A free newspaper circulating to homes in East London has been relaunched in tabloid format.
The Romford and Havering Post has gone from a quarterfold to a 48-page tabloid paper with the first new-look edition hitting the streets last week.
The weekly title, which is delivered free to 16,500 homes in the borough of Havering, will operate as a sister title to Archant London’s flagship paid-for the Romford Recorder and will focus on breaking news and “lighter, quirky stories.”
Recorder editor Chris Carter will continue to have editorial oversight of the paper assisted by Laura Burnip who has been newly-appointed as news editor after joining Archant as a senior reporter in June 2014.
Said Laura: “I’m delighted to be coming on board as news editor of the paper. While the Recorder provides in-depth analysis, interviews and features, the Post will give readers a mid-week update on breaking news.
“We want to make it an entertaining read, with fun and quirky stories, and highlight our readers’ achievements.”
Jackie Ross, features, entertainments, private classified and leaflets manager, said: “So far we have had good feedback from advertisers who feel the tabloid is more of a newspaper – the quarterfold was preserved more as a magazine.”
“The new tabloid Havering Post should attract more national bookings.”
The new-look paper will include a charity page, animals page and two education pages each week as well as a series of new columnists.
Pictured below are Laura (left), Chris and Jackie with the first new-look edition.
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“features, entertainments, private classified and leaflets manager” ?
Jeeez, Good old Archant still merging jobs I see
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‘Preserved’?
was the previous version seen as that much of an old relic? Or does she mean ‘ perceived’?
“Aimed at giving readers an update on breaking news” ?
Beggars belief that in the modern age of 24/7 instant on line news as it happens Archant believe that a free paper is how people access news these days??
And that from the editor ?
Oh dear, says it all really
not looking good is it
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Nicely spun by Archant. It was a tabloid originally then became a ‘quarterfold’. So it’s just reverting to what it was a few years ago.
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There must be a competitor opened up in the area
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I certainly think, Gaz, that Archant wants to protect Romford/Havering as a territory. It’s just about the only area in their London portfolio where newspapers are still bought in respectable numbers.
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As Kendo says, it’s a massive U Turn by Archant back to a tabloid, which will quite possibly be recycling last week’s Recorder ‘breaking news’. Will be interesting to see how the company’s other quarterfolds in south east London fare in the next year.
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How can they claim it has breaking news in a weekly paper?
Breaking news is, by its nature, instant not a week old ,they’d be better off trying to get users to their website if they really want to give people breaking news rather than pass this lite edition off as a medium for news. On one breath they say lighter quirky pieces , in another it’s all breaking news ,They just don’t get it do they?
And if its being ‘perceived’ more of a magazine isn’t that better than being percuecedperceivedbeing as a free paper? That’s where the market seems to be going
Left hands and right hands across Archants ad and edit depts.
John:
Let’s hope the ad rep who has all the job titles gets four people’s wages then
#jackofalltrades
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” the new tabloid Havering Post should attract more national bookings” how’s that then?
As evidenced by what?
National agency media buyers make decisions based on demographic / copy numbers and 16,500 is hardly a blip on any national media buyers campaign sheet
If the rep actually believes this then it would be interesting for her managers ( plural) to compare the growth in rop volume and revenue and target accordingly.
I somehow don’t think a small circulation free sheet will have the major players falling over themselves to book ads.
Would have been an idea to agree your statements first chaps rather than come out with bold rah rah statements that can’t be substantiated and which could come back to haunt you
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Hardly the answer to capturing readers in 2015 is it?
With one of the key issues for RP being rising costs including that of newsprint against falling revenues and having looked through the online edition of this free sheet it’s simply an ad grabber stuffed full of dated looking adverts that looks like it’s come straight from the 1980s.
The main newsy pieces are all about downbeat ones crimes,theft and appeals.
Hardly the kind of publication that any self respecting publisher would be proud of or the good folk of the East end will look forward to plopping through their letterboxes. A big backward step for Archant and the regional press if this is anything to go by
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If that’s the best story they could come up with for a relaunch, they are doomed. I just googled it to find out what it was about.
Man sends £50 to the Queen, palace returns it as the Queen cannot accept monetary gifts. Some would call it quirky, I’d call it something else
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Its amazing to think this is what all their excitement is about and how they believe this kind of outdated free sheet will attract national ads and delight readers
Sadly deluded or trying to kid themselves , you decide
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