Reach Launches Three News Brands For South West

Reach is to launch three new news brands for the south west after rapid audience growth for the publisher’s titles in the area.

DevonLive, and CornwallLive posted year on year growth of 35 per cent and 70 per cent respectively, with readers to both sites viewing a combined 25 million page views a month, the publisher announced.

Now, the websites are to add five new journalism roles across the two titles, with the launch of three new brands in the two counties.

DevonLive is to launch TorbayLive and ExeterLive, while CornwallLive, will launch TruroLive. Three roles will be created in Devon, two reporters and one content editor, to work on the new Live brands, with two community reporter roles created in Cornwall.

Content produced by all the new journalists will also be used in Reach print titles in the region including the Torquay Herald Express, West Briton, Cornish Guardian, The Cornishman, Exeter Express and Echo and Western Morning News.

Bill Martin, editor-in-chief for the South West at Reach, said: “Our journalists are committed to telling the important stories which matter to readers in a way in which resonates across our region.

“Our approach of being first with the news, campaigning for the region and not being afraid to have a smile with our readers is why we now welcome so many people to our sites every month.

“This growth has given us the confidence to invest in new roles, which will mean we can serve readers better than ever before.”

David Higgerson, chief audience officer at Reach, said: “Our talented team in the South West is reaching more people than ever before because they are prepared to do things differently, and build news around readers, rather than expecting readers and advertisers to fit around the way we’ve always done things in the past.

“The growth has been spectacular, and underpinned by a commitment to quality, local journalism which has meant both sites have demonstrated you can have both scale and quality engagement at the same time.

“The launch of the three new brands is an exciting innovation for us, which we hope we will be able to repeat across the country as ever more local people turn to us everyday.”