Blog Tracks Local Media’s Use of FoI Each Week
A blog written by David Higgerson, head of multimedia for Trinity Mirror Regionals, highlights Freedom of Information requests made by local media titles each week.
David publishes a weekly post called FoI Friday highlighting FoI stories which appeared in local media titles during the week.
This week, he flags up items including the Liverpool Echo’s story on thefts from hospitals, the Nottingham Evening Post’s exposure of its local council’s staff phone bill, and The Sunday Sun’s report on the financial impact of potholes.
The blog also looks at developments in digital journalism.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Archant Results Show Signs of Ad Market Improvement
Archant’s financial results for 2009 have indicated some signs of improvement in trading conditions in the second half of the year and substantial growth in digital audiences and revenues.
In a preliminary statement to shareholders, Archant chairman Richard Jewson said turnover for the group fell 19 per cent to £142.0m (2008: £175.1m) and operating profit fell 32 per cent to £15.1m (2008: £22.2m) the year to 31December, 2009.
However, operating profit doubled in the second half year, compared to the first half, reflecting the reduced cost base and some signs of improvement in trading conditions, and was up 11 per cent against the second half of 2008.
Average monthly unique visitors for the group’s portfolio of 180 websites were up 36.6 per cent and total annual page impressions were up by 19.2 per cent, with online revenues increasing 25.2 per cent.
There was significant activity throughout the year to conserve cash and seek efficiencies and total operating costs were reduced by £26.1m, a saving of 17.1 per cent.
The group completed the refinancing of its bank facilities in December 2009 and the board is confident that this provides sufficient working capital and headroom to pursue its current strategies.
The rate of development of online and mobile technology activities accelerated in the year with the emphasis being on growing revenue streams from existing sites and the launch of new services, Archant said.
Richard Jewson said: “2009 was a most challenging year with significant declines in all advertising categories. The new management team proved well up to the task, taking swift and decisive steps to reduce the cost base and launching a number of new business initiatives.”
Archant’s AGM takes place on 20 April at the Assembly House in Norwich.
The publisher also announced this week that Archant Dialogue managing director and former Norwich Evening News editor Bob Crawley has been appointed as Archant London’s editorial director.
His remit is to help underpin expansion plans for Archant London’s portfolio of 29 weekly newspapers and around 30 local community websites.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Tindle Launches Four Weekly Newspapers
Tindle Newspapers is launching four weekly local newspapers in London.
Three titles – the Edmonton Herald, East Barnet Advertiser and Winchmore Hill Herald – were launched at a ceremony in Enfield on Friday attended by the MP for Edmonton, local councillors and other guests.
The fourth is expected to be launched in the coming weeks. The titles are aimed at attracting small retailers to advertise in them.
Tindle Newspapers chairman Sir Ray Tindle said: “We totally believe in the future of the printed local newspaper – we believe in it 100 per cent.
“Readers want to see their very local news and reports of their activities in print and they want it in their local paper where all their neighbours will see it too.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
JP Results: Ad & Circulation Revenue Performance Improving
Johnston Press’ results for 2009 show that advertising revenues stabilised in the second half of the year with year-on-year growth in two classified advertising categories.
Publishing its results for the 53 weeks ended 2 January, Johnston Press said overall advertising revenues had fallen in 2009, but the decline was slowing.
According to a Reuters report, the publisher had performed ahead of analysts expectations. Johnston Press said it continues to deliver market leading operating margins (16.8%) and the business remains highly cash generative. Successful refinancing of debt facilities in August for the next three years, combined with a reduction in net debt by £55.3m and positive trading expectations, meant there were no plans to raise capital.
Like-for-like advertising fell by 26.5 per cent on 2008 but the rate of decline reduced throughout the period with the first quarter down 33.9 per cent and the final quarter down 11.2 per cent. This trend continuing into 2010 with like-for-like decline of 7.3 per cent in the first nine weeks, the publisher said.
John Fry, Johnston Press chief executive said: “The year ended with the Group in a much stronger position than it began: advertising is more stable; circulation trends have improved; digital revenues are growing; our cost base has reduced significantly and we have renegotiated finance facilities for three years.
“We are therefore well positioned to take advantage of any upturn as it occurs. Since the successful refinancing of our debt announced at the end of August 2009 we have been trading in line with the expectations we had at the time. That being the case we have no immediate plans to raise capital.”
The group’s classified results showed property had experienced year-on-year growth in both November and December and motors had experienced year-on-year growth in December.
An editorial review process, using a mix of reader research and peer review, had been implemented to ensure newspapers across the group were focused on the needs of their local communities. The result had been a reduction in the rate of circulation decline for both dailies and weeklies. A new editorial content management system was being rolled out across the group. The focus was on improving the business through back-end systems and processes while maintaining the frontline presence of local journalists and sales people in their communities.
At the group’s annual general meeting in Edinburgh on 30 April, Freddie Johnston will step down from the board after serving as a Johnston Press director for 50 years.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Southern Daily Echo Boosts Council Coverage
The Southern Daily Echo has upped its coverage of local council news by launching a new daily page dedicated to news from local authorities in its patch.
The Civic News page features news from Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council but also covers the borough and district councils that operate beneath them.
Southern Daily Echo editor in chief Ian Murray said: “Adding the Civic News page has upped our coverage of councils in the area, it’s not simply collecting content that would have gone in the paper elsewhere.
“We are conscious that we have two large and powerful councils in our area but we must also maintain coverage of the smaller councils which also make important decisions that affect people’s lives.”
For more information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 7632 7424 or e-mail sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Spelman: Tories Would Stop Councils Competing with Local Papers
Caroline Spelman, Shadow Communities and Local Government Spokesperson, was the guest at a Newspaper Society lunch today (Thursday).
She was outspoken in her condemnation of ‘taxpayer funded media’ and promised that a Conservative Government would tighten the Local Authority Publicity Code so that any council output was focused on council services and did not compete with the independent local media.
She said previous changes to the Publicity Code had “opened the floodgates” in terms of competitive council media. “We have even seen taxpayer-subsidised local TV,” she said.
She noted that £430 million was spent on council publicity – twice the figure from 1997.
The Conservatives would require councils “to publish online exactly what they were spending on their publications” with a full breakdown of print costs, design and delivery, and editorial.
She also agreed that public notices, such as planning notices, must continue to appear in the independent free press.
- Tories would force town halls to disclose full cost of council newspapers (Media Guardian)
- NS Calls for Government Intervention on Competing Council Newspapers:
TM Results Ahead of Expectations as Ad Performance Improves
The City responded well to Trinity Mirror’s preliminary results, with the group’s share price up 6% in early trading today.
“Whilst the severity of the economic downturn experienced during 2009 impacted group revenues, the resilience of our brands and commitment of our staff ensured that we delivered profits ahead of expectations,” said chief executive Sly Bailey.
There had been an improvement in advertising revenue trends as the year progressed which was expected to continue into 2010.
- Trinity Mirror’s Preliminary Results for the 53 weeks ended 3 January 2010
- This is Money: Trinity Mirror Up
- Sharecast.com: Trinity Mirror Sees Advertising Improvement
New Awards Aim to Showcase Local Media’s Armed Forces Coverage
The importance of local media in rallying support for the Armed Forces has been acknowledged by the Royal British Legion in a new national awards scheme backed by Prince Harry.
The charity is calling upon local newspapers across the UK to enter the Friends of the Forces Awards which celebrates people or organisations which have contributed to the well-being or appreciation of the Armed Forces.
Local newspapers activities with the military have included sending correspondents to war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan to report on the activities of local troops and organising homecoming parades for soldiers returning from conflicts.
A spokeswoman for the Royal British Legion said: “The Royal British Legion has just launched a new national awards scheme, with support from Prince Harry, to find members of the public or organisations that go out of their way to support the British Armed Forces.
“We are aware of many local newspapers who mount campaigns and rally local support for the Armed Forces and we would like to encourage them to put forward nominations.”
For details on how to apply to the Friends of the Forces Awards click here.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker at 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
the wanted ads Experience Returns to Manchester
Local media centre MEN Media will see the wanted ads Experience return for the first time since the initiative’s inaugural session three years ago.
The initiative was launched by the NS to enable media agency planners and strategists with less than three years’ experience to visit local media publishing centres across the UK.
Aimed at a more senior level, the Manchester session at MEN Media is the 14th session run by NS Marketing.
Guests will include trade journalists from magazines Campaign and Marketing, strategy heads from leading agencies, and a COI client. They will be accompanied by NS marketing director Robert Ray and head of research and insight Keith Donaldson.
Agencies and advertisers meet editorial teams to learn about developments in local media and how the medium is extending its unrivalled reach into communities across the UK in print and digital.
Other UK towns and cities to have been visited include Belfast, Bristol, Cambridge, Canterbury, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton and York.
Robert Ray said: “The wanted ads experience has been a great initiative and one which gets London-based folk into Britain’s regions to see first hand the real strength of local media.”
For further information contact Robert Ray on 020 7693 0413 or email robert_ray@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Council Leader Admits No Proof Anyone Read Axed Council Newspaper
A council newspaper in North Yorkshire has been scrapped because there was “no proof” anyone was reading it, a council leader has admitted.
Richmondshire District Council councillors took the decision to scrap The Curlew last week, the Northern Echo reported.
Conservative council leader Fleur Butler said: “The Curlew was seen as a luxury we can’t really afford any more.
“We need to communicate and talk to people in the district, but there was no proof that anyone was reading it.
“When you start looking at savings you look at what is effective and what is not working and it was felt that we need a better way than just putting it in a generic spreadsheet.”
Scrapping the twice-yearly paper will save the council £11,500 a year in printing and delivery costs, with the expected savings in staff hours still to be worked out.
Councillor Stuart Parsons, a Liberal Democrat, who originally proposed The Curlew’s abolition, said: “The lack of debate about getting rid of The Curlew says it all. It was a pointless exercise and a waste of time, energy, paper and, unfortunately, taxpayers’ money.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.