Two South Wales weeklies have their own individual editors again – nearly three years after the roles were combined.

Cathryn Ings is the new editor of the Carmarthen Journal while Bede MacGowan is in the hot seat at the Llanelli Star which this year celebrates its 100th birthday.

The two papers were previously under the control of South Wales local press stalwart Robert Lloyd who took over the joint role in March 2006.

Cathryn has been acting editor of both titles since November after Robert decided to embark on a new career but she took over the sole editorship of the Journal on Tuesday.

Cathryn, who was previously assistant editor of the Journal and Star, said: “It’s been quite difficult because the two papers are very different – the Journal is very rural while the Star is more urban.

“The papers are served better by having one individual editor so they can concentrate very much on their product.

“The two are so different, like different worlds – the towns are about 15 miles apart but you couldn’t imagine two more different places. I think it will work much better.”

Cathryn, 40, started as a trainee reporter with the Llanelli Star 20 years ago and, prior to becoming the assistant editor, was features editor at Northcliffe sister daily the South Wales Evening Post.

She added: “We’re developing a new entertainment supplement which is really important and I want to start a new business page to support local companies.

“I want the Carmarthen Journal to be a strong local paper and to build it up along with the new website which we launched last month to get more videos online.”

Bede MacGowan, 33, has been a journalist for seven-and-a-half years and started his career with the Western Gazette, in Yeovil.

From there he went to the London and Kent-based News Shopper Series before becoming assistant news editor at the South Wales Evening Post.

He said: “My main aim is to make it as relevant as possible to readers and people in the town in what is a very difficult time for the area.

“It’s a great place with so much history and, with the newspaper being 100-years-old, it’s a really important year.

“We want to make sure we have a big voice on issues and really work on readers’ behalves.”

The Llanelli Star’s official birth date was 9 October 1909 and Bede said he hoped to mark the occasion by looking back in time at early editions and speaking to locals who have, or are about to, turn 100 as well as hosting a party in the town.

Comments

Fast Woman (06/02/2009 11:16:59)
And it’s not even April Fool’s Day for a couple of months.
Every other story seems to be a list of culled editors as groups either do away with the post entirely, or expect someone to editorially oversee a stable of diverse papers and websites across a region. All backed up by the standard big cheese quote of how this will improve local content.
Now we see, thank goodness, someone doing exactly the reverse. Good luck to all concerned.

Lord Lucan (06/02/2009 12:36:49)
…that’s as maybe but spare a thought for the editor they made redundant in 2006 to bring in the joint role. A bit galling for them to see it’s being brought back so soon.