Your Noon Briefing: Calum Ross, Letter to The Scotsman, etc

THE Press and Journal’s Calum Ross has been promoted to the role of political editor.

He was previously the paper’s political correspondent at Westminster.

Calum joined the P&J eight years ago – as local government reporter in Aberdeen- and has returned to the newspaper’s head office after four years in London.

He is the son of The Herald’s long-serving Highlands and Islands correspondent, David Ross. He succeeds former political editor, David McKay, who has joined Aberdeen City Council as a communications officer.

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POIGNANT letter published in today’s Scotsman (here): “This really is a voice from beyond the grave, because by the time you read it I shall be dead.

“It’s a brief note to thank those whose letters I have written in support, and those with whom I have crossed swords.

“Thank you for your wit, scholarship and humour – and just plain knowledge.

“It has been great fun being part of a letter-writing companionship.

“I believe strongly that the correspondence column of a newspaper is the true guardian of its very soul, and in these perilous times for printed newspapers your Scotsman needs you more than ever – so keep the keyboards rattling.

“I am so sorry I won’t be there to continue the discussions and spats.

“Thanking you again.”

David Fiddimore

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A DEPUTY chief sub-editor is being sought by the Evening Express newspaper – as advertised here, on the allmediascotland media jobs board.

Do please mention the site when responding to vacancies you see being advertised on it.

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BEGINS an announcement by newspapers, comics and magazines publisher, DC Thomson: “In a first for DC Thomson Publishing, the magazine business announced it will become a new sponsor of the UK’s most-watched commercial children’s channel, CITV.

“The deal, which includes broadcast, online, mobile and licensing elements, will see separate ten-second sponsorship idents created across DC Thomson’s popular range of children’s titles, which will run from 0925-1800 on CITV for a 12-month period from 1st August.

“The activity coincides with an exciting year for the DC Thomson, which is launching a new ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ title later this year. The broadcast sponsorship will be supported by a range of activity including five-second idents across CITV content on ITV Player and a major POS push in supermarket and high street retailers.”

Read more, here.

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CONGRATULATIONS to the winners at last night’s Marketing Society (Scotland) Star Awards, celebrating the best of Scottish marketing.

The winners’ list can be found here, as part of the allmediascotland Media Awards feature.

The Marketing Society’s Graeme Atha writes a comment piece, published today, in The Scotsman.

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SAYS the trade website, pressgazette.co.uk: “According to the Government’s Labour Force Survey, around 70,000 people in the UK currently describe themselves as journalists.

“Amazingly, given the number of redundancies Press Gazette has reported on, the total has risen slightly since the financial meltdown of 2008.

“But what do they all do? How much do they get paid? Do they enjoy their jobs? Do they behave ethically? What do they think of their employers?”

And it is inviting journalists to complete a workforce survey, here.

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IT is 20 years since Terry Murden was tasked by The Sunday Times to “broaden its business coverage in Scotland”.

And the former business editor of The Scotsman reflects on how the newspapers and business landscape has changed these last two decades – in an article on his own website, Daily Business, here.

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SEEN anything you think readers of www.allmediascotland.com should be made aware of? Then just send the weblink to here and we’ll do the rest. All suggestions gratefully received. We’re back at noon on Monday.