A former executive editor who left his paper after 20 years has launched a new media consultancy business.

Mike Hughes spent two decades with the Birmingham Post and helped oversee the switch from broadsheet to compact and then from daily to weekly at the end of last year.

He told HTFP that the Post’s change in frequency seemed the ideal time to start a new chapter in his life by moving from the Midlands to Darlington and launching Mike Hughes Media Advisers.

“The Post is a fantastic place to work but I really did feel like something fresh,” he said.

“I wanted to take away the safety net and do something on my own.

“My wife is from the town but it’s a completely fresh start and somewhere very different.”

Mike’s 30-year career saw him rise up from junior reporter to chief reporter with the Ormskirk Advertiser while at the Post he worked as chief sub-editor, night editor, assistant editor and finally executive editor.

His new venture, which was officially launched this week, will see him perform the full gambit of media services including single press releases and feature writing to full media strategies for companies.

He is also trying to establish links with schools so he can go in to speak to students about the media.

Mike has also recruited some old colleagues – former Post writer Jayne Howarth and Tony Collins, former education correspondent from sister title the Birmingham Mail – who will work remotely from the Midlands.

Also joining the team are ex-Northern Echo chief reporter Ian Lamming and freelance photographer Dave Charnley.

Comments

Fencehopper (21/04/2010 14:05:47)
Good luck to him – one of the nice blokes who never got the recognition he deserved.