View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
March 16, 2017

Trinity Mirror reduces Exeter Express & Echo to weekly title as it launches new Western Morning News edition for the city

By Freddy Mayhew

Trinity Mirror has reduced the bi-weekly Exeter Express & Echo to a weekly title to make way for the arrival of a new edition of daily Western Morning News, also owned by the publisher, covering the city.

The move follows the launch of its Devon-wide website Devonlive.com last month, which is based in Exeter, said to be a result of “huge investment and a rising population” in the city.

The last Monday Echo, which now will only publish on Thursday in a new “bumper” format, went to print last week as the first Exeter edition of the Western Morning News came out on Monday.

Bill Martin, editor of the Western Morning News and Trinity Mirror group editor for Devon & Cornwall, said the group wanted to “complement” its existing digital offer in Exeter with a print product.

“With huge investment and a rising population, Exeter is generating a huge amount of news these days, it has a burgeoning business community and is becoming regionally more important” he said.

“We think the city is worthy of its own edition of the Western Morning News, combined with our new website and a bumper edition of the Express & Echo.”

Express & Echo editor Jim Parker added: “We’ve been putting a lot of thought and effort into producing a bigger and better weekly edition of the Express & Echo which will include the latest news, features and sport in addition to motors and property.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

“I’m sure ‘Super Thursday’ will prove a hit with readers and develop over time to suit the expanding and exciting city that Exeter has become.”

A Trinity Mirror spokesperson said there were no planned redundancies on the Express & Echo and no new hires on the Western Morning News, which will publish Monday to Friday in Exeter.

Former Local World title the Express & Echo launched a second weekly edition in February 2015. It changed from a daily to a weekly title in August 2011 while under the ownership of Northcliffe Media.

The Express & Echo’s Monday edition had a total weekly circulation of 5,501 copies on average, according to ABC figures. Its Thursday edition sells 12,268 copies.

The Western Morning News has an average daily circulation of 19,842 copies across Devon and Cornwall, ABC figures show.

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