A business news website has expanded its operations to take in a fourth English region.
TheBusinessDesk.com, which started life in Yorkshire in 2007, is accelerating its growth plans with the launch of an East Midlands portal.
The move is part of an £800,000 investment programme which the company says will result in a doubling of staff numbers.
It has recruited Sam Metcalf, who was the launch editor of rival site East Midlands Business Link and previously editor of Midlands Business Insider, as the editor of the new East Midlands channel.
TBD.com says its three established regions – Yorkshire, North West and the West Midlands – are on track to deliver more than 10m page views in 2016, representing audience growth of 40pc.
Executive chairman Mark Hales said: “We are central to the business communities in which we operate and we want to quickly have the deep relationships in the East Midlands.
“Our strong audience growth demonstrates the appetite for the news we provide in the way that we provide it and we are confident now is the right time to move into new areas.
“We have a number of ways we plan to continue to grow our audience throughout the year and have set ourselves very ambitious targets.”
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Certainly potential for further area coverage, particularly in the east where there is the need for a good independent business news provider and with some good business minded journalists out there who would be ideal with a wealth of experience, knowledge and contacts.
Good luck to anyone producing strong independent online sites that challenge the tired existing ones operated by the bigger players in regional press but whom aren’t producing this kind of in depth business news that’s of teal use to local businesses.
Opportunities exist for those bold enough to take them
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