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Editor changes splash after fans air views on Twitter

A regional daily editor changed his paper’s front page today after being inundated with messages about it on Twitter.

Newcastle daily The Chronicle had initially issued an ultimatum to Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley after the club’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last night.

Running with the headline ‘Keep Rafa… or go’, The Chronicle urged Charnley to persuade manager Rafa Benitez to stay in charge at United, or quit if he was unable to do so.

But after editor Darren Thwaites posted the planned front page, pictured below, on Twitter, readers inundated him with messages on the social networking site urging him to change it.

Rafa 1

As a result, the headline was changed to ‘Keep Rafa… then go’, urging Charnley to depart his role after securing Benitez’s services.

Readers’ comments on the change varied from “outstanding” to “That is why the local press is so important. Well done.”

In a series of tweets, Darren wrote: “Fans are telling us Charnley must go regardless – we’re reconsidering the front page.

“The power of public opinion changes our front page to this (pictured below).”

Rafa 2

Darren told HTFP: “It’s a sad day for the city to see the club relegated for the second time in eight seasons.

“There’s an outpouring of support for Rafa Benitez but real fury at the wider management of the club and managing director Lee Charnley.

“Initially we planned a front page calling for Charnley to go unless he secured Rafa’s services.

“We tweeted it out with Sunderland leading 3-0 and got plenty of support on social media. But many fans suggested Charnley should go regardless.

“It was clear from the reaction that the fans had lost faith completely so we quickly made the decision to make the message even stronger.

“Designer Gary Beckwith drew up both pages, adding to his collection of powerful and award-winning Newcastle front pages over recent years.”

In March, The Chronicle’s sister title the Sunday Sun ran a back page editorial calling for Benitez’s predecessor Steve McClaren to be sacked.

However, despite an upturn in performances since the switch, United were relegated to England’s second tier after local rivals Sunderland beat Everton 3-0 to survive.

21 comments

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  • May 12, 2016 at 11:02 am
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    Bit of a Luddite here but why would you tweet your front page before publication?
    Isn’t it better to get a reaction AFTER you’ve printed your paper and generated interest (and sales)?
    No wonder circulations are plummeting and revenue is plummeting – but hey, the web traffic is good.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 11:09 am
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    Blimey, why not just let the readers generate the story as well? Then you can get rid of the reporting staff too :o(

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  • May 12, 2016 at 11:25 am
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    Well there you go. The newsaper execs were right all along – there is no need at all for editors. Just stick a few suggestions for a front page on Twitter or Facebook and let the keyboard warriors decide. Yes, those same keyboard warriors who have probably never bought the paper and never will.

    You couldn’t make it up and yet it’s being trumpeted as a positive thing.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 1:34 pm
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    I think it’s a great use of social media. Why on earth would you ignore the opinion of your readers? It’s that arrogant attitude that newspapers and journalists know best that has meant the industry has so spectacularly failed to prepare for the change in the way people now consume news.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 2:30 pm
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    Also, when you’re in tune with your readers you shouldn’t need to ask.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 2:33 pm
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    What a shame that commenters on this site have turned a really fan-focused use of social media into the usual bilge about digital and UGC. I’m astonished nobody has erroneously labelled it clickbait yet. Well done, Chronicle – I’m a lifelong NUFC fan and you nailed it.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 2:40 pm
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    @PROVINCIAL
    Because sharing a high-impact front page on social media promotes interest and can drive sales of the print edition. And because giving people with an interest in the story a chance to influence the coverage brings them closer to your brand. In a sea of media choice, that’s really important.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 2:48 pm
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    If the majority of newspapers sales are plummeting each year, it does suggest papers and journos are not in tune with their readers?

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  • May 12, 2016 at 3:56 pm
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    Adrian – not really out of touch when overall audience is growing so fast. Indeed, the content may be more relevant and audience focused than ever. Just a thought.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 4:11 pm
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    Well.
    UGC is a good thing?
    Readers should decide on the news?
    Journalists are arrogant?
    Several commentators on here are very obviously not in editorial departments…

    ,

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  • May 12, 2016 at 4:36 pm
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    You missed my point Danny Boy – which was to milk the social media after publication, not before.
    I’d call pre-publication use of social media giving the game away which, as a Newcastle fan, you’ll know rather a lot about.

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  • May 12, 2016 at 6:00 pm
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    Anyone who genuinely thinks it is about the physical paper any more at Trinity Mirror, and not solely and exclusively the internet, needs to give their head a shake.

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  • May 13, 2016 at 9:07 am
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    Call me old fashioned, but I thought newspapers and their editors were supposed to set the agenda. I wonder how many actual Tweets Mr Thwaites received. How many Tweets are needed to rule Page One?

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  • May 13, 2016 at 9:32 am
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    But you’re wrong in saying that Argus. Newspapers do still matter at Trinity Mirror. Newspaper sales figures are analysed, papers are being relaunched, editors are kept on their toes about the performance of those papers and whether they could be better. The newsrooms are ‘digital first’ because that’s where the bigger audience is, but print is still very important.

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  • May 13, 2016 at 10:01 am
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    @provincial, surely the point of social media activity in this case is to fire up the the fans who’ve engaged with the paper so they go out and actually buy a printed copy? Engagement is the key if you’ve bought into digital – from T-M’s point of view their audience is across all platforms so engaging a chunk of that audience in every platform in a short space of time is the holy grail. Unfortunately, I’d be surprised if it happens very often. If it did, the digital/print model might actually end up being a winner..

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  • May 13, 2016 at 10:32 am
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    This was an outstanding example of modern, quality journalism- a title that responds intelligently to its core audience, and not just the shouty ones. You’d think that in the old days (without competition) we didn’t see our circulations fall, and the occasional letter to the Editor served us well on the ‘keeping in touch’ front. The game has moved on my Analogue Chums. but I’m from advertising, so what do I know?

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  • May 13, 2016 at 2:25 pm
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    Bravo Chronicle! A consumer-led approach to publishing and a great way of engaging your readers. It beats the ‘Newcastle relegated – again’ front page that most would have led with.

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  • May 13, 2016 at 4:45 pm
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    Engaging readers. Meaningless. Engaged with what? Handing over money to buy a paper? Taking out an online subscription? No to both.

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  • May 13, 2016 at 4:52 pm
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    How do you know they won’t go out and buy the paper? Are newspaper readers banned from using Twitter and Facebook? Harry, you’re making yourself look very, very silly.

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  • May 16, 2016 at 12:10 pm
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    Some people must have good jobs, finding time to post all these interesting comments during work time.

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  • May 18, 2016 at 8:55 am
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    Curious. Making myself look silly? Really.

    How do I know they won’t go out and buy a paper? The cataclysmic decline in newspaper sales. Simple.

    So, there’s the evidence to back up my comment. Where’s the evidence to back up yours?

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