SWNS Media Group

Last updated

SWNS Media Group
Company typePrivately held company
Industry News agency
FoundedEarly 1970s
HeadquartersLondon, UK
Key people
Andrew Young, Paul Walters, Martin Winter
Number of employees
150 (2024)
Subsidiaries SWNS
72Point
OATH
OnePoll
Talk to the Press
Pinpep
Content Covered
Play
Website swnsmediagroup.com

SWNS Media Group is a UK based media company with two divisions, news agency SWNS (also known as South West News Service) and creative agency 72Point. The group operates a number of brands including OATH, OnePoll, Talk to the Press, Pinpep, LoveThis.News, Content Covered and Play. [1] [2]

Contents

The company operates from offices in London and Bristol. [3] As of 2024, SWNS Media Group employed around 150 staff including 50 producing editorial for SWNS. [4]

History

SWNS Media Group was founded as the Bristol Agency in the early 1970s by Roland Arblaster. [5] It is now run by directors Andrew Young, Paul Walters and Martin Winter.

In 2010 SWNS launched the website SWNS.com (Small World News Service) as a first hand source of current affairs and general interest news. [6]

In 2016 SWNS acquired the regional agencies Masons News Service, Newsteam International, Ross Parry, National News, Centre Press and Northscot. [7] [8] [9]

SWNS previous had a relationship with the alternative news website venture The London Economic, though it was understood not to leverage any editorial control. [10]

Notable previous employees include Times editor Tony Gallagher, Telegraph editor Chris Evans, former Sun editor Stuart Higgins, former Sunday Telegraph editor Ian MacGregor, former Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver, Sky News correspondent Tamara Cohen and former Downing Street Director of Communications Lee Cain. [11]

Criticism

In 2023, SWNS Media Group's 72Point faced criticism over the transparency and ethics of its content generation practices following the discovery of articles attributed to 72Point's staff members on news websites. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "72Point buys picture agency PinPep". PR Week. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "Play PR merges with 72Point as founder steps down". PR Week. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  3. ↑ "NAPA Members' Directory – South West News Service". napa.org.uk. NAPA: National Association of Press Agencies. 2010. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "SWNS at 50: 'Culture of excellence' behind success of biggest independent UK news agency". Press Gazette. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "News agency founder dies aged 73". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  6. ↑ "About SWNS". swns.com. Bristol: Small World News Service. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  7. ↑ "Britain's biggest independent news agency expands". Press Gazette . London: Progressive Media International. 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "SWNS acquires Leeds-based news agency Ross Parry". 3 July 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Roy Greenslade (5 November 2015). "SWNS moves into London by acquiring yet another news agency". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  10. ↑ Walker, James (12 June 2017). "Alternative news website The London Economic sees traffic boom with pro-Corbyn coverage'". Press Gazette . Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "National editors pay tribute to SWNS at 50: UK's biggest independent news agency". Press Gazette. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  12. ↑ Holt, Siobhan. "72Point defends business amid criticism". PR Week .
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