Departing Dorset Echo editor David Murdock has become the latest signing for a growing PR agency founded by another ex-editor.

Deep South Media is run by former Bournemouth Echo editor Gareth Weekes and staffed entirely by ex-regional newspaper journalists, including several former staff of the Newsquest-owned Dorset titles.

David, who leaves the editor’s chair at the Echo next Friday after ten years, is joining to head-up a new office based at the model new town of Poundbury, near Dorchester.

And also coming on board the Deep South team is Scott Sinclair, former head of corporate communications at Ordnance Survey, who will be responsible for developing the company’s client base in Hampshire.

Before taking over at the Dorset Echo, David, left, was editor of the North Devon Journal series and deputy editor of the Express and Echo, Exeter

He said: “When you look at what is developing in Weymouth and Portland and in Dorchester these days, and what is going to happen in the next few years, you realise that the whole business scene is more interesting than ever before. I’m looking forward to helping draw maximum attention to what is going on.”

Before joining Ordnance Survey, Scott spent more than five years in the regional press working on titles including the Berwick Advertiser, Edinburgh Evening News and Southern Daily Echo.

“Deep South Media is expanding its media relations services for clients in many different industry sectors. For someone like me with a newspaper and PR background, it’s a great time to be joining such a go-ahead company where everyone comes from a journalistic background,” he said.

Agency MD Gareth said: “These are two important signings for us. Like all our account directors, David and Scott have a strong background in regional journalism.”

Gareth founded the agency ten years ago with the slogan “journalists working for you.” It now has more than 50 private and public sector clients across the south and west.