View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
February 24, 2005updated 22 Nov 2022 2:26pm

A loyalty hard to find today

By Press Gazette

May I take this opportunity to salute the retiring editor of the
Barking & Dagenham Post, Dave Russell (Press Gazette , 18 February).

I
joined the rival title, the Barking Advertiser , at about the same time
Dave joined the Post and we soon joined battle by writing what were
then called youth columns.

It was our good fortune to be
reporting in the Beatles era, vying for exclusive tittle-tattle about
local stars such as Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, Sandie Shaw, David
Essex and Tony Rivers and the Castaways.

We also met up in
council meetings, courtrooms and police stations as we sought to scoop
each other in days when local paper competition was as fierce – maybe
fiercer – than red-top rivalry today.

Dave was a more than worthy
opponent who unflappably went about his job with a dedication and
determination which ensured that he would become an editor.

After three-and-a-half years I left the Advertiser , which was later “merged” into Dave’s beloved Post, a victory of sorts.

But
Dave ensured that, despite the Post’s monopoly in Dagenham during his
12-year editorship, he made his paper as readable as ever.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The
Dave Russells of journalism – loyal to their craft and loyal to people
of their circulation areas – are few and far between in modern times.
He deserves his retirement and I wish him and his wife, Julie – another
tireless journalist – well in what I hope will be a long future.

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