South Wales Argus editor Gavin Thompson. Credit: Newsquest.
The Editor of the South Wales Argus is to be the guest speaker at the latest City of Newport Business Club networking event.
Gavin Thompson, who edits Newport’s daily newspaper online and in print alongside a series of other local news outlets including the Penarth Times and Voice magazine in his role as Regional Editor for publisher Newsquest, will be the speaker at the event at the Coldra Court Hotel on Thursday, February 29.
The Argus has been produced in Newport since 1892 and Gavin, appointed in May 2020, is one of just 10 people to edit the title in 132 years.
The digital revolution has transformed the way news is delivered, and Gavin has been at the forefront of recent changes to the Argus – most notably the introduction of a subscription-based model for its online service.
Gavin has been in regional newspapers since starting as a trainee reporter in Taunton in 1999, and his career has taken him around the UK to places including in Hull, Aberdeen and Bristol, including spells specialising as a business editor, before becoming editor of first the Western Daily Press and then the Bath Chronicle.
South Wales Argus editor Gavin Thompson. Credit: Newsquest.
He joined Newsquest and took the helm of the Argus in May 2020, in the early days of the Covid pandemic, when its offices at Maesglas had been vacated to be turned into a supermarket and the shiny new one in the city centre was not ready. This meant it was several months before he was in the same room as any of his new team.
Since then, the Argus and other South Wales titles have seen strong audience growth and been shortlisted for numerous awards. A highlight has been the Our Communities Together campaign, which, in partnership with Community Foundation Wales, has distributed more than £1m to community groups across Wales to support cost-of-living projects.
Outside of the day job, Gavin holds the voluntary position as chair of the non-party political Bevan Foundation think tank and enjoys watching cricket, nowadays mostly Glamorgan.
City of Newport Business Club chairman Professor Jonathan Deacon said:
“We are pleased to welcome Gavin as our guest on February 29 and we think he will provide a vivid insight into how the news industry has changed so much in recent years.
“The Argus has been part of Newport and Gwent life for more than 130 years and has reported on every major news and sporting event in our communities since then. It has also been the main advertising portal for most businesses in the area.
“It will be fascinating to hear how digital has changed the way news is delivered and consumed, and the challenges of providing trusted local journalism in the era of social media, reader comments and fake news.”
The City of Newport Business Club event starts at 5.30pm. Tickets for the event, which includes a two-course meal, are priced at £25 and can be booked via the following link –http://www.newportbusinessclub.co.uk/tickets/
Information about how to become a member or sponsor of the City of Newport Business Club are also available on the club’s website – https://www.newportbusinessclub.co.uk
You can also follow @NPTBizClub on X and Facebook.
