— Express: Express Newspapers has appointed online ad seller to handle its web ad sales. Express’ portfolio includes Now! and Star magazines magazine as well as the eponymous stable flagship. The deal starts from February 1. Via mad.co.uk.
— Hold The Front Page: Paul Linford has got the job of HoldTheFrontPage publisher on a full-time basis, after filling in following the departure in June of Patrick Astill to be Associated Northcliffe Digital’s content distribution manager. Owned equally by Newsquest, Northcliffe, Trinity Mirror (LSE: TNI) and Johnston Press, HoldTheFrontPage is the local newspaper business’ online news organ. Linford counts Mansfield Chad, Derby Evening Telegraph, South Wales Echo and Newcastle’s The Journal on his CV and keeps a political blog. Via HTFP.
— Johnston Press: The regional publisher could follow Herald & Times Group in Scotland by merging picture and production desks for its three papers in Edinburgh. HTFP says Evening News editor John McLellan is reviewing provision across The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and his own Evening News by week’s end. Job cuts may come as a result of a merger.
— Telegraph Media Group: TMG has reportedly told two of its best known contributors, satirical columnist Craig Brown and literary reviewer AN Wilson, their services are no longer required. Brown, who has been writing for the Telegraph for 14 years, tells Guardian.co.uk: “I suppose the whole thing is a massive cost-cutting exercise, but it seems almost perverse that they have chosen to cull most of their best writers rather than their worst.” TMG is still pressing forward with a restructuring process going back to 2006 and is looking to make 50 redundancies as part of the latest installment.