A weekly editor is set to take on an additonal role in charge of its bi-weekly sister newspaper where he began his career.
Patrick Phelvin, left, who runs the Mid Devon Gazette series, will add the Exeter Express & Echo to his portfolio after Jon-Paul Hedge announced he would depart at the end of this month.
During his two years in charge at former daily title the Express & Echo, Jon-Paul oversaw a publishing frequency change from weekly to bi-weekly.
He had moved to the role in January 2014 after previously serving head of content for the Torquay Herald Express, where he had begun his career 12 years before.
All three titles are part of Local World, which was bought by Trinity Mirror in a £220m deal in November.
Jon-Paul’s forthcoming departure and replacement by Patrick was announced yesterday.
Said Jon-Paul, pictured left: “After 14 years in local journalism I feel that the time is right, for the benefit of both myself and my family, to move on to a different career.
“I intend to be self-employed, working as a media consultant for a while, and will continue to shout about the amazing things going on in Exeter.”
“I am incredibly proud of what the Echo has achieved in this remarkable city. The relocation to the centre of Exeter, where the paper belongs, has been a superb move.
“The launch of the Monday proved to be viable, and I fully expect it to continue to be so. The team have done all of this while growing our online audience.”
Patrick will take up his new combined role on 1 February.
After training at Exeter, he embarked on a career that has seen him working as a business journalist in the Middle East, writing for national newspapers and creating digital content for clients such as the Telegraph Media Group.
Patrick said: “I trod every street in Exeter as a trainee and have always loved the city.
“There are many challenges ahead but also some huge opportunities. I’m incredibly excited about the Express & Echo’s future and delighted to be asked to lead the team there.”
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And still those in charge hold onto their roles amid the obvious breakdown of the business before our very eyes.
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They’ve either been promoted or moved on Juan! Only us toilers left here to try and muddle through their crazy, inept ideas.
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Good luck Patrick….boy are you going to need it.
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When will someone step in and save this business from the jackals?
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Might need to change that ‘bi-weekly’ description of the E&E soon, I hear….
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So Jon-Paul’s “incredibly proud” and Patrick’s “incredibly excited”. Totally incredible.
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Goner. You are a boner.
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Colleague of mine at an LW title had his head in his hands yesterday, unable to work out how he’d be able to do all the work which was being sent his, and the desk’s, way. Fewer and fewer staff, more and more digital work, alongside the not exactly small task of making sure the daily newspaper we work for – the one which is now of secondary importance to the website, but which pays all the bills – comes out on time. If only we had a union prepared to fight for its members. Not exactly Aslef, is it?
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Best thing to happen to paper in a while. The Echo needs a breath of fresh air – not to mention some decent front pages and proper stories – best of luck to Patrick.
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Everything seems to be going well from my perspective.
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Everything in the garden is ‘superb’, ‘amazing’, ‘remarkable’, etc, except the simply ‘viable’ new-ish Monday edition. Damned – and doomed – by faint praise?
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Patrick’s a good guy but, as with all the good guys hanging on in there in regional media these days, will he get the backing to do the job properly?
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Sniff….sniff….smells a bit fishy to me.
Did JP go, or was he pushed?
Does that mean an amalgamation of the Tiverton Gazette office and Echo office, hence a dual role?
Another nail in the coffin for the poor old E&E!
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What IS going on in the once mighty DC Media empire? Elsewhere in the business today one of the best sports editors in the business has been given his cards. Will the last one out turn off the lights, or will they find the switch has been sold off for cash?
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Don’t worry Churnow, we’ve still got enough for the hospitality jollys.
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Kernow, which paper lost its sports editor please?
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All getting a bit gloomy on here. I’ve seen dodgy press releases and this isn’t one. Believe it or not the facts are that JP has decided to move on all of his own accord and I am flippin’ chuffed to be asked to take on this job. Velvet – I’m not one for hospitality jollies. HTFP – happy to supply you with a more flattering pic.
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Shared content is not unknown between the Echo and the Gazette. Patrick is one of the good guys and I am sure he will do his best, but the problems lie further up the food chain.
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The Cornish Guardian lost its sports editor to redundancy on Friday. Shows what the management in DC Media really think of journalism. This guy’s efforts were keeping readers buying a paper which elsewhere was a poor imitation of what it used to be. Now they have got rid of the one shining beacon of quality. Goodbye the rest of the readership.
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Patrick Phelvin – We’ve just had a look through the archive and, frankly, it’s gonna be a struggle to find a more flattering pic of you than that! 😉
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So the Western Morning News closes its Sunday edition with possible redundancies afoot and then two weeks later the Echo editor …(cough) moves on …no link? Also has anyone noticed that Editors of the Echo are starting to look the same?
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Another media consultant; thank God. Supply can’t keep up with demand.
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