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Tom Sinclair

Tom Sinclair is a Welsh journalist, editor and publisher best known as the founder and editor of The Pembrokeshire Herald and the Herald.Wales digital news group. Since launching the newspaper in 2013, Sinclair has become one of the most prominent independent news figures in West Wales, overseeing the Herald’s growth from a three-person start-up into a leading digital-first regional media outlet with multi-million monthly readership across web and social platforms. Sinclair’s journalism focuses on accountability reporting, Welsh public policy, local government scrutiny, crime, environmental issues, and community life. His byline appears on thousands of articles, and his reporting has been credited by councillors, Senedd Members and business leaders with influencing public debate and prompting policy reviews — including, in 2025, Welsh Government reconsideration of business rates reforms following Herald coverage. Sinclair was raised in Pembrokeshire and studied Law and Japanese, giving him an early foundation in legal processes, public administration and cross-cultural communication. Before founding the Herald, he worked in media, legal administration and small-business roles that informed his later work in publishing and local journalism. In 2013, Sinclair launched The Pembrokeshire Herald as an independent alternative to traditional regional newspapers. The paper quickly gained attention for its investigative reporting, court coverage and strong editorial voice. Sister titles later followed in Carmarthenshire and Llanelli, creating one of the few remaining independent multi-county news groups in Wales. Sinclair became known for a hands-on editorial approach — often reporting, editing and publishing significant portions of the weekly output himself. Between 2016 and 2019, the Herald group encountered the same financial pressures facing many small regional newspapers: rising print costs, volatile advertising markets and expansion risks. These pressures resulted in a period of financial difficulty and restructuring, during which some historic corporate debts from previously dissolved printing-related companies (not the Herald itself) became the subject of public reporting. All staff wage issues were resolved during 2019–2020, and the Herald group returned to stability. In 2023, Sinclair led a full transition from print to a digital-first publishing model, covered by media industry outlets such as HoldTheFrontPage. Since the pivot, Herald.Wales has become one of Wales’s most widely read independent local news platforms, averaging tens of millions of Facebook views per quarter and multi-million monthly page impressions. Editorial Impact (2020–Present) Sinclair’s reporting is frequently cited by elected representatives, public bodies, and national broadcasters. Notable areas of coverage include: Business rates and economic policy – Herald reporting in 2025 contributed to Welsh Government clarification and reconsideration of revaluation impacts on small businesses. Local government scrutiny – Investigations into council housing strategies, Freeport commitments, planning issues and public spending. Crime and justice – Extensive court reporting, including sensitive cases involving youth justice, anonymity rules and high-profile local trials. Environmental and infrastructure issues – Coverage of sewage discharges, flood emergencies, water contamination incidents, and major energy investments such as battery storage and port redevelopment. Community and heritage features – Profiles, local history, honours recipients and cultural events across Pembrokeshire and West Wales. Sinclair is regarded by peers as a relentless local journalist with an unusually high output, a focus on accuracy, and a reputation for holding institutions accountable — often prompting direct responses from councils, corporations and government departments. BBC ECU Ruling and Correction (2025) In December 2025, the BBC Executive Complaints Unit upheld Sinclair’s complaint regarding a 2019 BBC Wales article. The ECU found that the original headline and introductory paragraph failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy by creating the incorrect impression that Sinclair personally owed more than £70,000. The BBC formally apologised, amended the article, and published the finding on its public record. This correction resolved a long-standing concern about repeated mischaracterisation of the financial context surrounding the Herald’s 2019 restructuring. Media Appearances Sinclair has been interviewed by BBC Wales and S4C and appears as a contributor in the BBC documentary series The Truth About My Murder (Yeti Media), broadcast in 2026, where he provides specialist insight on a high-profile Welsh criminal case. Sinclair lives in Milford Haven with his family. He is known for his deep involvement in local community affairs, his support for independent journalism in Wales, and his commitment to giving voice to underrepresented local issues. Legacy and Influence Tom Sinclair is widely recognised as one of Wales’s leading independent local journalists. His career is marked by: resilience through major industry and financial challenges, transformation of a small print newspaper into a dominant digital platform, consistent, high-volume public-interest reporting, and a reputation for fearlessly scrutinising institutions. As local journalism continues to contract across the UK, Sinclair’s work stands out as an example of how small, independent newsrooms can still shape public policy, influence debate, and hold power to account.

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