Tributes have been paid to a former editor of two regional dailies who has died at the age of 73.
Ken Rice, left, joined the East Anglian Daily Times as a sports reporter in 1962 and rose to become editor, presiding over the highest sales figures in the title’s history as circulation nudged 50,000.
He retired from editorship in 1993, to care for his parents, before returning to his first love of sports reporting at the end of his career.
Ken also edited sister daily the Ipswich Star during his career and, away from work, played cricket for the Essex 2nd XI alongside future England captain Keith Fletcher.
Terry Hunt, current EADT editor, said: “Ken was a great journalist and editor. He had an intuitive understanding of his readers, and during his editorship the EADT enjoyed a period of unprecedented growth.
“Ken understood the ‘personality’ of the EADT as a balanced, thoughtful and certainly non-sensational newspaper and you can still see much of his influence in the paper to this day.’’
Ken began his career with the East Essex Gazette in his hometown of Clacton-on-Sea before joining the EADT.
He worked his way through the journalistic ranks to become editor of the Suffolk Mercury Series, then the Evening Star, and finally the EADT.
A talented cricketer in his younger days, Ken was also a dedicated family man.
He married Liz in 1964, and they went on to have four children. The family settled in Bramford, near Ipswich, in 1965, and this has remained the family home ever since.
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Ken was my first editor, and far and away the best. He knew his paper’s strengths, he knew what readers wanted and gave it to them straight, and the results spoke for themselves. More than that, though, he was a thoroughly decent and compassionate man who understood people, and that made him both an excellent journalist and an excellent employer. I’m deeply saddened to hear he’s gone. My sympathies and best wishes to his family and friends.
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My first ‘proper’ newspaper as a newly trained newshound. Ken Rice gave me the best grounding on a daily that helped give me a good career in dailies in the NE and South of England. I am ever grateful for the chance he gave me.
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Ken gave me my first break aged 20 and I shall never forget his patience, fortitude and consistency. He was my editor for the first three years of my career – which are the most formulative for any reporter – and despite my many mistakes and poor judgements he never failed to back us youngsters if he knew we meant business. Always a modest man who cared for his readers – which is how he built his success – he deserved much greater acclaim than he received in a subsequent era of journalism that became solipsistic, self-serving and cruel. if his kind could rule again, our Press would be a healthier institution for leaders like Ken. I am sorry to hear he has gone. Thanks Ken. RIP. Steve.
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A true gentleman.
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