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Second Northcliffe daily to go weekly from next month

A second Northcliffe-owned daily title is to move to weekly publication next month in the ongoing review of the group’s newspaper portfolio.

As the Torquay Herald Express published its last daily edition ahead of its relaunch as a weekly next Thursday, the publisher announced that the Scunthorpe Telegraph is also making the switch, with at least one and possibly two more titles still expected to follow.

The Telegraph, which has an average daily sale of 16,084 according to the most recent ABC figures, will publish its latest daily edition on Friday August 12.

The first weekly edition of the 74-year-old title, which bosses hope will run to around 140 pages, is due to hit the streets the following Thursday, 18 August.

It is not yet known how many jobs are at risk as a result of the change. The impact of the changes taking place at Torquay has been to reduce the editorial headcount by around half from the current level of 32.

Northcliffe Media said the decision to turn the Telegraph into a once-a-week product is part of a strategy to secure the title’s long-term sustainability.

Managing director Steve Auckland said: “This change to The Scunthorpe Telegraph is an investment in the future of the paper and will provide a fantastic product to the local community and real value to advertisers.

“The Scunthorpe Telegraph is highly valued by its readers and advertisers alike, and the new improved paper will provide the best possible product for readers in this area while offering a more valuable proposition in terms of advertising revenue.

Editor Mel Cook added:  “For many years the Scunthorpe Telegraph has been at the heart of the community in North Lincolnshire. This will remain so.

“The move to a weekly publication is a reflection of the changes in our readers’ lives.

“People do not have time to read the newspaper every day. However, they still want to know what’s happening in their area.

“They still want to know about the issues that affect their lives. And they still want the Telegraph to campaign on their behalf.”

Mark Price, managing director for Grimsby and Scunthorpe Media Group, said: “This is a significant change for the business and a major step forward for advertisers in North Lincolnshire.

“The Scunthorpe Telegraph has a long tradition of serving local communities, and this will continue.

“A local paper is vital – it’s trusted, it links local people with what matters, it campaigns on local issues – and essentially tells it how it is.

“Our advertisers will experience an immediate benefit as we anticipate a single issue of the weekly to reach a much wider market than any single edition of the current daily publication.”

17 comments

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  • July 15, 2011 at 9:50 am
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    Best of luck Scunthorpe, you’re going to need it. Bodycount down here in Devon was nine reporters, the entire photographic department (4 photographers), 75% of the sportsdesk (3). Advertising staff not touched.
    Check your contract wordings carefully and make sure management play by the book.
    Alternatively just do what I did and take the money and RUN…..

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  • July 15, 2011 at 10:24 am
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    After average daily sales down to 16,084; hardly surprising that Northcliffe have had to decide for the Telegraph to go weekly.

    Surely hardly another sign [or measure of its delusional hype] that “Scunthorpe is forging its future fortunes”!! Just like its former Labour MP Elliot Morley sloppy attempts to do likewise; which ended in dire consequences to his image and reputation!

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  • July 15, 2011 at 10:35 am
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    I disagree with Mel Cook’s comment “that people do not have time to read the paper every day.” I have bought the telegraph for years and am a very loyal supporter. This is a mistake!

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  • July 15, 2011 at 10:55 am
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    As a good customer to the Telegraph I feel very let down. Northcliffe DOES make a profit – its the bumbling executives and editors that let the community down!

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  • July 15, 2011 at 10:57 am
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    My opinion (for what it’s worth) is that advertising costs are too high in the big players’ publications. The local glossy admags that pop through your letterbox are packed with advertisers – who are put off by exorbitant rates in the paid-for papers. Meanwhile there is no investment in editorial staff, in a bid to cut costs; therefore fewer stories are brought in/written up as fewer people try to do the work of redundant subs as well as their own jobs. Sales slump and the downward spiral continues. But in their wisdom the bosses can’t see it!

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  • July 15, 2011 at 12:02 pm
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    I completely feel for the staff involved in this. My first job was on the Telegraph and I know how hard everyone there works every day despite escalating workloads, repeated staff cuts and a very lengthy pay freeze.

    I find it incredibly disappointing that none of the comments made from management over this ‘frequency change’ acknowledge what an awful blow this is for the people who work so hard for this paper.

    This is very sad news and I wish everyone the best.

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  • July 15, 2011 at 12:50 pm
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    It’s sad to hear that, once again, The Scunthorpe Telegraph is hit by what can only be negative changes. As an ex-employee, I know that there are many dedicated staff at the paper who have taken the rough with the smooth to sail that ship through rocky waters over the past few years, with little sympathy from top brass. And if another cull is on the cards I feel for those involved. Although, on the flip-side, I’m glad to be out of the doomed provincial newspaper industry. I’m surprised at Mel Cook’s comments though. I know he’s a talented editor who understands the role of a DAILY local rag – to hear him talk about changing reader habits and people not having time to read a paper every day just smacks of singing from top brass’s hymn sheet!

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  • July 15, 2011 at 1:48 pm
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    Actually, 16,000 sales seems pretty good.

    There’s plenty of titles shifting fewer.

    If this has become the trigger point fugure for management to turn newspapers from daily to weekly, then there must be dozens of editors out there right now furiously preparing statements about their readers having “no time” and “changing lifestyle patterns.”

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  • July 15, 2011 at 3:20 pm
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    Read what Steve Auckland says in the article and then go to thisisscunthorpe and see what the readers actually think….

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  • July 15, 2011 at 4:17 pm
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    I rather think Torquay and Scunthorpe are making the obvious moves. A strong weekly with all the advertisements from the area they serve, allied to a strong web-site for the urgent news with good cross references to the authoritive, well-rounded accounts in the printed product would seem the best combination of traditional and modern media. Look at Bath for a good role model. Good luck to them.

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  • July 18, 2011 at 10:36 am
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    Not sure I agree 100% with Mel’s comment – they do have time to read a newspaper every day, but they choose to do other things with that time. Good luck with the transition though, and Bath/North Devon are excellent (and profitable, now) templates to follow.

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  • July 22, 2011 at 9:02 am
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    timely previews and reports of the Irons matches were the only good thing about the paper, but that will go out of the windown with a weakly (sic)?

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