They are:
• Colin Grant, Group Editor-in-chief for Iliffe News & Media East, with overall editorial responsibility for the Cambridge News (formerly Cambridge Evening News, which he edited from 1998-2004) and eight free weekly titles; Herts & Essex Newspapers, comprising six paid-for titles and four free papers; plus magazines and websites.
• Mike Sassi, Editor-in-chief of Staffordshire Sentinel News and Media since December 2005. He is responsible for The Sentinel daily newspaper, plus nine paid-for and free weekly titles in north Staffordshire and south Cheshire. He previously edited The Lincolnshire Echo.
• Damian Bates, Editor of the Evening Express, Aberdeen, since April 2006, having previously been deputy editor. Prior to Aberdeen, he was assistant editor and news editor at the Bradford Telegraph & Argus and deputy news editor at The News, Portsmouth.
Code committee Chairman Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail and Editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers, said: "The Code's authority within the industry relies on the quality and range and depth of experience of Code committee members. Colin Grant, Mike Sassi and Damian Bates represent the best traditions of the regional press and their experience will be invaluable in maintaining a Code that commands respect both inside and outside the industry. I'm very pleased to have them on board."
Both Mr Grant and Mr Sassi were nominated by the Newspaper Society, to replace Adrian Faber, of the Express and Star, Wolverhampton, and Doug Melloy, of the Rotherham and South Yorkshire Advertiser, who had both stepped down. Mr Bates was nominated by the Scottish Newspaper Society, following the retirement of David Pollington of the Sunday Post, Dundee.
Two new national newspaper nominees to the Editors' committee will be announced later.
Code Committee members: Paul Dacre, Daily Mail (chairman); Damian Bates, Evening Express, Aberdeen; Neil Benson, Trinity Mirror Regional Newspapers; Colin Grant, Iliffe News and Media East; Jonathan Grun, Press Association; Ian Murray, Southern Evening Echo; Mike Sassi, Staffordshire Sentinel News and Media; June Smith-Sheppard, Pick Me Up magazine; Hannah Walker, South London Press; Harriet Wilson, Conde-Nast Publications; and John Witherow, Sunday Times.
