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‘We’re here to stay’ says boss of newspaper start-up

A weekly newspaper which launched a year ago has marked its first birthday with a celebration video.

The Pembrokeshire Herald first hit the streets last July and now claims a weekly circulation of 8,000 paid-for copies and a part-time editorial staff of seven.

They have put together a birthday video, set to a version of Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire,’ which features some of the highlights from the paper’s first year.

The video, which can be seen on the paper’s Facebook page, also features an appearance by editor Tom Sinclair dressed as a chicken.

Said Tom:  “The last twelve months have been a steep learning curve, both for me and the Herald’s staff, but we’re certainly here to stay.

“One thing that I am very proud about is that the Pembrokeshire Herald has established himself as a distinct voice in the local newspaper market.

“The paper’s content is often controversial and provocative and I am very pleased that the Pembrokeshire public has responded so well to it.

“The last year tells me that people like “hard” news stories reported in detail; they like a newspaper to treat them like adults; they want a newspaper that will dig to get to the heart of an issue; and that they will buy a newspaper that is not afraid to take sides on the big questions.”

The paper got off to a rocky start last July when it published an advert for a car hire firm which had been doctored to contain an obscenity.

Tom apologised to readers and claimed the paper had been “sabotaged” by an “unauthorised person.”

A few weeks later the launch editor Bruce Sinclair, who was no relation of Tom, resigned in a row over a comment piece published against his wishes that was critical of a journalist at a rival newspaper.

Tom has since taken on the editor’s role himself.

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  • July 16, 2014 at 11:06 am
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    Keep up the good work Thomas. All of us here at the station are proud of you.

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