Two weekly newspaper editors are to leave their roles with a regional publisher as part of a move to create a single team covering three titles.
The CN Group has announced that Steve Johnston, who edits Workington-based newspaper the Times & Star, and Colin Edgar, currently in charge of the Whitehaven News, will leave their posts this month.
Steve, 62, has taken voluntary redundancy after 13 years in charge of the Times & Star, while Colin, 49, will take up a role in the company’s newly-created group production hub.
The move will see editorial staff working on the two titles, as well as the West edition of Carlisle-based daily the News & Star, merge into a single team to be overseen by Deanne Shallcross, above left.
In her new role of West Cumbria editor, Deanne will have direct editorial responsibility for the Times & Star and the News, and will also oversee the content operation for the West edition of the News & Star, which will continue to be edited by group editorial director David Helliwell.
Deanne, 45, who will take up the role on 18 April, has been with CN Group for eight years and currently serves as Steve’s deputy at the Times & Star.
She will be supported by Gillian Ellison, as head of content for West Cumbria and Nicole Regan, head of digital content for West Cumbria.
The moves are the final stage in a radical editorial restructure which has seen around 2o jobs shed in all, mostly as a result of voluntary redundancy.
Said Deanne: “I am thrilled and honoured to be taking on the role of CN Group’s first West Cumbria editor.
“Our titles are truly at the heart of the communities we serve and I am committed to continuing the strong focus on quality journalism in a multi-platform age.”
David Helliwell added: “Steve and Colin have given fabulous service to CN over many years and we wish them all the very best for the future.
“Deanne has proved herself a first rate deputy and I’m looking forward to seeing how she and her new team develop our publications and operations in West Cumbria.”
The recent changes, originally announced in February as part of a plan to reduce costs by £600,000, have led to creation of a new central team designed to deliver content across three key areas; business and finance, entertainments and commercial content.
A proposal to create a centrally-managed production hub to handle content across the group will be rolled out this month.
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No comment to make on this article just wanted to jump in and see if I could beat Minim to it.
I hope he’s not angry.
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Memo to self: must post comment here quickly or Dangerfield will beat me to it. Damn, I just don’t seem to have the time now that I’m editing 12 papers covering a 400 sq mile area encompassing edgy cities and far-flung islands… Now, where’s my reporter?
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Are editors just not required any more?
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Putting kwality first (no subs needed hear)
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Congratulations to Deanne – a well-earned promotion for a first–class journalist and a lovely person who really deserves this great opportunity. I was lucky enough to work with her at Gazette Newspapers in Basingstoke where she was my brilliant deputy editor for six years. Great news that she has now got the opportunity to move into the editor’s role. Wishing you and your team every success, Deanne.
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Ah, the sheer pleasure of living in a multi-platform age…
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Thesaurus
STEP DOWN
axed, made redundant, pushed out, sacked, fired………….
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Northern Snapper makes precisely the point about that phrase ‘step down’ that I was going to make before I desisted, as I seem to be acquiring an undeserved curmudgeonly reputation here. Actually, truth is, I’m still spitting feathers that Dangerfield got here first. Time he stepped down from posting, eh readers?
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Deanne has already mastered the art of company bull “strong focus on quality journalism” the sort of vain glorious self-promoting stuff they all seem to spout now.
Good luck though. It will be interesting to see if editing standards slip as they have with other companies trying the hub lark.
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” Steve and Colin have given fabulous service to CN over many years”
So much so that both of their long services are no longer required
Good luck to the all new female team
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Sad to see this at Cumbrian Newspapers I thought they might still have had some core values at their heart.
Remember the days when the editor of the local newspaper was a well known and respected figure in the community?
Our local newspaper, a JP effort, is missing so many big stories – three local police stations are due to close but has it even been mentioned? Of course not. Too few reporters mean rehashed press releases and handouts from councils are accepted without challenge.
Does anyone else believe that the local media can thrive again? But to do so it needs to be genuinely LOCAL and there needs to be proper investment in journalism, I don’t think people identify with their ‘local’ paper anymore and why should they when in many cases the office is located in another town an hours drive away?
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Well-earned & well-deserved, Deanne. Congratulations!
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Another day, another step closer to local newspaper oblivion.
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So more of the same. Is this still news in our industry? Well respected, proper editors get the hell out of it while deserving deputy gets the chance to run ragged. Yes, how sad that Cumbrian newspapers is joining the lemmings.
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