Our new Group Editorial Director plans to place digital innovation at the heart of the content strategy for our popular local publishing brands.
Jon Gripton has stepped up from the position of Assistant to Group CEO Danny Cammiade to provide leadership of our news titles across the UK, having previously been Group Deputy Editorial Director from March 2023 to February 2025.
Having recently started in his new role, Jon said: “The way audiences consume their news is ever-changing and the pace of that change can feel all-consuming but we are in a unique position in local media with our editors and journalists living and working in the communities they serve with our hyper-local newspapers, websites and digital services.”
In leading our editorial teams, Jon will draw upon extensive news experience to deliver the next phase of our editorial strategy. Having started his career at the Express & Star in Wolverhampton, Jon went on to work in radio, TV and online news for leading broadcasters.
Jon’s previous roles include working for BBC Points West TV Bristol as reporter and producer, six years as UK News Editor at Sky News and four years as Senior News Editor for website SkyNews.com.
Editorial experience
He has held other senior positions including Managing Editor at BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Channel Islands TV and Managing Editor of BBC Spotlight, the South West of England TV news programme.
With this wealth of experience, Jon is looking forward to giving our editorial teams the tools to reach local audiences across the growing range of platforms.
He said: “Our focus must be on producing content in the manner our audiences want to consume it.
“Our newspapers remain important and viable but we also need to deliver video, podcasts, TikTok shorts and Instagram reels.
“That feels a daunting challenge for some of our journalists, which is why we are committed to training and developing our teams in 2026 to give them the skills they need.
“We want to refine our email newsletter strategy and we continue to aspire to build a subscription model. Whether it be full paywalls, metered paywalls, or other paid-for content we are exploring all those options.
Digital focus
“I am hugely excited about the challenge and thrilled to have the opportunity to help our teams deliver the best work they can, in whatever format our audiences expect.”
Managing Director Scott Wood said: “We are delighted to appoint Jon to lead our editorial team as we grow our digital audiences and products, whilst sustaining our popular and resilient print titles.
“We have a business where journalists can develop a mix of modern and traditional skills including reporting, digital publishing, print, broadcasting and video creation, to meet the evolving needs of audiences who turn to our brands for trusted local news.
“With Jon spearheading our teams, we will continue to innovate while leveraging the trust placed in us within the communities we serve.”
Jon’s predecessor Emily Woolfe has taken up a new role in public sector communications, having held the Group Editorial Director post since 2023. Emily joined as Group Digital Editor in 2021.
Scott added: “I want to thank Emily for her contribution, which has included rolling out new website designs and implementing strategies to get more engagement through other platforms including video and social media. We wish her all the best for her future career.”