DC Thomson golf brand bunkered has announced a series of editorial team changes and new hires as it accelerates ambitious growth plans.
Michael McEwan has stepped up to become Deputy Editor, supporting Editor Bryce Ritchie across all facets of the brand’s day-to-day operations and strategy. McEwan, who joined bunkered in 2004, most recently served as Digital Editor and, prior to that, Senior Staff Writer.
Alex Perry joins the team as Associate Editor. With over 15 years’ experience in the golf media industry, the Yorkshire-based Perry will support Ritchie and McEwan to super-charge the brand’s growth across print and online, bolstering bunkered’s award-winning journalist team with his depth of knowledge and digital expertise.
Lewis Fraser, who joined the company 18 months ago, has been appointed Performance Editor, with a remit to oversee all aspects of tuition output whilst supporting Gear Editor James Tait in the delivery of equipment content.
Ben Parsons and John Turnbull have also joined the editorial team as Content Producers. Parsons was most recently part of The Mirror’s online sports team, with Turnbull a recent Journalism Studies graduate from the University of Stirling.
All of this bodes very well for the future, says editor Bryce Ritchie.
“We’re really excited about the future and what that means for bunkered,” said Ritchie. “Both Michael and I are huge fans of Alex’s work and having his experience in our team is going to be a real asset. Bringing in additional content support in the shape of Ben and John is key to making sure we deliver the content our audience wants on a regular basis. We’re excited and eager to expand our digital footprint.”
The start of 2023 has seen a significant digital-first focus for bunkered, with bunkered.co.uk undergoing significant re-platforming, designed to unlock the site’s full potential and provide enhanced benefits for advertisers. Next, with the support of DC Thomson, the team will focus on improving the overall user experience to allow further national and international audience growth.
The multi award-winning bunkered Podcast, meanwhile, has reported an exceptional start to 2023, with total downloads up 104% year-on-year, whilst the brand also launched its TikTok channel in January, clocking up more than 1.5 million video views in its first five months.
In print, bunkered recently celebrated the publication of its 200th issue with an increase in print frequency – from eight issues per year to ten – as well as the Scottish-based magazine’s expansion into the UK. This growth has more than doubled the number of retailers now stocking the title, showing the mass appeal of a golf magazine produced in the home of golf.
