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Daily makes features editor redundant as part of section ‘revamp’

Cathy AnsteyA regional daily has made its features editor redundant as part of a revamp of the department’s output.

The Worcester News has confirmed that Cathy Anstey, pictured, has left the newspaper after three-and-a-half years in the role.

Editor Michael Purton said the move has been made in a bid to “increase the amount of news articles in each edition of the newspaper.”

HTFP reported earlier this week how freelance writer John Philpott’s column for the News had come to an end after 22 years as part of the same revamp.

Cathy first worked for Berrows Newspapers in 1978, as a journalist and sub-editor, and has since switched frequently between working in the regional press and public relations roles.

Her career has featured stints at the Gloucestershire Echo, where she served as acting news editor and acting chief sub-editor in separate spells with the Cheltenham-based title, and at the Ludlow and Tenbury Wells Advertiser, where she was news editor.

She joined the features department at the News in 2015, having previously worked as a senior journalist there from 2005 to 2008.

Cathy’s PR career has involved spells at both Worcester City Council and Malvern Hills District Council during 2012, and with West Mercia Police from 2013 to 2014.

6 comments

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  • June 8, 2018 at 8:59 am
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    Good luck, Cathy. The grass is greener, believe me.

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  • June 8, 2018 at 9:51 am
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    I worked with Cathy in her early days in newspapers, smashing girl, very competent and very pleasant. She’ll be a loss to the team, that’s for sure but good luck in whatever she does next.

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  • June 8, 2018 at 2:13 pm
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    Another misguided editior who apparently believes “ to increase the amount of news articles in each edition of the newspaper.”is what readers want when they can get it free and instantly on social media sites,
    what local papers are missing out on nowadays are local features and unique columns unavailable elsewhere.
    Be interesting to follow the fortunes of this papers readership figures from here in to see if this move creates and up turn in readers, I somehow doubt if

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  • June 8, 2018 at 2:42 pm
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    Another experienced hand told to bite the dust. Shame.

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  • June 9, 2018 at 3:34 pm
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    “Increase the amount of news…” don’t make me laugh, there hasn’t been any news worth reading in the regional press for some time. Save money and force feed readers click bait more like!!! Deluded or what?

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  • June 15, 2018 at 11:07 am
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    What also alarms me is that we regularly read now of “quality awards” being presented to some papers at annual ceremonies when most of us shown the papers would assess it as being worse than it used to be, say, ten years ago!
    Fewer pages, more frothy low interest tales and spreads, errors, bad spelling and grammar, worse pix, no features and follow-ups, advertorials, brief bits issued by the 999 services and not followed up, less council news, no court reports etc etc.

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