MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands editor visits Chronicle

The Shrewsbury Chronicle is hosting a week-long fact-finding visit from Falkland Islands newspaper editor Jenny Cockwell.

The Editor of Penguin News flew over last week and will spend all this week seeing what her opposite number, Editor John Butterworth, gets up to at the Chronicle.

Jenny is visiting all departments to get a feel for the way the paper is created. Back home she is part of a staff of three, which means getting involved in most aspects of production.

She said: "I'm here to get inspiration, ideas and find ways to improve Penguin News in all areas.

"It's a very different operation here, especially the numbers of people who work here. I have two editorial staff and one advertising and finance person. We have to be able to do many different tasks so it's good to get a view of how every aspect of the Chronicle works.

"I've spent a couple of hours with the Chronicle advertising staff to get ideas for features and see the methods they use to lure more advertisers."

Jenny has been at the paper for five years, the past two as editor.

This is her first visit to a newspaper office in the UK and came about through links with editorial trainer David Scott, who has been involved with developing her newspaper.

She is the daughter of a Falkland Islander but grew up in New Zealand before "falling into" newspaper journalism.

She said: "A vacancy came up and I decided to give it everything I'd got."

Her varied schedule in this country will also be demanding during the next few days? visits to an agricultural show, a civic reception with the Mayor, a meeting with one of the region's MPs and other visits are all part of her packed diary.

by Patrick Astill - Shrewsbury Chronicle - UK