UK – 3 July 2014

This week’s Media Updates covers changes at news titles including The Sunday Business Post, Daily Record and Press Association; fashion and lifestyle changes at Stuff and About Time; technology changes at BBC and Dennis Publishing and business changes at Third Sector and Toy World. There are also blog spotlights featuring music, mummy and fashion bloggers.

News & Current Affairs

• Martha Kearns has announced via Twitter that she has left her role as news editor of The Sunday Business Post.
• Eastern Daily Press has announced that Michael Pollitt has left his role as agricultural editor.
• Simon Barnes will leave his roles as chief sports writer and wildlife columnist at The Times in August.
•  Jonathan Lee, currently editor of the North West Evening Mail, has been appointed managing director. James Higgins, currently deputy editor of the paper, has been appointed editor. They will both begin their new roles 7 July.
• Jack Mathieson has left his role as reporter at the Daily Record.
• The Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard has announced via Twitter that it has appointed Elliot Cass as a reporter.
• BBC Radio 5 Live has announced that Richard Bacon, Victoria Derbyshire and Shelagh Fogarty are to leave. Adrian Chiles and Dan Walker will now lead the station’s daytime shows.
• The Press Association has announced that Jonathan Grun will depart his role as editor after 36 years.

Fashion, Lifestyle & Entertainment

• Stuff magazine has unveiled a new-look, which can be seen in its latest issue.
• Kate Rooney has announced via Twitter that she is beauty editor at About Time magazine.
• Gianina Turner has been appointed blog editor at West Weddings.
• Jessica Beech has been appointed lifestyle assistant at Chat magazine and Pick Me Up magazine respectively.

Health, Science & Technology

• Matthew Postgate has been appointed chief technology officer at the BBC. Matthew will start 28 July.
• Dennis Publishing has re-launched consumer technology website expertreviews.co.uk.

Business & Finance

• Haymarket has announced that Third Sector has launched as a monthly magazine, with additional content on iPad and on its redesigned website.
• Heather Day has been appointed as editor of Toy World magazine.

Speedy Spotlights

• An interview with Luke Glassford, author of one of the UK’s top music blog, All-Noise. Luke spoke to us about hitting the 100,000 visits per month figure on his blog, the good and bad SEO companies he works with and bringing more writers on board his site.
• An interview with Laura Seaton, author of one of the UK’s top mummy blogs, Tired Mummy of Two. Laura spoke to us about the mix of content (including a Christmas tombola!) that makes her site so popular, why finding the right name for a blog is key for new bloggers, the importance of building a two-way relationship with brand marketers…and eating live bugs in a park.
• An interview with Ellie Myers author of the beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog, Misellyre. She spoke to us about how a good marketer works with her,  the importance of attending events and networking with fellow bloggers and getting a license to cover the rest of Yorkshire and beyond in the months ahead.