News: Former editor lambasts National World for "ripping apart" Rotherham Advertiser
Historic independent weekly title, the Rotherham Advertiser, has new owners again after British multimedia company, National World plc, was acquired by a major shareholder.
The editor, who left the paper during National World's ownership, described the company as "wolves" in a post on social media.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, National World plc became operational with the acquisition of JPIMedia (formerly Johnston Press) for £10.2m in 2021. Titles include The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post, and locally, The Sheffield Star. In 2023 it added the Rotherham Advertiser, buying it for an undisclosed sum from Regional Media Ltd.
Last year, Media Concierge announced plans to acquire the shareholding of the plc in a deal worth £65.1m that involved the creation of a new privately owned company.
Media Concierge is an independently owned media group providing local marketing solutions at scale across the UK and Ireland.
The strategy is to focus on local news with stock exchange documents setting out that it will "continue and accelerate National World’s strategy to grow its monetisable audience. This will be achieved by concentrating on local and regional audiences, improving the user experience of the websites and ensuring that adequate news gathering and technical resources are available and properly directed to drive traffic and user loyalty.
"Whilst Media Concierge accepts the shift to online news consumption it also remains committed to preserving the printed products for the foreseeable future."
The takeover triggered a legal confrontation between Media Concierge and National World with a court approving the deal recently.
National World made claims of a "potentially systemic pattern of historical invoicing irregularities in relation to the activities of entities within the Media Concierge Group" with Media Concierge claimed to be "inappropriately withholding revenues due to National World totaling £4.4m in respect of certain contracts with entities in the Media Concierge Group which had been terminated."
Media Concierge "has continued to deny invoicing irregularities and argue that the withheld revenues are subject to a substantial counter-claim for breach of contract in excess of the £4.4m amount."
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Added into the situation is the plight of local journalists. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) says that since National World took over the former JPI Media, the strategy of executive chairman David Montgomery saw "an estimated 25% of editorial jobs cut across the business, with remaining journalists reporting that they are overworked, experiencing stress from the workload, and that they are set arbitrary targets which are impossible to meet."
Changes at The Rotherham Advertiser saw editor, Andrew Mosley leave the publication, along with a number of senior reporters and long-standng staff. Richard Fidler moved from a role at the Yorkshire Post into the role of editor at "the 'tiser."
Posting on X, Andrew Mosley, who has recently published his first novel, said that the new deal had got to be a positive for the likes of the Rotherham Advertiser, adding: "Sold down the river and to the wolves by the owner of Regional Media Ltd and ripped apart."
More bad news for the borough came when National World signed a deal with Newsquest in 2023 that resulted in production ending at DMG Media's site in Rotherham. With a reduction in work, the £60m plant at Dinnington ceased printing for good in 2024.
Following the court's approval, Malcolm Denmark, CEO, sent a message to staff. He said: "Our company, Media Concierge, has been a strong supporter of local and regional media for many years. In fact, we were the first and largest investor in National World. From the outset, we believed in the vision of building a sustainable and independent news business that serves communities across the UK. That belief has not changed.
"Now, as we move from investor to owner, our approach is straightforward. We want to support you in doing what you already do so well. You know your audiences, your titles, and your communities. The most important thing we can do right now is to give you the space and confidence to carry on — business as usual."
According to data firm, ABC, The Rotherham Advertiser, which began publishing in 1858, had an average weekly circulation of 6,543 in 2024, down from 7,594 in 2023. Previous owners, Regional Media Ltd reported a ciculation of 13,700 in its 2023 annual report to independent regulator, IPSO.
National World website
Media Concierge website
Images: ABC
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The editor, who left the paper during National World's ownership, described the company as "wolves" in a post on social media.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, National World plc became operational with the acquisition of JPIMedia (formerly Johnston Press) for £10.2m in 2021. Titles include The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post, and locally, The Sheffield Star. In 2023 it added the Rotherham Advertiser, buying it for an undisclosed sum from Regional Media Ltd.
Last year, Media Concierge announced plans to acquire the shareholding of the plc in a deal worth £65.1m that involved the creation of a new privately owned company.
Media Concierge is an independently owned media group providing local marketing solutions at scale across the UK and Ireland.
The strategy is to focus on local news with stock exchange documents setting out that it will "continue and accelerate National World’s strategy to grow its monetisable audience. This will be achieved by concentrating on local and regional audiences, improving the user experience of the websites and ensuring that adequate news gathering and technical resources are available and properly directed to drive traffic and user loyalty.
"Whilst Media Concierge accepts the shift to online news consumption it also remains committed to preserving the printed products for the foreseeable future."
The takeover triggered a legal confrontation between Media Concierge and National World with a court approving the deal recently.
National World made claims of a "potentially systemic pattern of historical invoicing irregularities in relation to the activities of entities within the Media Concierge Group" with Media Concierge claimed to be "inappropriately withholding revenues due to National World totaling £4.4m in respect of certain contracts with entities in the Media Concierge Group which had been terminated."
Media Concierge "has continued to deny invoicing irregularities and argue that the withheld revenues are subject to a substantial counter-claim for breach of contract in excess of the £4.4m amount."
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Added into the situation is the plight of local journalists. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) says that since National World took over the former JPI Media, the strategy of executive chairman David Montgomery saw "an estimated 25% of editorial jobs cut across the business, with remaining journalists reporting that they are overworked, experiencing stress from the workload, and that they are set arbitrary targets which are impossible to meet."
Changes at The Rotherham Advertiser saw editor, Andrew Mosley leave the publication, along with a number of senior reporters and long-standng staff. Richard Fidler moved from a role at the Yorkshire Post into the role of editor at "the 'tiser."
Posting on X, Andrew Mosley, who has recently published his first novel, said that the new deal had got to be a positive for the likes of the Rotherham Advertiser, adding: "Sold down the river and to the wolves by the owner of Regional Media Ltd and ripped apart."
More bad news for the borough came when National World signed a deal with Newsquest in 2023 that resulted in production ending at DMG Media's site in Rotherham. With a reduction in work, the £60m plant at Dinnington ceased printing for good in 2024.
Following the court's approval, Malcolm Denmark, CEO, sent a message to staff. He said: "Our company, Media Concierge, has been a strong supporter of local and regional media for many years. In fact, we were the first and largest investor in National World. From the outset, we believed in the vision of building a sustainable and independent news business that serves communities across the UK. That belief has not changed.
"Now, as we move from investor to owner, our approach is straightforward. We want to support you in doing what you already do so well. You know your audiences, your titles, and your communities. The most important thing we can do right now is to give you the space and confidence to carry on — business as usual."
According to data firm, ABC, The Rotherham Advertiser, which began publishing in 1858, had an average weekly circulation of 6,543 in 2024, down from 7,594 in 2023. Previous owners, Regional Media Ltd reported a ciculation of 13,700 in its 2023 annual report to independent regulator, IPSO.
National World website
Media Concierge website
Images: ABC
