Two former regional newspaper staffers have teamed up to produce a new magazine for Winchester, putting “quality, local journalism” at its heart.
Guy Hanson and Sue Hughes are posting Winchester Resident Magazine to about 7,500 homes in the area with bi-monthly editions in B5 ‘book’ format.
The magazine is the brainchild of Hanson, who has worked in sales for regional publishers including Newsquest, Archant, Trinity Mirror and Baylisss Media over a 35-year career.
The pair met when Hanson was National Sales Director of Archant Lifestyle and Hughes was chief writer at Hampshire Life, one of the titles under his remit.
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Said Hanson: “Sue’s brief is to go back to the roots of quality, local journalism and write about issues, people, independent businesses and organisations in and around Winchester.
“I believe that micro publishing is the future for our industry now. Winchester Resident Magazine will reflect that.”
The magazine relies on advertising to generate income, with Hanson saying he wanted to develop the book as a “valuable vehicle for promoting and showcasing local businesses”.
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A digital edition of the magazine is available online, but stories are not uploaded to the website.
Content covers independent traders, local issues, entrepreneurs, lifestyle, wellbeing, arts, food and drink, history, charity and travel.
Added Hanson: “We are trying to ensure something for everyone with new sections, quality content and we’re not afraid to be opinionated and tackle local news issues.”
“If Sue spots a further angle in a press release she’ll file it, develop it and talk to individuals to generate original content – the sort of writing she produced for me a decade ago on Hampshire Life.”
Hughes, who has spent 25-years working in journalism and copywriting, told Press Gazette: “The quality of local papers has just gone. The whole thing has just been decimated by the cuts and the subbing hubs. I just want to go back to local community journalism.”
She said of the Resident: “It’s allowing me to write quality print stuff the way we used to do. It’s literally going back to ‘who, what, why, when, where’.”
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