Review of the year 2020 in regional journalism - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage

For most people and businesses in the UK, 2020 was a year like no other, and those involved in local and regional journalism were no exception.

The coronavirus pandemic and successive resulting lockdowns laid waste to advertising revenues across the industry and led to radically different ways of working – yet at the same time it underlined more than ever the need for trusted, factual journalism.

Our experience at HTFP – with a sharp fall in job adverts allied to record demand for information about how local and regional titles were covering the pandemic – was mirrored across much of the industry, with publishers regularly reporting record audience figures alongside much-reduced revenues.

Here in the first of a series of pieces to mark the end of a tumultuous year, we take a look back at our own 20 most-viewed stories and how, taken together, they help tell the story of the past 12 months.

Some of the journalists who made headlines on HTFP during 2020 – from left: Amy Fenton, Noel Doran, Patricia Devlin and Karl Holbrook.

Some dominant themes emerge. The responses of the biggest three regional publishers – Reach plc, Newsquest and JPIMedia – in restructuring their newsrooms to meet both the financial and editorial challenges posed by the pandemic inevitably feature highly in our list.

Over the space of three days in July, we carried a series of pieces about a Reach shake-up which saw four daily editors leave their roles and an entirely new regional structure created. One of the departing editors, Ali Machray of the Liverpool Echo, later became the first regional editor in a number of years to receive an MBE for services to local journalism.

Online abuse of journalists was also a big issue with Amy Fenton, then of Cumbria daily The Mail, and Patricia Devlin, then on Sunday Life, among those subjected to vile threats being aimed at them through their computer screens.

For Amy, the year was to take an even more troubling turn after she admitted being in possession of cocaine and driving whilst unfit through drugs. She was latter banned from driving for 12 months and left her role as the Mail’s chief reporter.

Our most-viewed story of the year – then Bolton News editor Karl Holbrook’s reponse to conspiracy theories questioning why the newspaper hadn’t published the name of the defendant in a local murder case (clue: there were legal reasons) perhaps underlined most strongly of all the continuing need for trusted local journalism in an era in which fake news and social media disinformation threaten to hold sway.

Here are our top 20 most-viewed stories in chronological order of publication, showing how the year 2020 unfolded.

11 February

HTFP at 20: Who is the best regional editor of the last 20 years?

Our poll to mark our 20th anniversary of publication proved wildly popular with readers, with Noel Doran of the Irish News emerging as a deserving winner.

27 February

Man jailed for 20 weeks after threatening to rape “terrified” reporter

Leroy McCarthy, who was previously convicted of threatening to blow up a hospital, was jailed for 20 weeks after posting online that Amy Fenton, then chief reporter at Cumbria daily The Mail “needs raping.”

10 March

Former regional journalist who went on to Fleet St dies suddenly aged 48

Tributes are paid to 48-year-old James Mills, a former Express & Star and Shropshire Star staffer who went on to work for Mail Online.

24 March

Publisher to cut pay and place staff on leave over coronavirus

As the first coronavirus lockdown sends revenues plummeting across the industry, Newsquest becomes the first publisher to respond to the changed environment by announcing it is placing a “significant number” of employees on furlough and cutting pay by 15pc for most staff.

26 March

You can’t catch coronavirus from newspapers, WHO confirms

Originally published as part of a round-up of Covid-19 related news, this headline continued to garner page views as people Googled whether you can catch the virus from newsprint.

1 April

Sixty JPIMedia journalists to be furloughed as others face temporary pay cut

JPIMedia announces it is placing around 60 journalists and 350 staff in total on paid leave with those remaining in work also taking temporary pay cuts.

6 April

Reach plc to furlough a fifth of all staff and cut pay by 10pc

The publishing group announces it is putting a fifth of its workforce on paid leave and reducing the pay of all staff by a minimum 10pc as the coronavirus crisis continues to impact on the industry.

22 May

Editor slams ‘crazed’ conspiracy theories over coverage of child’s death

The then Bolton News editor Karl Holbrook hit out after conspiracy theorists attacked the newspaper’s coverage of the death of seven-year-old Emily Jones. A woman has since been convicted of her manslaughter.

27 May

Reporter forced to flee home after death threat online

Amy Fenton is once again a victim of online abuse and is forced to flee her home on police advice after receiving a death threat.

10 June

Journalist reveals newborn son rape threat amid fears for family’s safety

Award-winning Sunday World journalist Patricia Devlin files an official complaint to police after receiving a threat of rape against her newborn son.

25 June

Reporter who faced death threat charged with drug driving

Amy Fenton is back in the news again – this time for the wrong reasons as she is charged with possession of cocaine and driving whilst unfit through drugs. She was latter banned from driving for 12 months after admitting the charge.

Redundancies in store at Newsquest as CEO admits staffing cannot return to pre-Covid levels

Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure-Walker announces the company is preparing to make redundancies saying it is “unable to support” the staffing levels it had pre-lockdown.

30 June

Editor reveals 1,500 readers banned over ‘hateful and racist’ comments

Hull Live digital editor Jenna Thompson reveals more than 1,500 readers have been banned from the website’s Facebook page over “hateful and outright racist” comments.

7 July

Reach to axe 550 jobs after coronavirus hits business

The regional publisher announces a restructure which will see around 12pc of its workforce, including around 325 working in editorial and circulation, leave the business in order to deliver £35m worth of cost savings.

8 July

Two of UK’s longest-serving daily editors to leave roles

As the details of the restructure become clearer, Reach confirms that two of the longest-serving editors in the UK, Mike Norton, of the Bristol Post, and Alastair Machray, of the Liverpool Echo, are to leave the company.

10 July

Senior editors given new posts in Reach management shake-up

Following on from the announcement of 550 job losses, Reach creates four new ‘marketplace publisher’ and eight ‘audience and content director’ roles to oversee its regional operation.

Two more editors reveal departures amid regional publisher’s cuts

On the same day, it is revealed that Leicester Mercury editor George Oliver and Stoke Sentinel boss Martin Tideswell will both be leaving the business.

28 August

Archant announces new ownership after investment firm deal

Investment firm RCapital partners takes a majority stake in Archant in a move which the Norwich-based publisher says will give it a “bright future”.

11 September

Chief reporter leaves daily after death threat exile and drug conviction

Following her conviction for drug driving, Amy Fenton confirms she has left her role as chief reporter of South Cumbria daily The Mail and moved to be closer to her family.

10 November

‘Fake journalist’ convicted of fraud after lifting regional daily’s copy

Aaron Michael Jack, boss of the so-called ‘North East News Agency,’ is fined after publishing articles copied from The Northern Echo and passing them off as his own work.

And here’s the list again, this time in order of page views:

1. Editor slams ‘crazed’ conspiracy theories over coverage of child’s death

2. Reach to axe 550 jobs after coronavirus hits business

3. You can’t catch coronavirus from newspapers, WHO confirms

4. HTFP at 20: Who is the best regional editor of the last 20 years?

5. Reporter who faced death threat charged with drug driving

6. Publisher to cut pay and place staff on leave over coronavirus

7. Man jailed for 20 weeks after threatening to rape “terrified” reporter

8. ‘Fake journalist’ convicted of fraud after lifting regional daily’s copy

9. Reach plc to furlough a fifth of all staff and cut pay by 10pc

10. Archant announces new ownership after investment firm deal

11. Senior editors given new posts in Reach management shake-up