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November 21, 2014

Digest: Former Brum Post editor takes over TM’s Midlands group | Times hits big screen | Local TV moves | Huffpo Greece launch

By William Turvill

Former Birmingham Post editor Marc Reeves has been named as editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror's Midlands operation.

Reeves, who is currently publishing director in the area, will replace David Brookes, who is set to leave his position at the end of the year.

Brookes said: “The last few years have seen tumultuous change in the way we produce and publish content and I am incredibly indebted to the talented journalists in the newsroom who have worked tirelessly to achieve fantastic digital growth. 

"Figures on our main websites have more than doubled while maintaining good quality newspapers, and we have published some exceptional investigative journalism including leading the way on the Trojan Horse scandal. 

"I will miss the buzz of the newsroom but I have had the privilege of working with some truly amazing journalists over the years.”

Simon Edgley, managing director of Trinity Mirror Midlands, said: “David has made a significant contribution to our titles and the business over many years, including very successful tenures editing the Coventry Telegraph, the Sunday Mercury and of course the Birmingham Mail. 

"He has led the editorial team through some very challenging times, and is in very large part responsible for making our newsrooms the multi-media pioneers they are today. His hard work and leadership leaves the business well prepared to hand over and I am looking forward to working with Marc in his new role.”

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Short films showcasing the work of Times and Sunday Times journalists are being featured in the cinemas of independent chain Picturehouse across the country.

Videos on foreign correspondents Christina Lamb, Anthony Loyd and Jack Hill, and Sunday Times investigations on Qatar and slavery, are featured in the Unquiet Film Series.

The video below, which is also in the collection, shows cartoonist Peter Brookes (pictured above) at work.

He reveals in the video how he has to work in silence in his “isolated” office in order to draw his daily cartoon.

The video features commentary from Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow and others who praise Brookes for often taking a different view on politics from the editorial.

He says: “I don’t take it as a matter of honour to go against the grain of the paper or go against the line of the paper at all.”

Nick Stringer, chief creative officer of News UK, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring our Unquiet Film Series to a wider audience in the hope that they are inspiring and insightful for the Picturehouse audience, an audience that fits perfectly with our own.”


The Huffington Post has this week launched in Greece, meaning it now has 12 sites across the world.

The website, founded in the United States in 2005, has launched in Greece in collaboration with 24 Media, which it said is the largest digital media publisher in the country.

Huffpo also noted that it is "backed by a number of prominent Greek financial partners".

Huffpo's first expanded out of the US in 2011 with its UK launch.


Archant East managing director Miller Hogg has resigned in order to "pursue his dream to do something new outside of the company".


Jack Blanchard has been promoted to deputy political editor of the Daily Mirror.

According to Gorkana the current political correspondent will replace James Lyons when he leaves the position at the end of November.


The BBC plans to run a regular Question Time-style programme in Burma (or Myanmar), World Service director Peter Horrocks has announced.

The first Time for Questions was broadcast in the country last week.

Horrocks said: “The BBC would like to make more of these programmes, hopefully in conjunction with broadcast partners here to ensure that the debates would be seen by as wide an audience as possible and that partners could learn editorial skills from the BBC.

“Full political participation on TV and radio, with the public directly addressing their questions to politicians, is a key building block in creating a proper democratic culture. The BBC would be delighted to work with MRTV to build this transformation of politics and broadcasting in Myanmar.” 


Local TV station Made In Tyne and Wear launched earlier this month on Freeview and Virgin Media. It will be available on Sky from 1 December.


Broadcast regulator Ofcom has awarded the local TV licence for Birmingham to Kaleidoscope TV Limited.

The announcement comes after City TV, which originally won the bid, went into administration in the summer.

The new station has until 28 February to go live.

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