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Comeback for axed editor in magazine launch

A former weekly editor who lost his job in a restructure is bouncing back as a columnist for a new magazine to be launched on his old paper’s patch.

Jon Stokoe was made redundant from his role as editor of the Whitby Gazette in April despite his paper posting a 2.1pc sales rise in the latest ABC figures.

Now he is making a comeback by writing for a new free publication, Whitby Mag, which will be launched in August with a September cover date, and he has also set up his own media and PR company, Stokoe Media,

The new monthly title has been set up by former accountant Kathy Finkel, who is now a psychotherapist, and will compete with another magazine in the seaside town, called the Whitby Advertiser.

It will launch with an initial print run of 15,000 which will be distributed to homes across Whitby and the surrounding villages and Jon’s column will write about local events.

His new business, Stokoe Media, is also up and running and he has recruited a number of other former Johnston Press staff, who will carry out freelance work in areas such as video and IT.

It will focus on media and PR work across the Whitby and Yorkshire area and Jon said he hopes to eventually go into event management.

Said Jon: “It is a step into the unknown but thankfully I have had a lot of support from Whitby and district, as well as from Yorkshire and across the country.

“It has been a busy start. I have always been a journalist but I now have the opportunity to move into PR and the chance to do some more writing too.”

Kathy said the Whitby Mag will have an editorial content of around 25-30pc, including a double-page feature on a local school each month.

She has recruited a designer and sales rep to work on the title and a number of other people will write for it.

It will also raise funds for charity with 5pc of the annual profits going to Whitby Lifeboats and a range of charity events being held to support the good cause.

Kathy said: “I am very excited about the launch of it. I have just been really thrilled with the response that we have had. I have been thinking about doing this for some time.”

Since Jon left the Gazette, the Johnston Press-owned paper’s harbour-side offices have gone up for sale for £395,000.

4 comments

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  • July 2, 2013 at 12:04 pm
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    Best of luck to the man! Talent will always win in the end.

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  • July 3, 2013 at 3:28 pm
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    Looks like the new company is trying to be all things to all men, but hey why not go for it in this fashion? Good luck Jon. And if you pick up a few ex-JP staff along the way it’s one in the eye for them no doubt!

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