tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1349179382901621944.post604717565471839220..comments2024-01-20T14:45:12.433+00:00Comments on Debatable Land: stories of life in a grey area: Read Not Quite All About ItElaine Housbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09140752781171688757noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1349179382901621944.post-49005314344154466252013-03-09T15:09:09.134+00:002013-03-09T15:09:09.134+00:00My pleasure, Elaine. Like the other publicly-trade...My pleasure, Elaine. Like the other publicly-traded local newspaper firms, Johnston Press have been in severe financial difficulties for several years as they seek to shore up their share price in the face of a declining newspaper market, and this has led to staffing cuts across the board, in editorial, production and printing.Matthew Kilburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16994266455623606284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1349179382901621944.post-67875794034447836852013-03-08T19:25:23.626+00:002013-03-08T19:25:23.626+00:00Thanks a lot Matthew, it's great when someone ...Thanks a lot Matthew, it's great when someone is interested enough to comment. I've always felt that the Advertiser used to be much better written than the Gazette, and now isn't much, and that's probably explained by the change of ownership. I will look up your pieces in order to expand my knowledge of this subject.Elaine Housbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09140752781171688757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1349179382901621944.post-8187793352911077982013-03-08T19:09:31.766+00:002013-03-08T19:09:31.766+00:00Oh - and for a while in 1983 and 1984 the Berwicks...Oh - and for a while in 1983 and 1984 the <i>Berwickshire News</i> and the <i>Berwick Advertiser</i> were one paper, the <i>Berwickshire and Berwick Advertiser</i>, but the experiment was reversed.Matthew Kilburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16994266455623606284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1349179382901621944.post-45125808155849850772013-03-08T18:22:16.141+00:002013-03-08T18:22:16.141+00:00Just seen this while browsing - much appreciated. ...Just seen this while browsing - much appreciated. In reality, all four titles are in the same ownership as Northeast Press and the Tweeddale Press have both been Johnston Press subsidiaries since 1999 (though previously having separate histories) and have the same managing director. The similarities will be more apparent when the three Tweeddale Press titles go tabloid in a few weeks as they will move to using the same layout templates as the <i>Northumberland Gazette</i>. The <i>Morpeth Herald</i>, one of the few weekly newspapers in the UK to be building its circulation, clings on to its broadsheet form, but as it is also a Johnston Press paper it is probably only a matter of time, unless it receives a special dispensation like one of their West Sussex papers.<br /><br />I wrote some blog posts last year on the Johnston Press relaunches and on the story of a one-time Tweeddale Press title, the <i>Ponteland Observer</i>.Matthew Kilburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16994266455623606284noreply@blogger.com