Johnston Press

Rankin Armstrong to step down as editor of the News Letter this autumn

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 13, 2015, 11:07 pm

| Readers 1144

Rankin Armstrong is stepping down as editor of the News Letter this autumn to take early retirement after 44 years working in NI journalism. In a statement, Rankin reflected that “it is the right time to move on to a new chapter in my life”. I am leaving a paper that’s in good health, with a loyal print readership and a growing digital presence. These are exciting times for the business and there is a bright future ahead in the …

News Letter relaunched with new fonts, new templates and perhaps fewer words

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on April 16, 2013, 8:30 am

| Readers 200

A new look News Letter hit the news-stands on Monday morning. All Johnston Press titles have been going through a process of refresh, and this week it is the turn of the two hundred and seventy six year old paper. The News Letter website will undergo its revamp today. [In the images below, last Wednesday’s News Letter is shown on the left; and Monday’s relaunched paper on the right.] The familiar masthead and the sign of the peacock remain on …

Rankin Armstrong takes over the reins as editor of the News Letter

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 27, 2012, 6:20 pm

| Readers 175

The News Letter has appointed Rankin Armstrong as its new editor. Darwin Templeton left the role (for UTV) nearly 12 months ago and since then Johnston Press has conducted an exhaustive [Ed – you mean exhausting?] search, including at least two rounds of interviews which included candidates from the newspaper group’s English operation. Most recently the paper’s deputy editor, Rankin has spent around 40 years in journalism, spending time in the Irish News and Belfast Telegraph as well as local weeklies …

Johnston Press plan for survival: Social, Local, Mobile

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on April 17, 2012, 9:36 am

| Readers 53

The man who launched the BBC iPlayer on-demand service, who then jumped ship into Project Kangaroo before bouncing into Microsoft as a VP for UK Consumer and Online landed as the CEO of Johnston Press on 1 November 2011. Yesterday Ashley Highfield announced his plans to improve the viability of Johnston Press’ stable of 18 daily and 245 weekly newspapers, along with their 273 local websites, taking five daily papers weekly by the end of May. Long term, he sees …