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Boorman at the helm

The Newspaper Society’s new president has taken up his post for the year 2001-2.

Edwin Boorman, chairman and chief executive of the KM Group, is anticipating an exciting and challenging year ahead for the Society and the industry it serves.

He told the Newspaper Society council of members: “My role will be to make the Newspaper Society’s voice heard… to bring together differing views and then to support the Society’s work with every sinew.”

He looked forward to a changing future for the regional press and outlined the role it had to maintain.

“Our newspapers will become electronically bound into the local and regional media information service,” he said.

“It is necessary that the Communications Bill reflects this. It is necessary that the barriers raised by local dignitaries who are anxious to see plurality of editorial influences, understand technology, current editorial practice and the way that advertising, our life blood, is placed, already undermines their worthy vision.

“If they continue to disadvantage newspapers who wish to own other branches of the media in their locality, they could end with little or no local news at all.

“Our public role is to scrutinise, challenge and inform, especially at a time when the government enjoys such a majority that it feels able to bypass parliament while encouraging the cabinet form of government through our local government system.”

Edwin Boorman succeeds Alec Davidson who, as managing director of Northcliffe Newspapers Group, was president for the year from July 2000.

Edwin is a long-standing member of the Newspaper Society’s Council and has served on various committees, including editorial and training. He is a former director of the Regional Newspaper Advertising Bureau.

The Society’s new vice president is Tim Bowdler, chief executive of Johnston Press.

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