Manchester-based hyperlocal publisher Mill Media has hired former Novara Media contributing editor Moya Lothian-McLean and Robbie Armstrong to staff its upcoming title covering the Glasgow area.
The pair will begin at Mill Media in September, while a name for the yet-to-launch Glasgow publication — one of two new titles the company announced in June following last year’s £350k fundraise — has not yet been chosen.
Unusually for The Mill, it was scooped to its own story on the announcement by the Press Gazette, as founding editor Joshi Herrmann tweeted:
Herrmann told the Gazette the new outlet has already commissioned a series of long-form stories and investigations, including an essay from Scottish freelance Dani Garavelli, who was shortlisted last year for a British Journalism Award for features journalism.
“I’m incredibly excited about our new title in Glasgow,” Herrmann said. “One of the first things that happened after we announced our fundraise last year was that I got messages and calls from journalists in Glasgow saying that we should launch there next.
“It’s a proper media city that has a very long history of leading newspapers and fantastic writers, and we hope to carry on that tradition.”
Lothian-McLean, who is moving from London to Glasgow for the new gig, added: “I’ve been raving about Mill Media ever since I first stumbled across them – I’m a paid up subscriber to multiple Mill publications.
“It’s become apparent they’re doing something very exciting in the media landscape, which is part of a push to revive long-form, rich journalism at a local level. Reading Mill Media pieces made me feel excited and envious. It’s the kind of work every journalist wants to be doing. When the call came, I had to answer it!
“As for Glasgow, it’s such an exciting city, stuffed with the sort of journalistic talent and stories that make it a perfect spot for a new Mill Media launch to land in. I’m so excited to be working with the Scottish team.”
Lothian-McLean will continue to co-host Novara podcast If I Speak alongside the audience-funded title’s senior editor Ash Sarkar.
Armstrong is already based in Glasgow, and is an audio producer and food writer who has appeared previously in The Guardian, Sunday Times and food titles Noble Rot and Vittles.
He said: “Mill Media’s approach to local news is not only exciting, but also a blueprint for a type of essential reporting left to wither on the branch for far too long. Glasgow is crying out for their brand of quality, community-driven journalism. We can’t wait to get started.”
Mill Media is currently on a hiring spree that will see it double its headcount with 11-new starters following 2023’s fundraise that saw the likes of CNN chief executive Mark Thompson and Axios publisher Nicholas Johnston chip in to what is being hailed in some quarters as an emancipatory disruptive force in struggling local journalism, and in others as a bit of a pain in the proverbial.
The publisher is also currently hiring three staff for an upcoming London title, and has also launched titles in Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham since it started out in Manchester in the dark days of Covid in 2020.
