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New owner of axed regional daily relaunches its business magazine

A business magazine which ceased publication after the regional daily which owned it entered administration has been relaunched by the newspaper’s new owner.

Oldham Business Edge magazine has been published by radio station Revolution 96.2, which bought the Oldham Evening Chronicle and other sister titles from administrators KPMG in the autumn.

The business magazine’s future, along with the other sister publications, was cast into doubt when the Chronicle’s previous owner, Hirst Kidd & Rennie, entered administration in the summer, resulting in 49 redundancies.

Revolution managing director Matt Ramsbottom has previously stated the Chronicle itself may resume publication in the New Year as a bi-weekly, but the free Business Edge is now available at various outlets across Oldham.

Robbie MacDonald, left, of Cornerstone Design & Marketing, and Matt Ramsbottom of Revolution 96.2, with the relaunched and redesigned Oldham Business Edge magazine

Robbie MacDonald, left, of Cornerstone Design & Marketing, and Matt Ramsbottom of Revolution 96.2, with the relaunched and redesigned Oldham Business Edge magazine

It comes after redesign and redevelopment project run by Revolution with Oldham design agency Cornerstone Design & Marketing, where former Chronicle business editor Robbie MacDonald has found employment after being one of the 49 made redundant by the paper.

Robbie is acting as the magazine’s contributing editor, but Revolution retains editorial and advertising control.

Said Matt: “The Oldham Chronicle published a number of specialist publications that were good products with a lot of potential. Oldham Business Edge magazine was a great product and it’s been a pleasure to work on its’ relaunch with Cornerstone. It now has a more-contemporary design that we think looks fantastic.

“Now that the print edition has returned, we have exciting plans to develop the magazine’s online and social media presence. We are looking forward to ongoing work with Cornerstone on these digital strategies.

“We are also relaunching and redesigning the Chronicle education magazine, The Knowledge, and creating a third magazine, a lifestyle magazine, which are both again designed by Cornerstone. Publication of the two other magazines is due soon.”

Three former Chronicle staff who were made redundant in August have now been recruited by Revolution, with potentially more to follow.

Suresh Bawa, a director of Revolution 96.2 added: “These are fast-changing times for local media. Despite the summer job losses under the Chronicle’s previous ownership, there is consolation in knowing that other Oldham businesses, and some former Chronicle staff who were made redundant in the summer, are now working on these new projects.

“We are really pleased that two Oldham-based businesses are playing key roles in redeveloping the Chronicle brand, publications and services for the future.”

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  • November 28, 2017 at 8:31 pm
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    Good luck to the gentleman. After eight months of living off savings and redundancy money after Newsquest decided subs were an unnecessary cost, my life is now going well and truly pear-shaped, Doesn’t matter how many years of work you’ve got behind you, how many certificates, you’re on the scrapheap. Have a nice life, Newsquest bosses.

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