A TV news producer who recently took early retirement in ITV (LSE: ITV) cutbacks has resurrected an investigative magazine he founded 37 years ago, as a subscription multimedia website.
Paddy French published Rebecca magazine between 1973 and 1982 when he was 23. Now, following his departure as editor producer of ITV’s Wales This Week current affairs show after 10 years, he has rebooted the title online to offer investigative news video and text features, costing £1.50 per “edition”.
Named after the 19th Century Rebecca Riots, in which farmers revolted against excessive road tolls, independent Rebecca places emphasis on a few, occasional in-depth investigations, starting with an expose of Freemasons and apparent failings of an inquiry in to child abuse.
There isn’t even a set publication schedule, and French, now 60 and living in the south of France, says “each edition costs around £25,000 to produce; Rebecca is an expensive enterprise