View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
September 24, 2013

‘There will be no interference from councillors’ says Kent on Sunday publisher

By Gavriel Hollander

The publisher of a regional paper has vigorously defended inviting two local council leaders on to an editorial advisory panel.

As part of a major overhaul last weekend, Kent  on Sunday laid out a set of guiding principles for the paper and unveiled a group of eight key local figures to act as editorial advisers.

These included the leaders of Kent and Medway councils, sparking a reaction from Press Gazette readers on Twitter, questioning whether the Archant title would maintain its editorial integrity.

But publisher Simon Irwin told Press Gazette that the panel, which also includes the bishop of Dover and Kent’s police and crime commissioner, would have no influence on the day-to-day running of the paper.

“There will be no interference of any sort at all,” said Irwin. “The point about this panel is that we have set out our guiding principles that we think we can stick to.

“Anybody who thinks the council leaders will be telling us what to put in the paper needs their head looking at.”

He explained that the panel, which will meet once a quarter, would look at the paper “retrospectively” to ensure it is sticking to the principles to which it has committed.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Asked whether any members of the panel would be able to veto stories, Irwin responded: “They won’t see it at all until they see it in the paper. It’s all retrospective.”

He added: ”We will listen to people but only as we would with any other member of the public. What we are saying is that we want to engage with people, but we won’t be governed by them.

The eight-member panel will meet for the first time in November or December. Irwin said the membership would be refreshed “as often as it needs to be” and said the paper was looking at how it could include a readers’ representative on the board.

Kent on Sunday, which has a free circulation of around 40,000, relaunched last weekend with a new picture-led front page and revamped features section.

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network