team will also be based there rather than in the Reading Office.
The Observer’s sister titles the Royal Borough Observer and Slough Midweek will also be put together from the new base.
A second phase of the group’s bid to move closer to its readers will see the Reading Chronicle move from an industrial estate on the outskirts of Reading to a prime town centre location in the autumn.
Said Keith: “Berkshire Media Group has gone from strength to strength in the past 6 months and we are grateful to our parent company Romanes Media Group for recognising this and investing in us by allowing us to get back to what we do best – serving local communities.”
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A bit of common sense, at last. Good to hear of a newspaper group wanting to get closer to their readers and still having the belief that advertisers and readers will pop in, if they know where to find you.
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At last – a publisher that remembers it has readers and advertisers. A lesson could be learnt here if only the organisations like Johnston Press and Local World could look beyond their constant predeliction for digital content.
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“we should never have moved out of our local communities”
Enough said.
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Sadly the Slough Observer is a shadow of its former self when it used to have a much higher circulation, used to beat the Slough and Windsor Express with umpteen tales a week, had at least nine reporters, two staff photogs, and was printed in the town. Well over 100 years old.
Now it’s a freesheet I hear and not regarded as the district’s main paper. Take at look at it online to see.
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Capt starlight – you hear wrong. The Slough Observer is not and never has been a freesheet. Presumably whichever paper you regard as the district’s main paper has more staff now than it did in the past and is growing circulation? No? Thought not…
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Apologies for saying the Slough Observer is a free sheet (wrongly informed by someone) but I very sadly note its circulation has been steadily falling and last weekly figure was 5,750. Very poor for such a huge town plus the villages around it.
I remember when it was well over 20,000 and also had a midweek edition.
I note that the Slough Express is a freebie and has nearly 45,000 distribution.
I thank you…..
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It still has a midweek edition with a free distribution of over 40k – you really should check you know…
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Reporters working and living locally are the way forward. local knowledge is essential to avoid shallow reporting and missing stories.
And get them away from their computers every day!
Well done BMG. JP and Newsquest please follow.
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