Welsh editors in the firing line

The South Wales media's ongoing radical changes crystallised further yesterday.

Journalism trade magazine Press Gazette reported that the roles of four newspaper editors across the region were likely to be made redundant.

The papers in question are the weeklies in the Celtic group, part of the Western Mail stable. They include the Merthyr Express, Gwent Gazette, Rhondda Leader, Pontypridd Observer, Cynon Valley Leader and Glamorgan Gazette.

Closed

A single editor-in-chief is expected to oversee the weeklies. The same group closed the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians a year ago.

Media Wales publishing director Alan Edmunds is quoted as saying: “The future development and operational requirements of these titles as well as the needs of the communities that they engage will be better served by a new approach, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by our multimedia news operations.”

Economics

It's also likely that simple economics have much to do with the measure. The loss of three editor salaries will be a handy cost reduction on the balance sheet.

Media Wales isn't the only operation making hard decisions. In recent years the South Wales Evening Post group has experimented - and reconsidered - with joint editorship of its weekly titles the Llanelli Star and Carmarthen Journal.

Globally, the news trade continue to evolve too as media businesses struggle with new technology and recession.

Developments

In a key London lecture this week, former Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie Jr looked at likely future developments of the journalism industry.

He said: "Much of the most-needed journalism is still best produced collaboratively by stable news organizations that can facilitate professional reporting by experienced journalists, support them with money, logistics and legal backing, and present their work to a large public.

"Credible, verifiable journalism about what is important in life is needed more than ever amidst the babble of the blogosphere and social networks, the polarizing opinion and propaganda, the tabloid invasions of privacy and the cynical audience appeal of news presented as entertainment and entertainment presented as news.

"The challenge I see is to turn this tumultuous moment of transformation into a beneficial reconstruction of journalism, enabling credible, verifiable, independent news reporting to emerge, enlivened and enlarged, from the current decline of long-dominant news media."

The Wave, Swansea Sound sweat over Tory plans

Media trade mag Press Gazette is reporting concerns that the new Westminster Government may scupper plans for replacement ITV Wales news service Wales Live.
That'd be disappointing - albeit not totally unexpected - news for staff at The Wave and Swansea Sound, part of the media consortium chosen to deliver the new service.
Any Government with a hint of Tory was always likely to mean difficulties in the Labour-triggered process which involves £130m of license fee funds.
Full story: http://bit.ly/aRN32m

Print media best for comment - survey

Journalism trade journal Press Gazette - http://bit.ly/af1fEH - reports this week on a survey about media reader preferences.
It's very much a British picture - and a Welsh angle would be interesting not least because of the low-ish take-up of daily print publications in our hinterlands.
PG editor Dominic Ponsford observes that, despite the blogosphere's growth, more of us across the UK like to read comment in print than in any other medium.
The research asked 1,000 Brits where they like to read or view comment, analysis and opinion journalism.
Around 38% went for print, 28% online and 18% TV. The rest said they didn't read such material.
The BBC was the most highly rated provider, with its TV news, online resource and radio provision all ranking well.
The Daily Mail was top paper followed by The Sun, The Guardian, The Times and The Daily Telegraph.
How do you think Wales would vote?