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Donnie Macinnes praised by bosses                                               11/3/09

Stornoway Gazette stalwart Donnie Macinnes has been praised by his bosses.

Roger Parry, the outgoing chairman of beleaguered Johnston Press which owns the newspaper, highlighted Donnie’ s award of the Baron Trophy for a lifetime achievement in Journalism in the Highlands and Islands.

Mr Macinnes, who has served 40 years with the paper, was a rare spot of cheer in a dismal review of the conglomerate's operations.

Johnston has already cut two posts by natural wastage at the Gazette with a current vacancy yet to be filled and has concluded a consultation with its editor.

It is speculated that in the near future the paper may be edited off the island from a streamlined centralised sub-editing operation in an office in Grangemouth.

If so, it would result in a scaled down island newsroom controlled by mainland based management.  An announcement over the paper - and other Johnston’s Scottish titles - is expected relatively soon.

Johnston made a £128.4m operating profit last year - down 28% from the previous period - but its huge debt has hit its figures.

Despite its falling circulation the Gazette is believed to be still hugely profitable - if in line with the group's overall trend it would have made an estimated £ 200,000 profit.