The Northern Echo

Overview

The Northern Echo is a regional daily newspaper based in Darlington, in North East England, serving southern County Durham and northern Yorkshire, covering regional and national news. It is owned by Newsquest, a subsidiary of the American media company USA Today Co.

History

The Northern Echo was founded in Darlington and published its first edition on January 1, 1870. It was started by Liberal Scotsman John Hyslop Bell, with financial backing from the local Pease family of industrialists, largely to counter the political coverage of rival local newspapers. In 1871, Bell installed 22-year-old William Thomas (W.T.) Stead as editor, despite Stead having never previously worked inside a newspaper office. Under Stead, who would go on to become one of the pioneering figures of British investigative journalism, the Echo achieved major national and international success, winning praise from leading Liberal politicians of the day including W.E. Gladstone and Joseph Chamberlain.

Stead left the Echo for London's Pall Mall Gazette in 1880, and Bell severed ties with the paper in 1889; the loss of both men, combined with the later collapse of the Pease family's fortunes and increased competition, pushed the Echo toward bankruptcy by the turn of the century. It was saved in 1903 when it was acquired by the North of England Newspaper Company, a publishing group backed by the Rowntree chocolate-manufacturing family. A further takeover by Westminster Press (also known as the Starmer Group) in 1921 secured the paper's future. Pearson plc, Westminster Press's later owner, sold the group—including the Northern Echo—to Newsquest for approximately £305 million in 1996, following government competition clearance. Gavin Foster was appointed the Northern Echo's editor in February 2022.

Notable works

• 1871–1880: Under editor W.T. Stead, the Northern Echo became internationally recognized for its campaigning journalism, including its coverage of the 1876 Bulgarian Atrocities agitation, which drew praise from senior Liberal politicians including W.E. Gladstone. Stead is widely credited as a founding figure of British investigative journalism, having pioneered techniques including the interview format.

• 1960s: Harold Evans, who later became one of Britain's most celebrated newspaper editors at The Sunday Times, served as editor of the Northern Echo in the 1960s, during which he campaigned for the introduction of cervical smear tests for women.

Key personnel

• Editor. Gavin Foster

• Founding Editor (1871–1880). W.T. Stead

• Historical Founder. John Hyslop Bell (1870)

Audience

The Northern Echo serves readers across Darlington, southern County Durham and northern Yorkshire, distributed in print and online at thenorthernecho.co.uk alongside its sister titles the Darlington & Stockton Times and The Advertiser.

Location and contact info

Headquarters. Darlington, County Durham, England

Publisher. Newsquest Media Group

Website. https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk