The Dungannon Herald in Northern Ireland published its first edition yesterday, plugging a local news gap left behind by paper closures.
The new weekly’s launch follows the closure of the Dungannon Observer in April, along with 10 other Observer Newspaper NI titles.
The group said at the time that a “steady decline” in advertising and readership had left them “struggling” to sustain the publications.
Nigel McDonagh, editor of the Herald, pledged to give a voice back to the local community, with copies of the paper on sale in Dungannon and the wider South and East Tyrone area.
“The feedback we have already received is that there is a widespread desire for a weekly newspaper in the Dungannon area,” he said.
“While there are very many social media sites out there, we firmly believe that a quality newspaper remains the most effective vehicle for creating a real sense of community and that will be at the core of what we do, while also maintaining the very highest editorial standards.”
The newspaper is part of the Omagh-based North West News Group, which is also responsible for the Ulster Herald, the Tyrone Herald, the Fermanagh Herald, and the twice weekly Donegal News in the Republic of Ireland.
McDonagh said the Herald has the lowest cover price of any paid for newspaper in the region at £1.
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