1) The regional press is struggling to retain readers as people in large metropolitan areas are more transient and less passionate about their local community compared to smaller places. 2) Regional newspapers are at risk of decline as readers change their media consumption habits to use multiple sources rather than a single newspaper. However, the future of regional titles is still a long way off from terminal decline. 3) Newsquest is trying new strategies like partnering with Talk Talk for a multi-channel advertising deal across various media to make regional press seem more exciting and appeal to changing audiences beyond just print newspapers.

1. ';X:;:;;";tr;frfr.:m.lHT?il.,ffi "Peoplesavregional
struggled to keep hold ofrer
Bourne attributes *" l*iL'*"" ,* ," pressisnttsexyrbutl
I would argue that it
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these larger areas to a shift in focus of the
readers.
"The type of person living in these big
metropolitan areas is changing, it is a very
transient society, and you don't get this
passion for the community that there is in
smaller placesj' she says.
"Metro delivers to that qpe of audience and
that is why it has done so well - it's not about
community, it's about a snapshot of what is
going on."
So what is the future for regional titles?
"We are a very long way offbefore we see
anyone in terminal decline, but people are
changing their consumption habits. In a iot of
these areas one product is being replaced by
multiple layers such as leisure, youth and
style."
As testament to this change of focus,
Bourne points to Newsquest's recently signed
six-month deal with Talk Talk which involves
*re Newsquest brand Tlvo's Company and
includes advertising across newspaper,
digital, audio and tert alerts as well as incor-
porating sponsorship of TWo's Company
speed dating parties.
Boume says the deal, which is due to start
in April, is a key indicator of the direction
Newsquest is heading in.
"People say regional press isn't sexy, but I
would argue that it can be. Here we have
taken it lthe Talk Talk deal] beyond just the
page to something really quite exciting and
who is better placed then regional press to
achieve that?"
This latest deal is a far cry liom how
Bourne started out her sales career at 19
selling Mexican timeshares in Southern Cali-
fornia.
"If you can sell timeshares in the States,
you can pretty much sell anything. I was there
for two phenomenal years and I think that the
US attitude of work ethic and making it hap-
pen really stayed with mej' she says.
On her return to Blighty, following a brief
spell as an estate agent, Bourne got a job in
telesales recruitment with the North London
and Herts newspaper group.
"Starting at the very bottom is a fantastic
grounding, but within a month I got bored
and spoke with my boss Gary Matthews who
then made me property rep and a month after
that property manager."
tteadhunted by Media Sales Buruau
Using her property contacts, Bourne
increased weekly revenue from E7,OOO to
€16,00o within a matter ofweeks. After seven
months on the job, she was headhunted by
Matthews, who had then moved to Media
Sales Bureau (MSB) - at its time the largest
regional sales company in terms of represen-
tation.
After a year with MSB, Bourrre was about
to pack it all in and go travelling when she
received a call asking her to move over to
Amr4 where one of her MSB accounts was
headed. After some degree of deliberation,
Bourle halted her travel plans and became
group head ofAmra in 1989.
After five years as group head. Bourne
headed the team that won rhatwonthe Man-
chater Evening News account in1994, a cottp
that earned her the position of associate
director and led to a swift progression
through the ranks.
"When I was about 28, I arrogantly decid-
ed that I was going to be MD without fully
understanding what that meant, but knowing
itwas what I wantedj'she says.
Bourrre got her wish and at 33 was made
managing director.
Shortly afterwards, Amra was bought out
by Trinity Mirror, which led to a change in
company str-ucture that Bourne says meant
she had lots of bosses, lots of responsibility
but no authority.
It was at this point, that Bourne made the
now industry-famous job swap with Gary
McNish, then MD at Newsquest.
Afterioining Newsquest in 2001, her initial
focus was to channel her energies towards
changing the company's culture in favour of a
more driven sales environment.
To bring about such a dramatic change she
set about recrriting like-minded people and
in 2003, with her chosen people in place, ran
a staflwide suruey to gauge what areas in the
business and working environment needed
attention.
"Basically through the suwey eight areas
were identified for developments and people
acknowledged that they needed to change
their approach, which was fantastic - it really
brought in everyone to this way of thinkingj'
she says.
'At the same time, I also worked with pub-
lishers to assess what it was they were looking
for and this has 1ed to closer working relations
with advertisers and agencies in order to
bring about more creative solutions."
Bourne says the overhaul ofthe business
has had profound effects: "We started to posi-
tion ourselves as a company that doesn't just
sell on-the-page advertising but also a multi-
tude of direct communication channels into
the local market, such as audio text, online,
leafl ets and promotionsl'
Offering this kind of communication solu-
tion makes sound business sense to Bourne
who believes that criticism levied at the cost of
regional rate cards is unjustified.
"The regional press is five times more suc-
cessful in terms of achieving a response then
the national press, so if it is five times more
expensive it's still good valuei'
Despite openly declaring her love for the
regional press on more than one occasion,
Bourne admits there have been times when
she has considered jumping ship in favour of
advancing her career.
She has been tempted with several offers
over the years to move to different media, but
she has yet to be persuaded to sever her ties.
'At the moment, the business is into
embedding and that is enough to keep me at
Newsquest for a bit longerj' she says.
"I'm the qpe of person that if it feels good,
then I stickwith itl'I
rw-::e:-:;reeLco.uk 15 -22 lJ{arch 2005 Media Week 43