Local, community-based news and content is being seen as key for the future of the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

It was relaunched this week with a new focus – and bad news will be relegated after feedback from readers.

Research by owners Trinity Mirror found readers wanted a new upbeat package.

The new approach and full use of colour press facilities will give the paper a more positive feel, according to editor Alan Kirby.

He said: “Every prominent story is now about real people and the way in which events affect their everyday lives. And we are using bigger and better pictures of those real people – images of councillors and council officers are ditched.

“The feedback from reader focus groups was constructively critical and really valuable to us. We are proud of our editorial content but this has encouraged us to look more carefully at how the news is presented.

“People felt that the paper was the best local source of news and information, but they also felt we could improve how we presented the news.

“Some felt we were too negative and focused too much on ‘bad’ news like crime. They wanted more fun.”

The paper also has a new design and bolder masthead, a new weekly female and family section, a junior sports pull-out, an enhanced daily what’s on section and a bigger weekly entertainment pull-out.

There’s a greater emphasis on local content, with a full column on the front page featuring teaser stories about specific local areas inside the paper.

And the letters page has been expanded across a double-spread to give readers a bigger platform for their views.

Midlands editorial director Mark Dickinson said the Telegraph was the first Midlands title to ‘break cover’.

He said: “We are spending a lot of time working with editorial teams and readers to help us improve the offering. Alan and his team have been through a tough time recently but everyone has really worked hard to modernise the Telegraph.”