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Local newspaper boss leaves company after five weeks

The managing director of a group of weekly newspapers in the North-West has left the company after just five weeks in the job.

Mark Rodgers was made managing director of Newsquest’s Cheshire division in early February after being approached via a firm of headhunters.

But in a letter to staff from regional managing director Chris Hughes, which has been seen by HTFP, it was revealed that he has already left the company.

It read: “Due to personal circumstances, Mark Rodgers has left the business with immediate effect.”

Mark was the  managing director for Johnston Press owned Sheffield Newspapers until losing that job in a restructure in December 2010.

He was replaced by John Bills after a company shake-up which saw Sheffield Newspapers, South Yorkshire Newspapers, North Notts Newspapers and Derbyshire-based Wilfred Edmunds combined into a single business unit.

When he joined Newsquest in February staff were told in an internal announcement that he would help grow the company’s top-line revenues.

Newspapers within the division include the Warrington Guardian, Northwich Guardian, Sale and Altrincham Messenger, and Wirral Globe.  In September seven journalists were made redundant across the 12 titles.

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  • April 16, 2012 at 1:33 pm
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    Accountant v an advertising professional, how often is that going to work?
    Newsquest’s loss will be someone else’s gain as good people do not grow etc.

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  • April 17, 2012 at 9:55 am
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    Funny eh, the old guard at Newsquest are still in place!

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  • April 17, 2012 at 11:19 am
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    So called advertising professionals have wrecked provincial newspaper.

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