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Editor plans new start-up to take on former paper

A former weekly editor who set up his own monthly title four years ago has revealed plans to take on an established regional daily.

The Worthing Journal was launched in January 2011 by former Brighton Argus journalist Paul Holden, who set up the magazine after being made redundant following the closure of the Worthing Sentinel, where he was editor.

Now Paul has revealed his hopes to publish a sister title in Brighton to rival his former paper and is hoping to call on former Argus colleagues to help with the new venture.

His comments came as The Journal marked the publication of its 50th issue.

Worthing Journal

The 50th edition of The Worthing Journal, which is currently on sale

Paul said of the milestone: “It has been incredibly hard work, but also great fun. Editorially, The Journal has gone back to basics, covering local issues in depth, just as papers did 100 years ago.

“In a Facebook world where rumour is presented as fact, and facts not checked, Journal readers appreciate old fashioned journalism which is accurate and balanced.

“My next aim is to launch a Brighton Journal.

“A lot of the groundwork has been done but it’s just finding the time to do a proper job, so I may call on former Argus colleagues to assist.”

Since its launch, the Journal has campaigned on issues including the state of the town’s promenade and the unsightly tarmac patching on its main shopping precincts.

The magazine has also revealed exclusive stories including how Worthing Borough Council paid out £800,000 to car park operators NCP despite the Town Hall imposing a gagging clause on councillors in a bid to keep the total secret, as well as exposing plans to shut the resort’s tourist information centre.

The Argus has seen some of the biggest circulation declines in the industry over recent years, with the average daily sale now down to 14,370 according to the most recent ABC figures.

However it recently scored a notable coup by poaching the award-winning editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Mike Gilson, to become its new editor in succession to Michael Beard.

14 comments

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  • January 27, 2015 at 8:49 am
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    Good to see a new venture and best of luck. But I am wondering how a monthly publication can “take on” a daily, albeit a sadly mediocre one nowadays with dreadfully low sales. My guess is that Brighton needs is a high quality news-based weekly (hope it is not the Argus) but good luck Mr Holden.
    Mr Gilson, meanwhile, would be well advised to stop pretending the once superb Argus is a regional paper. It needs to ditch the rest of Sussex and become what we Brightonians want, a proper, authoritive EVENING paper to be the voice of Brighton (and Hove actually).

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  • January 27, 2015 at 9:44 am
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    Not sure I plan to take them on, just provide something different!

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  • January 27, 2015 at 9:59 am
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    Well done, if only more of us had the same courage. I hope the success continues – Regards, Ken Jackson

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  • January 27, 2015 at 10:51 am
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    Good point Paul. Difficult for a monthly to take on a daily, even one with such dreadfully low sales as the Argus.
    Must be plenty of good out of work hacks able to help you, thanks to JP, Trinity, Newsquest et al.
    Very best of luck with the new venture.

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  • January 27, 2015 at 12:20 pm
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    Great read from front to back, takes me a month to read it, the future of publishing.

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  • January 27, 2015 at 2:17 pm
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    Local news for local readers – what will they think of next?

    I much prefer my local paper to be full of ‘national fillers’, stories from villages I have never heard of and plenty of user generated copy that reads like it was written by a 10 year old.

    Seriously – good luck mate.

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  • January 27, 2015 at 3:38 pm
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    Does this editor really think his journalism skills are that great?
    If a free local newspaper lets him go with it’s abolishment, I think that goes to show the calibre of the stories.
    I have read the journal and it seems like all that the editor does is moan and look for ways to give the local councils bad press…. You are not the saviour sir!

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  • January 27, 2015 at 4:07 pm
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    Philistine. It’s its not it’s. Basic schoolboy error. And you were questioning Mr Holden’s skills? Hmmmm!

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  • January 27, 2015 at 5:59 pm
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    As a subscriber of the Worthing Journal, and one whose copy is read cover to cover (including the adverts ! ) by all in my household, this relatively new format of reporting local issues both past and present in a handy sized full colour publication is an absolute boon and enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. I’m sure the good people of Brighton & Hove would welcome a Journal of their own, and wish Paul every success with his plans.

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  • January 27, 2015 at 6:11 pm
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    Sad to say Philistine writes like, er, a philistine. Apart from the ‘it’s’ embarrassment, the second sentence makes no sense at all. And the word ‘abolishment’ is an abomination. What’s more, he fails to cap up the word ‘Journal’.
    A bit of advice, old chap. When you live in a conservatory, resist the temptation to throw stones.

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  • January 28, 2015 at 1:06 am
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    All I can say is poor Mr Gilson, after a class paper like the BT to the chip wrappings of the BTN Argus

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  • January 28, 2015 at 1:58 pm
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    Robbo. Bit harsh on overworked and terribly understaffed people who do their best for Argus. I do hope Mr G does not have a brief to turn paper into weekly. City deserves a good daily, though returning to evening publication would be better than out of date next-dayer.

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  • January 29, 2015 at 6:17 am
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    Brighton already has a weekly – Brighton and Hove Independent, a free weekly, which is a great paper and growing very rapidly. It claims to already have more readers in Brighton and Hove than the Brighton Argus, which is probably true.

    Very saturated market in Brighton but good luck nonetheless.

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  • January 29, 2015 at 4:47 pm
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    The Brighton and Hove Independent is far from being a great paper!

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