A South Coast daily is asking readers to join a new panel to help shape the future development of the title.

Bosses at The News, Portsmouth, are promising to consult the panel over any changes to the paper and even how they rate a particular columnist.

Readers can register their interest in joining the panel via the paper’s website, portsmouth.co.uk.

Explaining the move, editor Mark Waldron said: “The News is YOUR newspaper – and we value your opinion. That’s why we’re setting up a News Reader Panel.

“By joining the panel and giving your views you can directly contribute to the development of The News and ensure we produce the best possible newspaper and website based on what you want.

“Maybe you want more sports coverage or think we need to improve our letters pages? Or perhaps you think we should make some other changes to The News.

“Maybe there’s an issue in your neighbourhood that you think we should be campaigning about or perhaps you simply want to let us know when we’ve done something well – or not so well.

“As a panellist, you and other readers will be given a voice to tell us exactly what you think about the content in the newspaper and on our website by answering short questionnaires.”

Membership of the panel is open to anybody who reads The News or visits portsmouth.co.uk.