Tributes have been paid to respected Southport journalist Martin Hovden, who has passed away aged 70.
The former editor of the Southport Champion, Martin was a well-known media figurehead in Southport and had previously worked as the paper’s editor.
Martin produced several columns, including the well-known weekly Live Sounds feature, a food review posing as the ‘unidentifiable’ Mr X and a regular feature take on local politics.
Following his time at the Champion, Martin turned to radio and hosted a weekly Live Sounds feature on Dune FM and latterly Coast 1079 as well as Mighty FM.
He also edited the now-defunct Wirral Globe before moving to Southport, a town he always proudly said he adored to be a part of. In later life Martin contributed to other local outlets such a QLocal, Southport News and OTS News.
OTS News Editor James Cave said: “Martin leaves behind a legacy of fearless, relentless local journalism that will be impossible to replace.
“Martin always managed to make his coverage of local events entertaining and dramatic in a way that’s incredibly difficult to do.
“He was always able to get to the bottom of a story, and there was always an irrefutable truth in his articles. His opinion pieces carried a tone, and a weight, and a significance that some national column writers could certainly learn from.
“When I met Martin as a teenager through local radio, he was always on hand to offer support and advice, and upon taking over OTS News, he certainly wasn’t afraid to tell us when we’d got it wrong!
“We’ll certainly miss him at OTS News, and I know his passing will be felt heavily by his family, his friends, his colleagues and the people of Southport.”
OTS News on Social Media