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Echo editor's future looks uncertain

Haverhill Echo editor David Hart could be out of a job by the end of the month leaving the paper with no editor.

The long-serving editor, who has been with the Suffolk title for 32 years, is currently in consultation with Johnston Press management over his position.

He told HoldtheFrontPage: “It has not been confirmed – at the moment I have been told my job is at risk and I’m going through a consultation process.

“It’s due to end sometime in the middle of the month and after that I shall now.

“If I go there wouldn’t be an editor – it becomes the responsibility of the group editor (Barry Peters) at the Bury Free Press.”

David has been editor of the Haverhill Echo, part of JP’s Anglia Newspapers division, for three-and-a-half years and prior to that was deputy editor for 20 years.

According to the latest ABC figures, the paid-for title has a weekly circulation of 4,782.

Three years ago the Echo underwent a major revamp not long after David took over as editor.

Among the changes were a new design, masthead and content including an entertainment section and agony aunt.

The project took six months to complete and was launched in Haverhill by advertising and editorial staff who dressed up as pirates and a parrot.

No-one from Johnston Press was available for comment.

Comments

Anonymous (04/09/2008 12:47:26)
What about the Suffolk Free Press, another title from the Anglia stable? There the editor has just left to join Archant. He is not being replaced by a full-time editor, instead the Newmarket Journal editor will edit both titles – splitting his time between two towns, for two titles which publish on the same day.
Then there are the numerous other Anglia Newspapers reduandancies – six staff have already gone and another five redundancies are under consultation.
Staff morale is rock bottom.

Unhappysnapper (04/09/2008 14:36:31)
It’s like that at the weekly newspaper I work for… that shall remain anonymous of course! We now have one Editor in charge of four seperate titles and he spends his time working out of three different offices and the whole thing is a complete farce. Crazy decisions made by the men in suits upstairs who have no idea how an editorial department works :(