Trinity Mirror announces leadership team of digital-only project Getreading

Trinity Mirror has announced the leadership team of Getreading, its digital-only regional news project.

Ed Walker (pictured), digital development editor of Trinity Mirror Regionals, and current news editor of the Wokingham and Bracknell Times Lucy Thorne will be publisher and deputy publisher respectively.

Walker said: “We are going to be pioneering a new way for local news in the UK and will be recruiting for a number of roles in the coming weeks.”

Thorne said: "I am looking forward to giving the people of Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and surrounding areas quality and engaging news, sport and entertainment online.”

The move is part of the publisher’s “digital-only transformation” in Berkshire. According to Trinity Mirror 82 per cent of Reading Post readers only read the title online.

Last month Trinity Mirror announced the closure of all three of its print publications in the county — the Reading Post, Get Reading and the Wokingham and Bracknell Times — to focus on building its traffic on the Getreading website.

The print closures in Berkshire are resulting in 17 editorial job losses, with 12 new digital editorial and digital commercial roles created.

Neil Benson, the editorial director for Trinity Mirror Regionals, said: “I think we’ve got a really strong and highly skilled team.

“This is a bold move and potentially creates a new and different future for regional publishing.”

At the same time as closing the Reading titles Trinity Mirror closed the Surrey Herald, Harrow Observer and Wokingham Times.

Trinity Mirror declined a request for an interview to find out more about he Getreading project and the reasons for the closure of its print titles in the area.