Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker (pictured) has said editors are moving away from putting “hard news” stories on the front pages of newspapers in order to sell copies.
“It’s less about shock and horror on the front page,” Faure Walker told the Guardian on the changing content focus in Newsquest titles, which include the Brighton Argus and Northern Echo.
“My sense from talking to editors is that there is a shift away from car-crash content. People seem more receptive to a slightly gentler approach than shouty red-top journalism.”
Archant’s chief executive Jeff Henry also told the paper that “evergreen” content made up a lot of the publisher’s successful online features.
The regional publishing head, whose portfolio of titles includes the Eastern Daily Press in Norwich, said stories such as “great walks in Norfolk or great places to eat” did well with readers.
“These generate a lot of ongoing interest and are relevant for people in our areas,” he said.
David Higgerson, publishing director at Trinity Mirror, added: “The serious journalism is as important as ever but we are much more likely to be successful in maintaining that if we’re reaching an audience, and we are much more likely to reach an audience if we are part of people’s everyday lives beyond just news.”
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