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Regional daily’s longest-serving editor quits after 17 years

Peter BarronThe longest-serving editor in a regional daily’s 136-year history is to leave the role after 17 years at the end of this month.

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron is stepping down “with a heavy heart” to launch his own media business and focus on his series of children’s books.

Peter, who was warded the MBE for services to journalism and North-East community life in 2013, will continue to contribute to the Echo as a regular writer and columnist.

His successor in the editor’s chair at the Darlington-based newspaper will be announced in due course.

Peter, 53, first joined the Echo in 1984 as a reporter, having spent three years as a trainee with the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph.

He rose through the ranks to become the paper’s deputy editor, before departing to become editor of the Hartlepool Mail in 1997.

Peter took up his present role in January 1999, and was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Society of Editors to mark his 15th year as editor in 2014.

His departure was revealed in an announcement made to staff by Newsquest North managing director David Coates.

Said David: “Peter is quite rightly acknowledged as one of the leading journalists of his generation.

“Under his stewardship the Northern Echo has grown its audience and achieved changes that have improved the lives of people in the North-East.

“I am delighted he will be continuing his long association with the newspaper once he steps down from editing and I will look forward to working with him for many years to come.”

Peter tweeted: “It is with a heavy heart that after 17 years I have decided to step down as editor of The Northern Echo.”

Some of Peter’s erstwhile rivals also took to Twitter to issue plaudits following the announcement.

Paul Robertson, former editor of Newcastle daily The Chronicle told Peter:  “It was a pleasure working with you as a fellow editor. Top journalist.”

Sunderland Echo editor Joy Yates said:  “Pete, you’ll be a huge miss but a success in whatever your next venture may be. ”

Joy’s predecessor Rob Lawson added: “Huge congratulations for doing such a great job for so long, You’ll be a huge miss to the paper, the community and yr team.”

18 comments

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  • March 4, 2016 at 2:48 pm
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    If his heart is so “heavy” at stepping down, why did he “decide” to do it? Change your mind, Peter, and let NQ know forthwith. After all, think how much intenser the company’s “delight” at your association with it will be with you still at the helm, rather than just as a columnist.

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  • March 4, 2016 at 3:11 pm
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    I’m not surprised he’s quitting. It’s a newspaper decimated by job losses with a plummeting circulation now down below 27,000 along with the damaging switch to a subbing hub. It may have once been a flagship but those days are long gone and it’s now just another sad shadow of its former self with a dwindling number of staff trying desperately to plug their fingers into the dam.

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  • March 4, 2016 at 4:47 pm
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    Here we go again – let’s blame the subbing hub. No one ever thought the main problem here might be the internet, which offers for free what many newspapers charge money for?

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  • March 4, 2016 at 7:02 pm
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    Another of the good guys bites the dust. TBH I’m surprised he’s hung in there for this long.

    I had the pleasure of working with Peter and he’s a man of great integrity as well as being charming, amusing and thoroughly good company.

    He encouraged me to write a series of articles about pork pies. Maybe not his most momentous editorial decision but it showed a side of him that anyone who has worked with him will recognise.

    Best of luck for the future Peter.

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  • March 4, 2016 at 8:59 pm
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    Newspapers that offer free internet content are cutting their own throats. People just press the share button on Facebook nowadays and the papers which put the story together don’t see a penny! When are papers going to realise they have to protect their copyright?

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  • March 4, 2016 at 9:13 pm
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    journowatch, that is just a ridiculous comment both on this story and in general. Get your head out of the sand!

    Good luck for the future, Peter.

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  • March 5, 2016 at 2:06 pm
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    Of course it’s the Internet. It has destroyed papers across the country as most sane people would have predicted from the outset.

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  • March 5, 2016 at 3:58 pm
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    Bet NQ is glad. Good, strong editors are a terrible nuisance to the interfering, cost-cutting suits.

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  • March 5, 2016 at 8:05 pm
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    Peter loves The NE. He lives and breathes it…pleased you are leaving with your head held high…step up Perry Austin Clark!

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  • March 6, 2016 at 4:46 pm
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    I’m pleased he is stepping down as I think the Echo needs an editor who hits back at the horrific Darlington council.Peter Barron seems a nice guy,but since when was nice enough to be a good journo or editor.

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  • March 7, 2016 at 8:59 am
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    Good luck to an outstanding editor – a credit to the profession.

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  • March 7, 2016 at 12:01 pm
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    And another proper newspaperman takes his leave. Let’s hope whoever fills his shoes can take whatever Newsquest will throw at them.

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  • March 7, 2016 at 1:09 pm
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    Good luck for future projects to someone who sounds like a thoroughly decent and hardworking editor. And good luck to the Northern Echo too. Oh and also genuine good luck to the staff and the new editor. That’s enough nicey-nicey!!

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  • March 7, 2016 at 1:22 pm
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    Peter Barron is a top man, with ink in his veins and whose heart was really in the job. I wish him all the very best for the future, and I hope he’ll be able to continue with his series of children’s books.

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  • March 7, 2016 at 4:32 pm
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    Antiquarian’s comment suggests a putsch and so we lose another top operator to save the jobs of “executives” with no useful skills in getting out the products that generate what profits are left in this business. I see Peter writes children’s books and I hope these do well for him when the “executives” are working in the plastic lavatory seat industry, or whatever sector they’ll swarm to once they’ve killed this one off.

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  • March 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm
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    Dear Pete – the time comes when you know it’s right for you to go. Priorities. You’ve been a fantastic editor and NQ should be proud of you. Thanks for all your support in times past and big hugs xxxx

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  • March 20, 2016 at 1:18 pm
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    The title that was graced with editors including W.T.Stead, Charles Starmer, Harold Evans, Allan Prosser has now been enriched by Peter Barron. The last decade has thrown at him every management challenge of your worst dreams. This story is not about his employers or other employers: that angst will continue. But Peter Barron has grappled with them all and now embraces a time for change. His “heavy heart” is because he has given several decades of devotion to The Northern Echo and, like the good steward, he knows when he needs to move on.

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