Eric Gordon co-founded the CNJ in 1982

IN many ways, Eric Gordon was a cantankerous sort – too grumpy, sometimes carelessly rude and, above all, bloody-minded.

That might seem like an odd way to begin a tribute to the man who made the Camden New Journal, but importantly he was able to harness that sceptical, frustrated whirring mind and relentless interest for a wider good.

It will be four years on Saturday since Eric died aged 89 and each year we note his remarkable contribution to the borough as essentially our founding father, as without the CNJ there would not have been the Islington Tribune which followed.

He had served as the newspaper’s editor from its foundation in 1982 – he set it up alongside Angela Cobbinah and Frank Branston, and a collection of game reporters and sales reps – right through to his death in 2021.

For nearly 40 years, he guided each edition and campaign, mentoring generations of journalists who won’t take no for an answer and still refuse to live off press releases and bites from social media.

Readers will be well versed in how the paper, as its stands today, was born out of a strike action after the old Camden Journal’s owners decided to close it down.

No doubt Eric and his colleagues had to roll with the punches to establish the new paper as a place where you didn’t need money, power or influence to be heard.

But his vision of a paper that holds to account the public authorities which have the final say on decisions affecting people’s lives and the services they need is still the guiding principle for our work.

Eric’s papers­ – our papers – became the town square for news, but also debate. These days there are a variety of online forums which might make a similar claim but not with the same trusted reporting and open door for discussion and comment.

Eric would always play down awards but be secretly proud when they came the New Journal’s way­, and last month’s gongs for the newspaper at the Regional Press Awards was further proof that the paper is still punching above its weight like few others.

His view was simple: that local newspapers added important value to a community, and so the idea was not to try and make profit, it was simply to cover the costs of the borough having its independent voice.

So he didn’t get rich, nobody got rich.

But none of the money raised was sucked out by faraway shareholders or overpaid executives.

He refused to let the paper become like some other titles in London which are clearly a shadow of their former selves.

These are tough times as the price of print goes up and some advertising is lost to the internet, but we remain committed to following Eric’s small-is-beautiful recipe.

We won’t forget him.

RICHARD OSLEY
Editor