Prolific North acquired by RM Communications Ltd

Prolific North has entered a new chapter following its acquisition by RM Communications Ltd, capping off a record-breaking year of audience growth and operational performance for the North’s leading creative, media and tech publisher.

The deal sees the investment vehicle take a majority stake in the business and signals an ambitious new phase for the company, alongside the appointment of award-winning broadcaster and former Granada TV board director Rob McLoughlin OBE as chairman.

The acquisition marks a strategic milestone for the company as it prepares for an ambitious 2026 expansion. It also concludes the 13-year tenure of founding chairman Mark Dickinson. Dickinson, a former executive of Trinity Mirror newspapers and former editor of the Liverpool Echo, has guided Prolific North from its launch to its current position as the definitive voice for the North’s creative and tech sectors.

The acquisition comes as Prolific North celebrates its strongest year on record. In 2025, the brand delivered its largest audience ever, surpassing one million unique users for the first time and strengthening its competitive position within the UK’s creative, media and tech sectors. The site recorded 1.5m unique users and 2.5m page views in 2025, comfortably exceeding previous records. Page views were up 36% year-on-year, while unique users surged by 66%, marking 2025 as one of the strongest traffic years in the company’s 13-year history.

“I am delighted to be handing over the reins at such an exciting time for the company,” said Mark Dickinson. “This acquisition by RM Communications is a powerful vote of confidence in what we have built. It allows me to stand down knowing the platform has the leadership and strategic backing to reach its next stage of growth. I wish Rob and the team every success.”

The new era is defined by continuity and commitment from the existing leadership team. Managing director Alexandra Balazs, who has led the company since January 2022, and commercial director Ben Waterhouse, who joined in 2024, both remain in post and retain significant stakes in the business.

Rob McLoughlin OBE takes the reins bringing a wealth of experience as Granada/ITV’s longest-serving political host and a former advisor to Granada Media Group. A veteran of the BAFTA-winning investigative series World in Action and an original presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, McLoughlin has been a contributor to Prolific North since its founding. 

“Mark hands over at a landmark moment,” said McLoughlin. “This majority acquisition by RM Communications is designed to fuel Prolific North’s development as a multi-platform media powerhouse. With Alexandra and Ben continuing as key shareholders and leaders, we have the perfect blend of experience and ambition to strengthen our offering as the primary champion for the Northern creative economy.”

As part of the restructure, founder Nick Jaspan will transition to a role as advisor to the board, focusing on exploring new opportunities and growth sectors.

“I want to thank Mark for his support and advice since 2013,” said Jaspan. “With the strategic backing of RM Communications, Rob’s chairmanship, and the continued commitment of our leadership team, we are perfectly positioned to pursue new and exciting opportunities in 2026.”

Soho Dreams releases a new EP

Daniel Bravo and Jessica Pardoe sing ‘When I Look In The Mirror’ from a new six song EP release from the upcoming British musical ‘Soho Dreams’. Daniel as Michael Peters and Jessica as Sammy record the duet from Soho Dreams with musical director Ryan Mackenzie.

‘Their voices blend deliciously as the characters reveal their polar opposite views of a district which Michael hates and which Sammy seems wedded to’ said co-creator Rob McLoughlin.

‘It’s a big moment in the show’ he revealed;  ‘their futures depend upon which vision of a changing Soho they’ll opt for’.

The EP is released by Bucks Records (part of the Bucks Music Group on Spotify, Apple Music, and streamers worldwide.

The six songs also include ‘Burning Bridges’ performed by Barry Keenanas Jack ‘The Flash’ Goodman (who owns the part of Soho which the police don’t control), Lee Turner as ‘Tommy’ with ‘Love Tonight’; and ‘Show Me The Door’ by Jessica Pardoe who also sings the anthem ‘This Is My Life’ and the ballad ‘Child’ which were released as singles a few weeks ago.

More details are available on the Broadway World news site.

Educate North Awards

To mark the sacrifices by the education sector, students, lecturers and academic staff during the Covid crisis, Educate North teamed up with listeners to three popular radio stations Smooth North West, Heart Yorkshire and Smooth North East.  

Listeners inundated the stations with nominations for outstanding individuals or organisations in 3 new categories. The results saw one teacher dance and jig in his classroom as he became a winner. 

Professor Tony Young, Head of Clinical Innovation for NHS England also announced 3 nominations for a special Health Award. This was won by The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine along with its partners at The University of Liverpool and NHS Hospitals Trust. 

Among the many other winners was Edge Hill in Ormskirk, Lancashire, which was awarded overall University of the Year in recognition of its continued commitment to deliver an exceptional student experience. 

The University was awarded the coveted top prize for the exceptional progress it has made to deliver investment and innovation over the past 12 months and its dedication to placing students at the heart of everything it does. 

The University of Cumbria’s Festival of Mental Health won the community engagement award.

The Festival is a celebration of wellbeing and offers help and support to all through its array of workshops including gardening, mindfulness, yoga and creative arts. There is also an art festival, talks, and a ‘marketplace’ of local charities, organisations and institutions.

Raising funds for local charities, the festival’s patron is Wigton-born author, broadcaster and peer Melvyn Bragg, who is an honorary fellow of the university and a past president of the national charity Mind.

Coinciding with World Mental Health Day every October, the Festival of Mental Health strengthens the University of Cumbria’s role as a leading training provider of nursing and other health professionals across the region and beyond.

Birkenhead Sixth Form College principal Mike Kilbride, pictured with college dog Teddy

The Principle of Birkenhead Sixth Form College, Mike Kilbride, was honoured with the national award for outstanding leadership. The ‘UK Leadership Award’ was given in recognition of significant achievements in leading Birkenhead Sixth Form College on a complete journey of transformation, not least being rated as outstanding in all areas by Ofsted.

The college has been shortlisted once again for the UK Sixth Form College of the Year by TES Awards, formerly the Times Education Supplement.

It won the award just three years ago and this year’s shortlisting cements their place as a national leader in Further Education.

Although the Educate North Awards ceremony was honouring 2020 winners, with last year’s celebration being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, circumstances of the last year and more have brought into stark light the qualities of leadership required to deal with young people’s education and the deficits that they have endured during various lockdowns.

Both staff and students at the College have benefitted from what they called Mr Kilbride’s ‘strong, passionate and thoughtful’ leadership, and his communication with all parties about the direction he was steering the College through the pandemic has been highly praised by parents, with one saying it was ‘first class’.

Accepting the UK Leadership Award, Mike Kilbride said: “It’s obviously personally very gratifying to be recognised for the work that you’ve done over many years, but you can’t have success as a leader without a fantastic team behind you.”

The Educate North Awards are organised by Carm Productions in conjunction with partners John Kennedy CBE, CCL Digital, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, The Pilot Group, Communicorp UK, Heart Yorkshire, Smooth North West and Smooth North East. The full ceremony can be viewed below.


Virtual Grand National to run before real event in 2021

The Virtual Grand National (VGN) – which proved a popular replacement for the real thing when it was cancelled due to COVID-19 12 months ago – is set to be televised again on ITV in April.

While former jockey Bob Champion is looking forward to ‘riding’ in the Race Of Champions – which will again be part of the programme – 40 years on from his famous win aboard Aldaniti.

Full details on the Liverpool Echo website.