New Charter buys Tameside Reporter
HOUSING association New Charter Housing Trust has completed a deal to rescue the 157-year-old Tameside Reporter and its sister title the Glossop Chronicle.
Previous owner, Reporter and Chronicle Newspapers, blamed the effects of the recession, the internet and local competition for the sale. It published its last edition on September 13.
A statement on the weekly’s website said it will reappear on Thursday, along with the Glossop Chronicle, with “a new look and a stronger focus on the community”.
It added: “The paper will remain entirely independent with its own editorial team producing the community news that has been loved by so many people for years.”
It will have a circulation of 25,000 copies, 15,000 of which will be delivered free to homes across nine towns in Tameside. It will also be available to buy for 45p.
Editor Nigel Skinner said: “The paper is, and always will be, a community focused venture dedicated to providing independent journalism to Tameside residents and our re-launch is all about re-enforcing that message as well as improving the content of the paper.
“Financially, the paper will continue to support itself with improved advertising opportunities and editorially we have full control of what goes in the paper.”
New Charter’s chief executive, Ian Munro said: “We strongly believe that there’s a need for independent community journalism and we have helped to secure a future for the paper to keep that going while saving an important part of local history.
“We’re investing in homes with improvement works and new builds and our involvement with the paper is about using our resources to provide communities with opportunities and not just great homes to live in. This is a very small scale investment for us that will have many benefits for local people and the economy and we’re pleased to be able to support the paper.”
New Charter Housing Trust Group was formed in March 2000 to take over housing stock from Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. It has a turnover of £90m and 800 staff.
