View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
November 16, 2011

New Johnston Press chief Highfield: ‘Print is not dead’

By Andrew Pugh

Former BBC online editor Ashley Highfield, who this month took over as chief executive of regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press, has declared that “newspapers in print are not dead”.

His comments came after the publisher announced advertising revenue had fallen 8 per cent in the 18 weeks to 5 November, an improvement on the 10 per cent drop seen in the first half of the year.

Highfield replaced John Fry as chief executive on 1 November, joining from Microsoft where was vice president of its consumer and online business.

Before that he was the editor-in-chief of BBC Online – and unsurprisingly he is now eyeing digital growth of the Edinburgh-based company, where digital income rose 4.4 per cent in the second half of the year.

‘I took the job with my eyes open knowing that the regional press has structural challenges,’he told The Herald.

‘The opportunities are very clear with Johnston Press, as with other regional publishers, because the brands of the local newspapers are incredibly strong in local communities.

‘The trick is to help move those brands into the digital age and get the right balance between print and digital.

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

‘However, it is not exclusive. I do see an opportunity for stabilising and, hopefully, in a number of areas increasing circulation revenue as well.”

Highfield added: ‘It is quite clear to me that newspapers in print are not dead. It is about finding what audiences need and what mixture of print and digital products to offer them.”

Yesterday the company announced it had entered into talks to refinance its £357m debt.

Topics in this article :

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