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A regional editor has abruptly stepped down after six years in the role. Staff were informed yesterday afternoon that Kevan Blackadder, who has edited the Gloucestershire Echo since 2008, had left with immediate effect.
Blackadder said: “I have been proud to edit the Echo for the last six years, during which time I worked with some incredibly talented and committed staff across all departments.”
“The current team of journalists on the Echo are typical of the excellence that continues to exist in most regional newsrooms, producing fine newspapers and great online content.”
Prior to working on the Gloucestershire Echo, Kevan was assistant editor on the Bristol Post, with other roles including news editor and chief reporter. He started his career at his hometown newspaper The Whitehaven News and has also worked for the Sunday Independent in Plymouth.
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Matt Holmes (pictured) , deputy editor of The Citizen and a former digital publisher for 'This is Gloucester', has been appointed Editor of the Echo.
He said: “The printed newspaper is in a healthy state and selling well, so I want to really drive the online side of things. The main focus will be on building up online content.”
“It’s a brilliant opportunity and I’m looking forward to it,” he added.
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Kevan is the third editor in the Local World newspaper group to stand down in the last few months, following the departures of Richard Bettsworth at the Leicester Mercury in August, and Richard Bowyer at The Sentinel, Stoke in October. He is the tenth regional editor to quit his job since May. The reasons behind this latest departure have not been disclosed.
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