Two weekly papers in Kent have been merged and relaunched as a new paid-for title.

The News, which hit the streets for the fist time last Thursday, is an amalgamation of the old Medway News and the sports-led Medway Standard, which used to come out on Tuesday.

The new paper has undergone a complete redesign and is designed to be a mid-market “reader’s friend” rather than a sensation-seeker, according to its bosses.

It covers the developing Medway area, the largest conurbation in the south-east outside London, and the home of Kent’s only Football League club, Gillingham.

Production editor Catherine Langston said: “The emphasis is on delivering plenty of content and ‘extras’ to spice up the readers’ experience.”

“With a simple and clean design, it carries a great package of news, sport and entertainment from across the Medway area, focusing on issues which matter to local people.”

The paper has dedicated sections for the communities of Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Strood and Rainham.

Its reporting team, led by newly-appointed multi-media editor Christine Rayner and community editor Nicola Jordan, is based at Kent Regional News Media’s newly-opened centre in Gillingham.

Catherine added that no jobs were lost as a result of the decision to merge the two papers.

Comments

Ozzie (21/01/2009 14:31:22)
So – how come the editor, Diane Nicholls, left? – Presumably to make room for Ms Langston.

In the know (23/01/2009 14:21:20)
Catherine Langston is the production editor and has been with KRNM for sometime, certainly prior to its acquistion by Northcliffe.