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Evening paper aims to buck trend with new edition

A regional daily is seeeking to buck the circulation trend by launching a brand new edition from scratch.

Up until now Ipswich’s Evening Star has been a single-edition paper, but editor Nigel Pickover has taken the bold decision to start up a dedicated edition for Felixstowe, 14 miles away.

It will include up to three change pages a day, six days a week backed by a web service for breaking news.

The new edition, which hit the streets this week, also has its own editor in Richard Cornwell who is understandably upbeat about the project.

He told HTFP: “A lot of newspapers are drawing in their horns at the moment, but we’ve taken the decision to get out there and have a go.”

As well as Felixstowe, now the UK’s biggest container terminal, the new edition will also cover the villages of Kirton, Falkenham, Bucklesham, Nacton, Levington and Newbourne.

Nigel said he took the decision to make the investment in the seaside town because he firmly believes it deserves its own newspaper to help fight for it and keep people fully informed.

He said: “It’s a big investment in Felixstowe but we firmly believe the town has a bright future ahead of it.

“There is a lot of discussion taking place about growth, about new housing, schemes to provide new jobs, a move to regenerate the resort and the seaside attractions to bring even more visitors to boost its economy even further,” he added.

“Businesses in the town are still struggling in the face of recession and we want to help and support them through our newspaper and our websites. We want to work with Felixstowe and the community because it’s a very special place to live and visit.”

The Star already circulates in Felixstowe and the surrounding area but has never had a dedicated edition before.

The Archant-owned title lost 9.3pc of its circulation in the year between Jul-Dec 2008 and the corresponding period in 2009 to stand at 15,920.

Comments

Ex-hack (17/06/2010 09:12:46)
The Evening Star now only sells 15,920 ?! My God, things are even worse than I thought in the regional newspaper industry if this little gem now has so few readers. Good luck with the Felixstowe edition anyway.

Ex Suffolk Reporter (17/06/2010 09:49:57)
This editor loves newspapers. A lot.

Davy gravy (17/06/2010 10:20:28)
It’s not true that the Star has never had a dedicated Felixtowe edition before. It had one in the late 80s or early 90s. It’s Editor was….Richard Cornwell! Nice to see them reviving it, mind….

Happy Hack! (17/06/2010 11:10:02)
Good luck guys and well done for having the guts to have a go at launching a new edition!

Mr Cynic (17/06/2010 11:16:37)
I hardly think asking the subs to make up to three page changes a day constitutes a “brand new edition”!!! Some unanswered questions from this rather positive piece, don’t you think? How many brand new jobs are being created? When is the brand new office opening in Felixstowe to accommodate all the brand new journalists and subs for this brand new edition? Over to you…..still, good luck mind!

blah blah (18/06/2010 11:02:51)
The Star was a three edition paper as recently as 2004 – County, Felixstowe and Main Town.
As Davy Gravy says, Richard Cornwell has been Felixstowe editor for about a million years.
This is a ridiculous story. Although a typically good bit of spin from Pickover – never backwards in coming forwards with his own achievements.