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Big Spark launches Stockport Independent today
Big Spark Publishing has told How-Do that it is taking advantage of MEN Media's decision to 'retreat' from Stockport, with the launch of the latest in its series of Independent newspapers in the town today.
The Horwich-based firm entered into the local paper market earlier this year with the Cheshire Independent and has since added sister titles in Bury and Bolton to its stable - both of which, MD Stuart Parker claims, succeeded in making profits on their first issues.
Now it is the turn of Stockport to get the Independent's 50/50 mix of local 'soft' news and advertising in a monthly free-to-pick-up format.
The paper launched from its pick up points this morning, boasting 24 pages and a print run of 15,000.
Again, according to Parker, it stuck to his increasingly tried and tested small cost base/low expectation business model and recorded another profit for Big Spark's offshoot newspaper arm Investors in Publishing.
"We are enjoying the experience very much," Parker informed How-Do. "We have added staff to support the growth, advertisers are getting response and so is the content.
"We have plans for further areas too," he added, suggesting that the firm may soon be set to look outside its North West homeland and take on other areas where established newspaper groups are making cutbacks.
On the reasoning behind the Stockport launch, Parker didn't mince his words:
"(It's) simply because the MEN have left the building," he said, referring to the group's decision to close the office of The Stockport Express and Times.
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Purely as a matter of interest, what has happened with these new free newspapers? I'm living in the south at present so don't get to see local publications 'up north'.
Are all the new launches still being published? Can anyone give an update?
Well I've picked up my copy and was pleasantly surprised. First newspaper I've whilst smiling. Nicely laid out, not advertising heavy and extremley well written. Well done. For those that have commented on this article previous to me; have you actually picked up a copy? Might be an idea before you pass judgement next time!
I agree with many of the people on here encouraging Stuart Parker and his team. There are many stories on How-Do about pointless and unaccountable quangoes such as the NWDA and North West Vision which drone about creating 'jobs', none of which are really proper jobs. On the other hand, Big Spark appears to be an example of a local media organisation, creating proper jobs having spotted a hole in the market, and I wager without having taken a penny of public money. They should be applauded, not criticised, and criticised anonymously at that.
re; town hall jobs - is comrade Toomer away on holiday?
I am the lady that sells the advertising and manages the Stockport Independent titles. I was made redundant from a managerial position by Newsquest NW at the start of this year. I have spent over 10 years in print media and thought I would end up on the scrap heap. But then I paired up with Stuart and his team. Together we have launched a new and inspiring product into Stockport, which has had nothing but positive feedback from both readers and advertisers. The Stockport team include two journalists who were also made redundant from the publishing group M.E.N. and yet had given them over 22 years of their lives. Investors In Publishing have helped keep us in employment doing something that we love. Thank you Stuart for seeing something in us that we could take forward and grow.
Er...with reference to the NUJ "finding solutions to the crisis in our industry..." just remind us, Comrade Toomer, how many years have you worked in the comfortable secure warmth of the town hall press office?
I think Mike Unger's definition of quality is spot on. The problem is too many papers don't deliver. Where I live there is one local paper which consists of poorly laid out pages of ads with press releases reprinted word for word in the gaps. We need papers producing the quality you describe and to get that you have to invest in journalists.
Finally, I don't want to get into a fruitless spat with Jonesy (whoever s/he is). but I'll just as final reply that his previous argument is a bit tired. It's like saying sports reporters shouldn't criticise their local football manager unless they are willing to do the job themselves.
The point is the NUJ is making a significant contribution to the efforts to find solutions to the crisis facing our industry and coming up with alternatives to the business model which Guardian Media tells us is broken.
Dave Toomer - in view of the criticism and advice you feel qualified enough to throw at publishers on how they can make and disperse their profits in an extremely difficuly market why don't you use that skill as others have suggested. Launch your own publishing/media company - invest your own money (not someone else's) - employ lots of NUJ members - pay them 'top rates' - and show us all how it should be done! Simples.
Stuart Parker and his team should be congratulated on what they are doing - serving local communities with local news and local advertising. It bemuses me when people talk about "quality journalism". What on earth do they mean? To me this means giving the reader of either a national daily or a local weekly the news they want as accurately as can be - whether that's the demise of Gordon Brown or the results of the Reddish flower show. Please just be grateful that new papers are being set up where others failed because the profit margins were too small.
Stuart - I can assure you there was no venom directed at you or your organisation, about which I know very little. If you detected venom it was directed at the large groups which we know have severely damaged our industry. As I said, what you are doing to fill the void is to be welcomed. The NUJ does run training courses and I would be happy to talk to you about that. The union is not a spectator in these efforts to save our industry. We have been lobbying government and looking at how the industry can move forward exploring new business models including public funding for what after all is a public service.
Incidentallly, to answer Jonesy's own piece of venom, the NUJ are not against people making profits, but we do object to those profits rewarding executives with £500k bonuses while cutting jobs, paying journalists pitiful wages and reducing quality.