Existing regional editors will now be supported by title editors responsible for championing their newspapers in the communities they serve.
This is the latest step in stabilising and growing the portfolio of 17 local titles.
Group Editor Alan Woodison said: “Every town needs a strong, vibrant local newspaper – and every newspaper needs an editor. For the first time in a long time, our readers will have both.”
The titles were relaunched last year with a bold, contemporary design and all carry a new entertainment section branded as The Ticket.
In the Scottish Press Awards, the Ayrshire Post and the Hamilton Advertiser are both shortlisted for regional newspaper of the year while the Dumfries & Galloway Standard has been nominated in the Campaign of the Year category.
The new line-up is as follows:
John Hutcheson remains as Editor of the Paisley Daily Express which this month will record a year-on-year circulation growth of 17 per cent as a result of The Wish Campaign and St Mirren's Scottish League Cup triumph, say the publishers.
John Rowbotham, after 30 years at the Hamilton Advertiser, moves to his home city of Stirling, from where he will edit the bi-weekly Stirling Observer. His remit as Regional Editor takes in the Dumbarton local title, the Lennox Herald. The new Editor of the Lennox Herald is Amanda Graham.
Alan Woodison is Regional Editor in Ayrshire. The new appointments in the region are Cheryl McEvoy, Editor, Ayrshire Post; Craig Robertson, Editor, Kilmarnock Standard; Lorraine Howard, Editor, Irvine Herald.
John Murdoch is Regional Editor in Lanarkshire and Lothian. The new appointments in the region are Gordon Robertson, Editor, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser; Marjorie Kerr, Editor, West Lothian Courier; Bob Mitchell, Editor, Wishaw Press; Louise Reilly, Editor, East Kilbride News; Kenny Smith, Editor, Rutherglen Reformer. A new editor will shortly be appointed at the Hamilton Advertiser.
Alison Lowson is Regional Editor in Perthshire. She will continue to edit the bi-weekly Perthshire Advertiser. The new appointment in the region is Johnathon Menzies, Editor, Blairgowrie Advertiser & Strathearn Herald.
Kenny Barr is the Regional Editor in Dumfries. He will continue to edit the bi-weekly Dumfries & Galloway Standard. The new appointment in the region is Iain Pollock, Editor, Galloway News.
Allan Rennie (pictured), Media Scotland Editor-in-Chief said: “We know from talking to readers and advertisers that the local titles were strong and well respected in their circulation areas. Each paper needed an individual to act as a figurehead, both among the staff and in the wider community. We already had good people who could do the job – and so finding editors wasn't difficult. I am looking forward to working with them all in growing Media Scotland at all levels of the business.”
Media Scotland was created in January 2012 when Trinity Mirror merged the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail with sister company Scottish and Universal Newspapers.
The combined operation gives the company a “unique readership base” in Scotland, with the national titles being complemented by its wide portfolio of local newspapers, covering regions as far apart as Dumfries and Perth.
