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National World appoints Martin Little as chief publishing officer
National World has appointed Martin Little as chief publishing officer in its first major leadership appointment since the takeover by new owners in May.
Little is returning to National World (formerly JPI Media) where he was director of digital content for four years until May 2021.
National World owns around 150 titles including flagship newspaper brands The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Belfast News Letter.
Little has just spent four years at Reach as audience transformation director and audience director (distribution and customer marketing) tasked with making sure the publisher’s journalism from across the UK reached the maximum number of people possible.
He told the WAN-IFRA conference in Krakow in May that Reach had turned around two years of audience decline through a mixture of content diversification, better use of audience data and a reduction in duplication across the publisher’s newsrooms.
National World described Little’s decision to rejoin the company as a “strong endorsement of the company’s new leadership and its editorial ambitions” and said the news has been “warmly welcomed across the organisation”.
Little said: “The pace of change in our industry is like no other. Whether it’s shifting algorithms, new technology or the relentless news agenda, the demands on our journalists never stop. But that’s what makes it exciting and it’s the reason I’m returning to a business I know well.
“The change in ownership at National World has brought a fresh outlook, energy and ambition. There is a clear commitment to investing in journalism, in talent, and in building a sustainable future for trusted local media and I’m excited to be part of this next chapter.”
National World chief executive Malcolm Denmark said Little’s “track record in both print and digital journalism, his leadership experience, and his understanding of audience strategy make him the ideal person to help drive our editorial future. This appointment reflects our intent to invest in quality people to build a modern, dynamic media business.”
“Martin will take up his post within the next three months and will be working closely with our editorial teams to enhance audience engagement and support the company’s strategic editorial growth. This appointment signals the beginning of a new and ambitious phase for National World. Further announcements will follow soon.”
Denmark promised staff after the takeover took effect that they would be given space to carry on “business as usual” and that the company will “take a longer-term view, built on relationships—whether with our teams, our readers, or our customers”.
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