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September 10, 2009

Sefton Series weekly editor gets the axe

By Helen Potter

The editor of a series of Southport free weekly newspapers has been axed by publisher Champion Media Group after 14 years with the company.

Martin Hovden, who edited the Sefton Series of newspapers, was one of five compulsory redundancies made by the independent publisher as it looks to cut costs.

The cuts, made last month, also led to two production staff leaving the company along with a member of the IT staff and a distribution staff member.

Responsibility for editing the three titles in the Sefton Series will now pass to Malcolm Hindle, editor of Champion’s West Lancs publication.

Hindle will be in charge of Champion’s five titles covering Southport, Formby, Aintree and Maghull, Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.

Hovden will continue to work for Champion on a freelance basis.

He said: “I want to stress that I am still on very good terms with the Champion Group. I have had 14 very good years there.

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“With the state of the industry at the moment – we are at only going to get contract work or freelance work. So I will be freelancing with them.”

Betty Drummond, managing director of Champion Media Group, ruled out the need for further redundancies.

She said: “I believe this will be the end of it for us…Martin is a much loved man and a respected member of the team and Malcolm is well known to us and I am confident he will do a good job.”

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