The former editor of the Dorset Echo has publicly criticised the current cutbacks at the paper in a comment on HoldtheFrontPage.
We reported yesterday that veteran reporter Harry Walton was among eight staff who have lost their jobs at the Weymouth title.
News editor Paul Thomas was also among the redundancies at the Newsquest-owned daily which were announced shortly before Christmas.
The story prompted a comment on HTFP from former editor Mike Woods who was in charge of the paper for 12 years in the 80s and 90s.
“I edited the Echo from 1984 to 1996 and remember the days when people queued at the town centre office to buy it moments after the first edition rolled off the press,” he said.
“It then had one of the best sales records of any UK regional daily paper – mainly due to an incredibly hard-working and devoted staff led by stalwarts such as Paul Thomas and Harry Walton. If Newsquest’s hidden agenda is to kill the title I congratulate them. Sacking such people is precisely the way to do it.”
Another Echo journalist who lost his job was Mike Phelan. He also left on a comment on HTFP advertising his 36 years’ experience as a reporter, sub and crossword compiler.
“This was a sad time indeed – I also lost my job as deputy chief sub-editor of the Dorset Echo, finishing on Christmas Eve. Now I’m looking firmly to the future – and I’m in the market for fresh opportunities,” he said.
As well as the job losses in Weymouth, it is also understood that there have been a number of redundancies at the neighbouring Bournemouth Echo, including long-serving arts and entertainment editor Jeremy Miles.
Newsquest Dorset has been made aware of Mr Woods’ comments but has repeatedly declined to comment on the redundancies.
Comments
Old Hack (13/01/2009 21:51:34)
Newsquest Dorset declined to comment eh? Just shows they have no idea. No comment always, but always comes over as “get lost we couldn’t give a monkeys.” But any one of their experienced reporters could have told them that.
Clive (13/01/2009 23:49:39)
Why should Newsquest answer what is being said here? They are comments of someone who hasn’t worked there for over a decade, and therefore can only be making life harder for the journalists left there by crowing about how bad the situation is now compared to the good old days when he was in charge. Crikey.
Old Hack (18/01/2009 10:11:36)
Their reluctance to comment indicates the same dismissive attitude they have to their reporters up and down the country.
I don’t think Mike Woods’s comments can make things any worse.