Advertising will dictate news morals - says 'oddball' newspaper publisher.

News and advertising are the key ingredients to any successful publication.  The News Advertiser series of regional papers, in their various and variety of forms, have been a staple throughout the UK for hundreds of years.

Offering stories that focus specifically on local communities and the people who live in them, the News Advertiser papers have tried to play a positive part in shaping the areas that they serve to best effect.

Coupled with their commitment to offer discount advertising space to local tradespeople, shops and their businesses, the News Advertiser format is a simple yet effective one.  Independent News Ltd has always been a firm believer in the power of British regional publishing and see this brand has a pivotal role in the future of independent local publishing.

"Everybody wins," says newspaper Chairman, Duncan Williams. "We go that little bit extra to ensure that the titles are of maximum benefit to readers and advertisers and that most importantly the newspapers, whether in their digital or print published form actually do enhance and mirror their communities in the most positive way."

Williams has over 20 years experience in the newspaper business and is considered to be a rank outsider by many in the media world.  Because of rumours within the industry of his strong Christian faith and "oddball" agendas, he has been mocked by some as a "kindly Christian" or simple minded "Jesus freak".  Others see that the Chairman of Independent News may well have a clever angle on newspaper publishing that others would be wise to follow.

In the wake of Leveson, the need for profitability and ethical balance are now an acute one.  Williams and his team of media publishers do seem to have a Midas touch in turning lead into gold when it comes to the acquisition of poorly performing magazines or newspapers and then reserving their fortunes with a streamlined ethical approach to both editorial content and advertising opportunities.

Williams is also quick to point out that; "What some people seem to have already forgotten is that the News of the World fiasco, and ultimate closure and job losses that followed, was dictated not my any moral whim on the part of the publisher but by the fact that all of its advertisers pulled out and boycotted the titled. Rupert Murdoch claiming that this was some sort of moral decision on his behalf is a bit rich. Advertising is the financial lifeblood of the newspaper industry. As publishers we all know that."

Whether this all powerful need for advertising can be married successfully with quality editorial will be the testing ground as to whether Duncan Williams will remain an oddball outsider of the regional newspaper industry or whether, in fact, he has some method in his "madness"... 

One thing is for sure, a readership in a country in full recession will be in certain need of some good news and a little bargain advertising.

News Advertiser newspapers remain free and are published and distributed throughout the United Kingdom.