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Rival newspapers team up to launch joint campaign

Rival newspapers from four different regional press groups are teaming up to launch a joint campaign for a fairer deal for their region.

Traditonal morning paper rivals The Northern Echo and The Journal are suspending hostilities to launch the ‘NEVolution’ campaign – aimed at securing targeted investment for the North East.

The Trinity Mirror-owned Journal and Newsquest-owned Echo are being joined by Johnston Press dailies the Sunderland Echo and Shields Gazette, and CN Group-owned weekly the Hexham Courant.

Together they are aiming to bang the drum for the North-East regional ahead of the Chancellor’s spending review on 26 June.

Journal editor Brian Aitken said:  “The North East often, unfairly, gets accused of expecting too many handouts. But the region has a very good track record in recent years of doing great things – when the region has been united.

“The scrapping of the regional development agencies was a big blow for the North East in particular and The Journal has campaigned for some sort of regional structure to remain so that the good work could continue.

“NEvolution is a remarkable show of unity from the region’s editors but if there was to be a part of the country where rivalries would be set aside for the common good then this is the place.

“The North East is crying out for a more skilled workforce to meet the demands of the manufacturing sector in particular and if the Government listens to the calls of the region’s newspapers then we will all benefit.”

Echo editor Peter Barron added:  “This campaign shows the regional press at its best, with trusted local newspapers from rival companies coming together with a unique initiative aimed at banging the drum for their part of the country.

“Those who view journalists in a bad light should look to the positive way editors in the North-East are working together for the good of their region. I’m proud to be part of it.”

Colin Tapping, Courant editor and chairman of the Society of Editors Northern Region, said: “Newspapers across the region have put aside their rivalries to support a compelling case to the Chancellor on behalf of their communities.

“The North East as a whole stands four-square behind implementation of the Heseltine Report to deliver investment programmes to the region.  Our communities have an outstanding track record in transforming investment into real economic growth.”

The initiative has been backed by the Associaion of North-East Councillors (ANEC) and local business organisations.

It is designed to urge Chancellor George Osborne to devolve more money and power to local areas in his spending review which will cover the yeasr 2015 and 2016.

Councillor Paul Watson, chair of ANEC and leader of Sunderland Council, said: “NEvolution is a bold and unique way of telling the Government how vital the North East as a whole is to the overall economic prosperity of the UK.

“Working with the local newspapers to co-ordinate this campaign in such a unique way shows that across the economies of the North East we are speaking with one voice, asking for greater devolution of powers from the Government and, as an outcome, more targeted investment in this region.”

6 comments

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  • June 3, 2013 at 9:04 am
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    Great work. If only we’d had some joined up thinking like this for motors and property platforms 10 to 15 years ago!

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  • June 3, 2013 at 11:05 am
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    I’d say it’s akin to holding hands before going down a steep decline on a roller coaster!

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  • June 3, 2013 at 11:58 am
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    Er, grimnorth, that would be called “price-fixing” and unfortunately the OFT takes a bit of a dim view of that sort of thing.

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  • June 3, 2013 at 12:03 pm
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    Unless of course you are a bank, an oil company or an energy provider, Bluestringer.

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  • June 4, 2013 at 10:35 am
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    Two North Tyneside’s in the graphic, me thinks one should be South Tyneside, home of the Gazette…

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