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New i website signals ‘commitment’ to digital growth says JP

Felicity MorseJohnston Press says the unveiling of a new website and digital news editor for the i signals the publisher’s “commitment” to digital across its national and regional titles.

Felicity Morse, pictured left, has been appointed to the role as editor Oly Duff continues to announce his new-look team prior to the publication of its first edition under JP ownership on Monday.

Felicity joins from BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat, where she was social media editor, and has previously held roles with Huffington Post and The Independent.

As part of her role, she will be responsible for boosting traffic to i’s new website, inews.co.uk, which is yet to go live.

JP says the move reflects its “on-going commitment to digital growth across all of its news brands” following the relaunch of seven of its regional titles’ websites – including the Yorkshire Post, the Lancashire Evening Post and The Star, Sheffield.

Last week JP editor-in-chief Jeremy Clifford said the company’s purchase of the i represented a”huge opportunity” for staff at the newspaper to “combine their expertise” with 900 existing JP journalists to provide readers with “effective and relevant content” at a national level.

Of her appointment, Felicity said: “I love i readers – they’re a strong community who care passionately about news but aren’t lacking a sense of humour. I can’t wait to start working with the new team both on the launch of inews.co.uk and growing the new site.

“It’s a fantastic time to be involved in such a first-rate digital journalism project, offering readers interesting, original articles online.

“I want to create a news site that means you don’t mind having a long commute, because you come off the train or bus feeling like you know more about the world.”

Oly added: “I’m delighted that Felicity is joining the new i project. She is a brilliant journalist whose social expertise and passion for i will build an excited, engaged digital audience.

“Under Felicity’s leadership, inews.co.uk will attract people with shareable concise, quality content that complements i’s award-winning print journalism. Expect serious news, mischief, and compelling stories.”

16 comments

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  • April 6, 2016 at 3:18 pm
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    “I love i readers – they’re a strong community who care passionately about news but aren’t lacking a sense of humour.” Actually, my mum, Old Ma Minim, reads the i so I’ll pass this on. I’d never noticed her sense of humour before.

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  • April 6, 2016 at 7:57 pm
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    Can someone name me just one newsaper that JP has improved?

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  • April 6, 2016 at 8:14 pm
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    @Confused. Well spotted. Strange that JP didn’t explain to its prospective pensioners (including me) why the liability had been cut.

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  • April 6, 2016 at 10:42 pm
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    I wish I still had this much optimism and enthusiasm, but it’s a bit disheartening when my employer is banking on me turning my toes up earlier than we’d both anticipated.

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  • April 7, 2016 at 9:45 am
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    If you believe this online experiment is going to work, you’re mad. Has anyone ever tried to navigate a JP website, or just find a local story on there? The internet’s been around for quite a while now, you’d think they’d have got the hang of it now…

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  • April 7, 2016 at 9:47 am
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    Danger! JP is propagating the failed digital message virtually days after buying i. Keep you eye on this one dear reader. It’s the first sign of JP destroying another formerly successful publication. Bye-bye i.

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  • April 7, 2016 at 10:08 am
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    Oh FFS. Do you know, my language used to be quite moderate until I started reading this site?

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  • April 7, 2016 at 12:10 pm
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    Ashley, will you NEVER learn?! Digital dosen’t work as a model for generating revenue. You can put all the news you want on your websites, but without ads you’re giving it away for free. Readers dont like ads on their mobile devices and advertisers dont want miniscule ads on somebody’s small phone screen. Then there’s ad blocking apps. Why dont you just invest in your print titles. They weren’t broken so why try to fix them. Just because YOU say people are moving aeay from print dosent make it true. YOU drove them away with your anti paper shenanigans! Now your digital strategy isnt working either. What a mess you’ve created. Just go away!!

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  • April 7, 2016 at 1:22 pm
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    Felicity. It is JP you have just joined. First rate is not in its lexicon.
    But the very best of luck.

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  • April 7, 2016 at 2:08 pm
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    Dear Echo and the Bunny men,
    I will pass your comment on to FFS. I heard his name mentioned regularly at JP towers as digital was decimated – sorry, introduced.

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  • April 7, 2016 at 6:55 pm
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    Switch jobs to somewhere else Ashley. You’ve done maximum damage to JP. I’m sure an unsuspecting company elsewhere awaits your talents for total destruction.

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  • April 8, 2016 at 9:42 am
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    Dead Digital Horse – You’re 100% right. The print publication WERE’NT broken. But they are broken now, thanks to the stupidity and greed of JP. I fear the damage us irreparable.

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