Type | Weekly newspaper. |
---|---|
Format | Online Newspaper |
Owner | PBT Media Relations Ltd. |
Editor | Patrick Trollope |
Founded | 2000 |
Political alignment | None |
Headquarters | Post Office Ave, Southport |
Official website | southportreporter.com |
Southport Reporter is an online newspaper started by Patrick Trollope[1], is not only seen as a newspaper[2] but also as the UK's first online-only regional newspaper.[3] It is based in Southport on Merseyside, and was quickly recognised by the National Union of Journalists as well as other media groups,[4] authorities and organizations as a newspaper.[5] This recognition was due to the fact it was only run by certificated professional journalists (often the journalist held NUJ or IFJ ID/certification). As a result they had to follow and run under the rules of the UK Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice[6] and the NUJ Code of Conduct.
The virtual newspaper's name was trademarked under the UK's Trade Mark Act 1994 Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as a newspaper, on 12 February 2002 under the registration No. 2292469.[7]
Contents |
The idea started when Patrick Trollope[8] decided to use unpublished news as a single page on Formby Online[9] over 1998 and 1999 after studying at Wolverhampton University.[10] By 1999 the idea had grown into a multi-page system. In 1999 the site was moved onto his photographic business website PCBT Photography.[11] The interest shown during 1999 helped the idea develop quicker, but produced bandwidth restriction problems by the end of 1999. In 2000, the site was again moved to a new temporary host location, on a newly-launched site called Southport.gb.com.[12] The increase of visitors in 2000 helped the Southport Reporter to become better established. In 2001 the section was moved again and became fully independent, hosted as SouthportReporter.com. As it was by then becoming established, it was also registered as a trademark.[13] As the website became larger, it also began to be published under the names Mersey Reporter[14] [15] and Liverpool Reporter.[16][17] By April 2002 Southport Reporter was starting to become known as Southport & Mersey Reporter,[18] due to its coverage of news from all parts of Merseyside.[19] By then they had started covering events, as far away as Manchester, with the paper covering the Manchester Commonwealth Games, on a local and international level.[20] By 2007 the paper was being used as a news resource for many international media groups, like HULIQ.[21] In 2008 the paper runs a Limited Company,[22] called PBT Media Relations Ltd.[23] Company UK. Also in 2008 the paper started to push for better rights for photographers in the UK.[24]
After Liverpool's run as European Capital of Culture 2008, tourism has been at an all time high in the area, so by 2009, questions with in the Merseyside's community where being asked about the cities next steps. As a result it was not surprising that Southport & Mersey Reporter[25] would be consulted on the cities future development, resulting in them becoming media partner of the 'Beyond Capital of Culture: A New Dawn for Tourism in Liverpool'[26] event. The aim now to use the paper to help development the area's image.