A regional daily newspaper editor who was made redundant before Christmas has launched his own media consultancy.
Former Bournemouth Echo news chief Neal Butterworth is hosting a series of seminars providing advice and tips on how to work with the media, entitled Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Local Media (But The Editor Never Returned Your Calls).
He has launched Neal Butterworth Media to offer services ranging from writing, editing and newspaper design to speech writing, speaking and hosting events, and promises the seminars will be “fun” as well as “a bit controversial.”
Neal has also set up a tongue-in-cheek website to accompany the project with the homepage headline: “Didn’t you used to be Neal Butterworth?”
Said Neal: “Just what the world needs… another bloody media expert. Ex- newspaper editor launches media business is hardly the biggest shock in the world, but I’m certainly not going to make money from golf or fashion modelling.
“Given the number of experienced editors “leaving to pursue new interests”, it’s going to be a crowded marketplace, but I reckon the experience and skills I gained as an editor could help local businesses, many of whom I’ve worked with in the past.
“I wanted the website to be fun and that’s what the seminars will be, although they’ll be informative, honest and a bit controversial too,” he added.
Neal left the Echo in December after 13 years as editor to be replaced Toby Granville. In a farewell message to staff, he wrote: “As you will all now be aware, my 13-year adventure as editor of the Echo is over.
“That’s about ten years longer than I expected, so I have absolutely no reason to feel that I haven’t had a decent crack at the job.
In short, it’s been a blast.
“I came here with the intention of creating a working environment that encouraged individuality, creativity, pride and humour. If I’m remembered for anything, let it be that instead of the plaudits that have made us a highly respected title.
“These have been challenging times and I will always appreciate your spirit and sense of loyalty to the cause, especially in recent years as we have watched valued colleagues leave. Now it’s my turn and je ne regrette rien.”
Neal also had some special words for his deputy Edward Perkins whom he described as “my Ernie Wise in all this madness.”
“More than any of us, he has helped make this a local newspaper with a genuine heart and soul and one I have been immensely proud to lead,” he added.
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I sometimes wish ex-editors would do something entirely different than launch media consultancies, of which there is now a glut. Why can’t ex-editors turn their hands to being bakers, say, or even funeral directors ? Both jobs would be more useful to society than yet more media spin.
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Jeez, @pageturner cut him some slack, eh?
Just got the tin tack before Christmas, so give him a chance.
And what’s wrong with sticking to what you know?
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Page Turner clearly has a bee in his bonnet about something. Sour grapes, I expect, from his own failed endeavours.
He’s right about the glut though – but it’s survival of the fittest so, if Neal can make a crust out of it, good luck to him.
As for other ‘more useful’ jobs, I’m open to suggestions. I can wring my hands with the best of them but unfortunately, the local undertakers aren’t taking on.
Baker? The warm climate would suit me but it takes skills I don’t possess.
I’m still scratching my head for other alternatives. All suggestions welcome!
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from personal experience of working with Neal, as well as having the skill to write, speak and impress any audience thrown at him he can also have a perfectly normal chat with the man on the street about the things that matter.
good luck to him! i can honestly say i think you’d get far more than just another media consultant, he’d actually be interested, care and you’d have a laugh along the way!
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Good luck to Neal, I only met him the once but he was a nice guy and was passionate about newspapers. It’s also good to see him paying tribute to his deputy Ed Perkins – someone whom I know very well from my early days at the Southampton Echo.
As for becoming a media consultant – the fact there are so many former editors out there ploughing this furrow is a sad indictment of the industry, that is willing to see highly experienced people go out the door in an effort to save a few quid. Sadly Neal isn’t the first and he certainly won’t be the last.
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There probably are too many media consultants out there, but what’s different about Neal is that he is bringing a large slice of humour to the whole enterprise, which ought to give him a head start on some of the others.
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‘Curious’, I haven’t really got a bee in my bonnet about anything, just stating that there might be more to life than frenetic ‘media consultancy’ work for ex-editors. After 35 years in newspapers, I’m retired but work as a part-time taxi driver. I often miss newspapers and have many fond memories. But I don’t miss the stress, the ulcers, and the years when I was a raging alcoholic.People – even journalists – are more adaptable and resilient than they might think. It’s never too late to take a completely different path in life, even one forced upon you by circumstance.
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Page Turner is right. Nowadays in between journalism assignments I work on hospital psychiatric wards. Strangely, I fit right in!
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