# SWNS Media Group

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**SWNS Media Group** is a UK-based media company with two divisions, [news agency](/source/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]

The company operates from offices in [London](/source/London) and [Bristol](/source/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](/source/Director_(business)) 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](/source/The_London_Economic), though it was understood not to leverage any editorial control.[10]

Notable previous employees include *[Times](/source/The_Times)* editor [Tony Gallagher](/source/Tony_Gallagher_(editor)), *[Telegraph](/source/Daily_Telegraph)* editor [Chris Evans](/source/Chris_Evans_(journalist)), former *[Sun](/source/Sun_(United_Kingdom))* editor [Stuart Higgins](/source/Stuart_Higgins), former *[Sunday Telegraph](/source/Sunday_Telegraph)* editor [Ian MacGregor](/source/Ian_MacGregor_(journalist)), former *[Sunday Mirror](/source/Sunday_Mirror)* editor [Tina Weaver](/source/Tina_Weaver), [Sky News](/source/Sky_News) correspondent [Tamara Cohen](/source/Tamara_Cohen) and former [Downing Street](/source/Downing_Street) Director of Communications [Lee Cain](/source/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. Wiredu, Elizabeth. ["72Point buys picture agency PinPep"](https://www.prweek.co.uk/article/1818994/72point-buys-picture-agency-pinpep). *PR Week*. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

1. Wiredu, Elizabeth. ["Play PR merges with 72Point as founder steps down"](https://www.prweek.co.uk/article/1831658/play-pr-merges-72point-founder-steps-down). *PR Week*. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

1. ["NAPA Members' Directory – South West News Service"](http://www.napa.org.uk/users/directory_list.php?pageno=5). *napa.org.uk*. NAPA: [National Association of Press Agencies](/source/National_Association_of_Press_Agencies). 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120321033223/http://www.napa.org.uk/users/directory_list.php?pageno=5) 21 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 March 2011.

1. Maher, Bron (2024-11-11). ["SWNS at 50: 'Culture of excellence' behind success of biggest independent UK news agency"](https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishing-services-content/swns-sponsored-50-years/). *Press Gazette*. Retrieved 2024-11-11.

1. ["News agency founder dies aged 73"](https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2009/news/news-agency-founder-dies-aged-73/). *Hold the Front Page*. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

1. ["About SWNS"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110425010447/http://swns.com/about-swns). *swns.com*. [Bristol](/source/Bristol): Small World News Service. 10 February 2010. Archived from [the original](http://swns.com/about-swns) on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.

1. ["Britain's biggest independent news agency expands"](http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=41102). *[Press Gazette](/source/Press_Gazette)*. London: Progressive Media International. 8 May 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120306015405/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=41102) 6 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 March 2011.

1. Turvill, William (3 July 2013). ["SWNS acquires Leeds-based news agency Ross Parry"](http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/content/swns-acquires-leeds-based-news-agency-ross-parry). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927145540/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/content/swns-acquires-leeds-based-news-agency-ross-parry) 27 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 September 2013.

1. Greenslade, Roy (5 November 2015). ["SWNS moves into London by acquiring yet another news agency"](https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/nov/05/swns-moves-into-london-by-acquiring-yet-another-news-agency). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160603071152/http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/nov/05/swns-moves-into-london-by-acquiring-yet-another-news-agency) 3 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 December 2016.

1. Walker, James (12 June 2017). ["Alternative news website The London Economic sees traffic boom with pro-Corbyn coverage'"](http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/alternative-news-website-the-london-economic-sees-traffic-boom-with-pro-corbyn-coverage/). *[Press Gazette](/source/Press_Gazette)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180524082718/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/alternative-news-website-the-london-economic-sees-traffic-boom-with-pro-corbyn-coverage/) 24 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 May 2018.

1. Ponsford, Dominic (18 October 2024). ["National editors pay tribute to SWNS at 50: UK's biggest independent news agency"](https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/wires_and_agencies/national-editors-pay-tribute-to-swns-at-50-uks-biggest-independent-news-agency/). *Press Gazette*. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

1. Holt, Siobhan. ["72Point defends business amid criticism"](https://www.prweek.com/article/1840835/72point-defends-business-amid-criticism). *[PR Week](/source/PR_Week)*

## External links

- [Official website](https://swns.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SWNS Media Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWNS_Media_Group) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWNS_Media_Group?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.