Carlisle News & Star editor Keith Sutton has been appointed to the new post of editorial director of Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd.

He will advise and assist the senior management team in a continued bid for editorial excellence, and to develop career opportunities for journalists throughout the group, which includes the News & Star, the North West Evening Mail, and weekly newspapers the Cumberland News and Whitehaven News.

The CN Group also publishes a further three paid-for weeklies, a range of free newspapers and niche publications, and a runs new media business.

Its main publishing centres are based in Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness and Hexham with other offices in the principal towns of the region.

Keith, (56), pictured, has been editor of the News & Star and the Cumberland News since 1993. He worked in Fleet Street before moving to Barrow in Furness as editor of the North West Evening Mail in 1987. He is a member of the board of the Society of Editors.

Newspaper division managing director Christopher Bisco said: "Keith has accumulated many years of experience and expertise within the newspaper industry on national and regional titles.

"We believe that we can use his special strengths more widely by making his advice and support available to all our editors as they tackle the particular issues they face in their own local markets."

He will retain direct editorial responsibility for The Cumberland News, the News & Star, Business Gazette and the Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser and will continue to report to Christopher on these titles and in his new advisory role.

Christopher added: "The company's policy of sustaining strong, locally-focused, titles under independent editors remains and they will continue to report to their respective general managers and managing directors.

"I believe this is an important step in developing our business and in making best use of the excellent editorial talents available to us from within the CN Group.

"By promoting closer team-working across our centres, while retaining local responsibility, we believe that our individual titles will benefit from greater resources than those available to them in isolation."

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