News Team Wins Regional Media Innovator Award 2020

Congratulations to Pulman's Weekly News digital team named "Best Local News Publication 2020 - West Country" by Corporate Vision Magazine in their Media Innovator Awards.

PULMAN'S WEEKLY NEWS & ADVERTISER SERIES was founded in 1857 by West Country publisher George Philip Rigney Pulman. For generations his papers have been highly regarded by communities as a reliable source of news and for their local advertising services. Today this honourable tradition continues. New and growing readership demands have required a gradual transition from print to digital.

This long-term technology investment has already resulted in the company being presented with the West Country 'Media Innovator Award' for 2020 by Corporate Vision Magazine.

Says Devon born Managing Editor, Duncan Williams: "This validation for our digital outreach, particularly during these Covid-19 aware times, has been been most welcome. We are seeing more readers and businesses needing to read, promote and connect to our local news services than ever before."

Backdated wages secured for staff of defunct British newspaper group following two-year legal battle

Report by Daniel Wilkins for MidweekHerald

The publisher at the centre of a row over the defunct Pulman’s View From series of newspapers, which covered parts of East Devon, has secured backdated pay for former employees.

Duncan Williams told the Herald he has reached an agreement with the insolvency agency for 29 staff from the View From titles to get their wages.

It follows a two-year legal battle after Mr Williams appealed having to assume more than £500,000 worth of debt when he launched a bid to revive the titles.

He said: “As a trade union member myself, I support what the staff have been through.

“I always said to them I would appeal this.”

Mr Williams purchased the View From titles, which included papers covering Sidmouth, Honiton, Axminster, Seaton and Lyme Regis, in January 2018.

He set out to revive the titles, as well as launch an award in honour of George Pulman, who founded the papers in the 1850s.

Mr Williams said: “It wasn’t a capricious act – it was genuinely to do something that would celebrate that heritage.

“But the debts were astronomical – I have been chased by debt collectors for two years.”

He set up a crowdfunding campaign in the hope of attracting investors to help him revive the titles.

In doing so, he needed to give investors a guarantee and took on the liabilities of the company.

This prompted a two-year legal battle, and, despite an appeal, Mr Williams was told by the courts he had assumed more than £500,000 in debt, which included the unpaid staff wages.

Mr Williams told the Herald that securing the agreement for former staff to be paid was a ‘tremendous relief’ to him.

However, this is not the end of the road for Mr Williams, as he is still repaying debts owed to those who contributed to his crowd-funding.

He said the lack of advertising revenue due to the coronavirus made the papers’ relaunch unfeasible.

He added: “The AI digital technology I have developed would have been part of the plan to relaunch, and that still is the intention, but, in the current climate, it would be crazy to pursue this.”

https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/former-staff-of-view-from-get-backdated-wages-1-6672693

GEORGE PULMAN - VICTORIAN MEDIA MAN

- Remembering a rural publishing pioneer who was also a committed Christian.

Many West Country communities know the name George Pulman well. He is considered something of a Victorian media mogul who founded Pulman's Weekly News way back in 1857.

His media brands continued to be a prolific news source for over 150 years throughout the prime agricultural counties of Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

Pulman's news was always renowned for its reliability and trustworthiness. What was published by Pulman's journalists could be considered as being true.

What people may not know is that George Pulman was also a lifelong committed Christian who worshipped regularly at his local town church in Axminster, Devon.

To help rouse local attendance, George would enthusiastically play the church organ on a Sunday morning. There he went on to meet and marry his young wife, who was likewise drawn to become a regular member of the same Axminster congregation.

Throughout his life he believed in the importance of building community: through Church, rural life and local news. He always upheld values of truth and helped give voice to many West Country causes and concerns that might otherwise have been cast aside and forgotten.

Journalism was a task that required the utmost responsibility and was a profession treated with great respect.

So in today's era of fake news and political propaganda, perhaps it is time to remember the values of one of the news media's earliest pioneers.

A man of faith who built a regional media empire in the wake of the industrial revolution which lasted through multiple generations.

The 'Pulman's Award' and bursary continues to uphold the same values of George Pulman and is open for nominations throughout the year.

George Philip Rigney Pulman: 1819 - 1880

Publisher liable for money owed to journalists still plans to reopen weeklies

Report by David Sharman for HoldTheFrontPage

A publisher at the centre of a row over a series of local newspapers which ceased publication in January has reiterated his determination to reopen them over time.

Duncan Williams, left, bought the View From titles, which cover areas of Dorset, Devon and Somerset, in January following their closure by previous owner, Sunday Independent publisher Peter Masters.

A court has since ruled Mr Williams is liable for money owed to a group of 28 former View From employees who were made redundant when the titles ceased publication.

But he has restated his intention to appeal the decision and says he is still working to get the eight View From titles as well as Axminster-based Pulman’s Weekly News reopened, although he accepts this will not happen in one go.

As part of the relaunch plan, he has set up a video news channel entitled View News which also aims to offer a PR service to local businesses, converting press releases into videos which would then be carried on the newspapers’ social media channels and websites.

The View From titles served towns and villages including Beaminster, Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, Seaton, Honiton and South Somerset, while Pulman’s Weekly News covered Axminster.

Said Duncan: “The titles will all be brought back incrementally. As they have been traditionally free, budgets need to be securely in place first off before relaunching the entire portfolio in one fell swoop.

“Revenues from video advertising and social media are designed to enable this.”

Duncan added: “Despite the recent controversy surrounding their acquisition, I remain very happy indeed with the Pulman’s Weekly News brand.

“Their founder George Pulman was an influential Christian publisher of the Victorian era whose vision I much admire and whose community values are certainly part of what makes local media so vital to regions.

“Likewise, I remain delighted with the View News series, which I know have suffered from sharply declining advertising revenues, repeat closures, rumpuses and relaunches. However, the technology upgrades I have personally invested in are hoping to remedy this.

“To be clear to all of my investors, banks and advertising agencies: I have no intention whatsoever of going bankrupt. The employment tribunal decision will be appealed.”

WEST COUNTRY MEDIA GROUP SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESS

PULMAN'S WEEKLY NEWS has a proud history of bringing local news to the people of the West Country in England.

In these days of unfiltered news and fake news, locals of West Country can rely on Pulman’s Weekly News.

This West Country media brand was founded by renowned Axminster-born publisher, George Philip Rigney Pulman, way back in 1857.

Pulman’s Weekly News was the first newspaper in Crewkerne, and print pioneer George set it up having served as editor of the Yeovil Times.

Retaining our heritage value is important, as is going with the times and becoming a digital media brand. We now utilise social media for community outreach, connecting towns and people in exactly the same way as in historic times, while meeting the needs of a new generation.


Quality News Needs Local Advertisers

With the advance of technology in recent years, the role of your local newspaper has changed dramatically. But while our news may be published through different online outlets today, Pulman's Weekly News still aims to share the voice and views of the community.

So, we needed to find different ways to do that… stay relevant and stay alive.

Local media needs local advertisers… but it is a two-way street. Our brand can showcase local small businesses and non-profits in credible ways, for affordable prices, and these enterprises benefit from the increased exposure across our audience.


Pulman’s Advertising and PR Campaigns

Keep your news outlet and local focus alive by supporting Pulman’s Weekly News with your advertising and editorial ideas.  We welcome all businesses and social impact enterprises in the local area to contact us.

Historic community newspaper titles such as ours add tremendous credibility to business editorials or marketing campaigns. We aim to give advertisers multi-platform options, encourage healthy social media interaction, and provide ways to assist local business and community leaders.


Local Media is Evolving Beyond Print

We asked the local community… what media forms are most used? Print is still important to rural neighbourhoods, but it no longer commands the dominance and large readerships it once had.

West Country advertisers now have a wider range of mediums to choose from.  Our independent media group offers excellent public relations, social media, and video marketing services.

Our journalists and editors read and listen to news everywhere and are up with the trends of today. Artificial Intelligence (AI) – e.g. voice interaction, image recognition, and real-time capturing – is breaking down barriers for people with sensory, physical and cognitive disabilities.


Supporting New Business Start-Ups

Bringing together community and business, our news outlet can help our West Country towns and villages survive and prosper.

A local news brand is important in supporting awareness of local business. If there is a problem in business or youth employment, we want to be in a position to help solve it.

New business start-ups are of vital importance to a healthy local economy.


Pulman's Weekly News: Community Grants

This regional bursary prize named after the historic newspaper group publisher George PR Pulman continues to offer sponsorship to good causes.

Duncan Williams, who is the community outreach editor of Pulman's Weekly News & Advertiser Series, says: “The Pulman’s Award and bursary continues to uphold the same values of George Pulman and is open for nominations throughout the year”.

The bursary prize has made donations during the past 12 months to the Bibic Football Fundraiser in Yeovil, the Dorset Blind Association, and enabled the production of ‘talking’ newspapers and books for the elderly and partially sighted.

Most recently, the Pulman’s Award has helped fund the publication of a series of skills training workbooks and specially tailored courses designed to help ex-offenders find work and rebuild purposeful lives back within the community.

Leaflets and booklets have also been distributed across the West Country to help enlighten young people about the dangers of drugs and addiction.


Our History

Many West Country communities know the name George Pulman well. Considered a Victorian media mogul, he founded Pulman’s Weekly News back in 1857.

His media brands continued to be a prolific news source for over 150 years throughout the prime agricultural counties of Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

Pulman's Weekly News was always renowned for its reliability and trustworthiness. This is because his journalists researched local stories so well.

George Pulman was also a lifelong Christian who worshipped regularly at his local church in Axminster, Devon.  To help rouse local attendance, George would enthusiastically play the church organ on a Sunday morning. There he met and married his young wife, who was also a regular member of the same Axminster congregation.

Throughout his life, George believed in the importance of building community: through Church, rural life and local news. He always upheld the values of truth and helped give voice to West Country causes and concerns that might otherwise have been forgotten.

Journalism was then considered as a serious and respected profession.

So in this era of fake news and political propaganda, perhaps it is time to remember the values of one of the news media’s earliest pioneers. A man of faith who built a regional media empire which lasted through multiple generations.

News publishing, in all its many forms, is still as relevant today as it was when George Pulman was alive.

Our British free press and local news media are invaluable communication tools that - when used correctly - can make our society a better place.


(George Philip Rigney Pulman: 1819 - 1880)

SOUTH WEST HERITAGE CENTRE ADDS NEWS WEEKLIES

South West Heritage Centre in Taunton has gratefully received a vast archive of carefully catalogued and restored local newspapers that have covered the surrounding areas for decades. 

Part time media and community lecturer Duncan Williams (pictured above) says: "Regional newspapers record life in local towns in a way that creates a valuable historic testimony of rural life. While national newspapers are more focus on forging opinion leader articles, the regional press chronicles, the often fascinating detail, of daily living."

Many of the titles are out out of print, which adds to their interest.

The Pulman's Weekly News series, which served the West Country, was first launched way back in 1857.

George Philip Rigney Pulman

The Pulman's Weekly News and Advertiser series were founded in England in 1857 by Axminster born George Pulman. (His name is often mistakenly confused with the American railroad pioneer.)

The Pulman's series are important records of a prolific Victorian era press group that went on to span multiple decades and bridge three consecutive centuries.

Over the years the Pulman's titles expanded across East Devon, West Dorset and South Somerset and were published by a succession of newspaper owners.

In 2012 the papers morphed into the Pulman's View From series, covering predominantly the same areas as before and, in keeping with the times, developed an online presence.

In 2018, following a decade of repeat financial problems, administrations and closures, the titles were bought out through a crowdfunding initiative.

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"We are very pleased to announce the launch of the new 'Pulman's Award', a prize and trophy* given to West Country individuals, or groups, who encourage the spirit of good communication, educational endeavour or community service that our founder, George P. R. Pulman embodied."

Duncan Williams,
Regional Director, 
Pulman's Weekly News Group Ltd.

More about George Philip Rigney Pulman

*Sponsorship opportunities and nominations now open.