A regional daily editor is to take back control of the weekly newspapers he used to run as part of a management reshuffle.
Newsquest has confirmed Worcester News editor Michael Purton, left, is adding the Stroud News & Journal, Gloucestershire Gazette and Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard to his portfolio.
Michael, who has edited the News since Peter John’s departure at Christmas 2017, previously served as editor of the three weekly titles before moving to become deputy editor in Worcester earlier that year.
The same move saw John Wilson, who was then deputy at the News, trade places with Michael and take up the editorship of Newsquest’s weekly newspapers in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.
However John will now concentrate on the Hereford Times and the Ludlow Advertiser.
Michael, who still lives in the Stroud area, will continue to both the Malvern Gazette and Evesham Journal as part of his responsibilities.
Newsquest has also revealed Sarah Phaedre Watson is leaving her role as audience and content editor for the three Gloucestershire weeklies for a “new challenge”, and a replacement is being recruited.
The News & Journal has further unveieled a “simpler, more modern”headline typeface, with blue now being used for highlighting on inside pages in place of red.
A piece on the paper’s website states: “We think this is easier on the eye, and the cooler colour will give more prominence to pictures.”
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The role and responsibilities of an editor have changed beyond all recognition over the past few years with the position becoming more of a supervisory one rather than that of a true newspaper editor.
When copy sales were high, and papers sold in their tens of thousands ,an editor simply couldn’t edit five papers,now multi title editors are becoming the norm due to the reduced input and ownership the new style position is given. It’s also very easy to judge the level of input an editor has by the number of titles they’re being asked to oversee.
With papers being formulaic and templated, and with cost cutting resulting in more shared and generic content,less real journalism ( as its costly) and more public supplied material has become the norm ,so let’s not confuse today’s overseer position to that of a true newspaper editor,in the larger regional publishing groups,that role simply no longer exists.
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Absolutely agree with Phillip. I doubt such ‘editors’ even take part in a news conference anymore let alone decide over a splash or, God forbid, unravel a contentious story riddled with legal pitfalls.
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