KM Group has announced a reshuffle of its senior editorial team,
which sees the appointment of the first female Kent Messenger
editor in the title’s 152-year history.
Denise
Eaton, currently editor of the group’s Gravesend and Dartford
Messenger Series, takes up the new role on February 28.
Bob Bounds, who currently oversees both the Kent Messenger and
the Medway Messenger, will continue to edit the twice-weekly Medway
title. He will take on additional responsibility for the
award-winning Gravesend portfolio.
Under Bob’s editorship, the Kent Messenger Series has become the
country’s biggest-selling weekday weekly newspaper (ABC Jan - Jun
2010).
It has spearheaded a number of high-profile campaigns, including
the recent fight against proposals to axe maternity facilities in
Maidstone.
Denise, a former deputy editor at the Evening Echo in Essex, has
steered the Gravesend and Dartford Messengers to a string of
industry awards in recent years.
These include EDF paid-for weekly newspaper of the year in 2009
and 2006. The title also won campaign of the year in the 2011
Shepherd Neame awards, 2009 and 2007 EDF awards and 2006 UK
Regional Press Awards.
Numerous reporters have also won individual awards during their
time in the Gravesend office.
KM Group editorial director Ian Carter said: “We are lucky to
have such a dedicated and talented senior editorial team overseeing
our newspapers, websites and radio stations.
“This move means Bob will be able to devote more time to
developing our Medway and north Kent portfolio, which is one of our
biggest and most competitive markets.
“Denise has a great track record of campaigning journalism, and
this move means she will be editing her home-town paper.”
Kent's only independent multimedia company, KM Group is a
family-owned business with over 150 years of history. Its portfolio
of over 25 products, across press, radio and online, reach over
half a million people.
KM Group recently won a variety of accolades in the Kent
Journalist of the Year Awards and currently employs over 360 people
in 11 offices across Kent and in London.
(February 8, 2011)