Technology is the biggest challenge faced by the UK regional press, the editor of the Lancashire Evening Post (LEP) told a Society of Editors meeting yesterday.

Newspaper publishers are 'still struggling with systems and workflows', Simon Reynolds told the group.

This week the LEP began the introduction of a new content management system, Escenic, as part of centralisation plans for sub-editors and picture desks at its north west titles.

More needs to be done by the society to promote knowledge-sharing about technology in the newsroom and how it is being implemented, he said.

The meeting of the north west branch of the society, held prior to the Digital Editors Network event, was organised in reaction to the swingeing job cuts affecting the industry.

The very notion of the editor, which the society represents, is under threat, as titles are increasingly being merged under one editorship, added Richard Catlow, chairman of the branch and former editorial director of MEN Weekly Newspapers.

What help the society can offer editors in the current downturn was also discussed, with more localised meetings and trips to working newsrooms using new technologies suggested.

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