The Mirror is to establish a new northern operation from Reach’s existing Manchester hub, with Liverpool Echo editor Maria Breslin moving across to lead it and Steve Graves taking over the Liverpool Echo.
Mirror North will launch at the end of September and, according to Reach, provide a base for Mirror journalists living in the region as the national title looks to attract more talent from outside London.
But details of exactly what the new operation will look like remain unclear.
Reach has not said how many journalists will be based at Mirror North, whether it will create any new editorial jobs beyond Breslin’s newly created role, or whether the operation will have its own dedicated newsroom or northern editorial remit.
There is also a question over how substantially the arrangement differs from the existing set-up, under which Reach journalists have been able to work from hubs across its network.
The Manchester Evening News has been based at Reach’s large Oldham site since 2010, which also houses the publisher’s printing operation. The same building previously hosted the Mirror’s northern team when the company operated as Trinity Mirror.
Prolific North has asked Reach for further details about how Mirror North will operate, how many staff will be based there and whether it will result in additional recruitment.
Breslin will take the newly created position of Editorial Director at the Mirror, with responsibility for its online publishing team and a particular focus on developing the title’s brand online. She will also take overall ownership of the Mirror+ paid subscription offering.
The move comes as Reach attempts to reshape its publishing model following a sharp decline in digital traffic and revenues.
In July, Reach chief executive Piers North told Prolific North that further job losses were inevitable during the second half of 2026 as the publisher sought additional cost reductions. Half-year results showed revenues falling 9%, digital revenues down more than 11% and page views dropping 40% year-on-year.
North said at the time that the business was moving away from the pursuit of content volume towards original journalism, subscriptions, video and building more distinctive brands around titles including the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo.
He also confirmed that cost reductions would mean fewer jobs in the second half of the year, although he said Reach would balance cuts with investment in new skills, including marketing.
The publisher has been making a bigger push into paid subscriptions, with premium products rolled out across its national and regional portfolio. North told Prolific North in July that Reach was targeting 75,000 subscribers during 2026, with the MEN already attracting between 5,000 and 6,000 subscribers at that point.
That strategy is reflected in both of today’s appointments, with Breslin taking responsibility for Mirror+ while Graves has been tasked with continuing to build the Liverpool Echo’s paid Premium offering.
The announcements also come against a difficult backdrop for Reach on the stock market. Shares fell almost a quarter immediately following July’s half-year results, and were trading at around 43p on Thursday. The company’s shares have fallen by around 40% over the past six months and are close to their 52-week low of 40.1p.
Mirror Editor-in-Chief Chloe Hubbard said: “Opening Mirror North signals a commitment to attract talent from outside of London, working and living in the heartland of our readership.
“I want the Mirror to authentically reflect the communities our readers live in. It is a longstanding personal crusade of mine to attract regional talent into the national press, which is often populated by those from the London radius who can afford to live in the capital.
“I am delighted that Maria shares my vision for the Mirror and will join us in the Autumn. She is a formidable and passionate campaigning journalist, and we will benefit hugely from her leadership and deep rooted northern connections.”
The Mirror said the North of England is traditionally one of its strongest regions and represents its highest concentration of audience among English regions, reaching 41% of the North’s online population.
Breslin said: “I can’t begin to describe the pride I felt at being appointed Liverpool Echo editor. It really was a dream come true. The Echo is one of the biggest brands in regional journalism and there wasn’t a single day I didn’t love going into work. I was also lucky enough to lead a talented team of committed journalists and I am so proud of what we achieved over the years.
“But I’m beyond excited to be joining the Mirror and working with Chloe and her team on such an historic national brand. Playing a key role in ensuring voices from the Mirror’s northern heartlands are heard is a big draw as is our subscription service Mirror+ and working with, and developing, our online publishing team. I can’t wait to get started.”
The creation of Mirror North also sees Mirror Executive Editor Lizzie Smith move wholly into responsibility for the title’s talent-led video strategy, including a new bi-weekly YouTube show due to launch in September.
Breslin will begin her new role in late September, when Graves will take over at the Liverpool Echo following a short handover.
Graves joined the Echo as a reporter in 2013 and has since held roles including Brand Editor, Executive Editor and Content Editor. He also stepped into the editor role on an interim basis earlier this year while Breslin was seconded to the Mirror.
Reach Editorial Director (News), Paul Rowland, said: “Over the past six years, Maria has expertly steered the Echo and ensured it has remained essential reading for the people of Liverpool. Alongside her excellent team, she has led huge campaigns like fighting for a Hillsborough Law and saving the Zoe’s Place children’s hospice, rightly securing multiple industry awards and cementing the Echo’s standing as one of the most respected titles in the regional press.
“Steve is an experienced leader and an outstanding journalist who is perfectly placed to step into the editorship. I’m really excited to see how he develops the brand, continues to tell local stories in new ways to new audiences, and builds out the Echo’s paid Premium offering.”
Graves said: “It is an absolute honour to take on the editorship of the Liverpool Echo. Having moved here as a student in 2000 I’ve seen the city change in so many ways, but the Echo has been a constant and consistent voice, speaking up on behalf of our region and championing Merseyside and its people.
“It has been a privilege to work with Maria, a pioneering editor whose support has been invaluable in all the roles I’ve taken on so far. Under Maria’s editorship the Echo has consistently won major awards and recognition across the media industry – but most importantly it has continued to be a strong, campaigning voice for Liverpool.
“I also owe a huge amount to Alastair Machray, Maria’s inspirational predecessor, and to the many colleagues I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside since first stepping into the newsroom in 2013.
“The Echo was founded in 1879 as a ‘necessity’ which would ‘please many tastes’. The same applies today. Working with our brilliant team based in Liverpool city centre, I’m determined to maintain the Echo’s strong links with the communities we serve.
“It’s been brilliant to see so many readers subscribe to Liverpool Echo Premium since its launch in December last year, while we are seizing the opportunity to reach more people than ever through social media, newsletters and new platforms. And of course the newspaper which has been at the heart of our brand since the beginning is a fixture on thousands of kitchen tables.
“However we reach you, and however you might need us, I promise we will be there for you and for Merseyside.”
