Who owns Southampton Wire?
Southampton Wire (southamptonwire.co.uk) is owned and operated by Sliema Media Limited, a company registered in Malta under number C 84217. Its registered office is at Level 3, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta. The company can be reached by telephone on +356 2779 4100.
Sliema Media Limited is a private limited company that also publishes other digital news titles. Editorial and business operations for Southampton Wire are directed from the UK, with a dedicated editorial line on +44 20 4587 9485. Day-to-day control of the publication rests with Editor-in-Chief William Ashby, who reports to the company’s board but retains final authority over all editorial content. You can read more about our structure on the About Us page and meet the full team on Our Team page.
How is Southampton Wire funded?
Southampton Wire is funded through a mix of display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content and newsletter sponsorships. No single revenue stream dictates our editorial direction, and all commercial arrangements are clearly separated from newsroom decision-making.
Display advertising is served programmatically and via direct sales. Affiliate links appear in relevant articles and are marked where appropriate; we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. Sponsored content is always labelled as such, and commercial partners have no influence over the conclusions or tone of editorial pieces. Full details are available in our Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure and Sponsored Content Policy. We do not accept funding from political parties, pressure groups or any organisation that would compromise our independence.
What you can expect from us
You can expect trustworthy, clearly sourced local journalism that serves Southampton, Hampshire and the wider South Coast. Every article is written by a named journalist, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. We never publish anything we wouldn’t stand by in print.
Our editorial mission is to help readers understand what matters in their community without spin or bias. Human editorial judgement always comes first: AI tools may support research, formatting or summaries, but they never write stories, create quotes or generate bylines. All published content is reviewed by a human editor. For more on our standards, see our Editorial Policy, Fact-Checking Policy and AI and Automation Policy.
How is editorial independence guaranteed?
Editorial independence is guaranteed by our governance structure. Editor-in-Chief William Ashby holds sole responsibility for publication decisions, corrections and editorial standards. Sarah Mills, Managing Editor, oversees day-to-day operations. Neither the owner, Sliema Media Limited, nor any commercial partner can dictate what we cover or how we report it.
Our editorial team includes dedicated specialists: Kieran Doherty covers local politics and councils; Lucy Palmer reports on community and crime; Oscar Brooks focuses on business and property; Diane Forbes leads standards and fact-checking. All editorial staff follow a strict code of conduct that prohibits outside interference. Commercial relationships are never allowed to determine editorial conclusions, and sponsored material is clearly labelled. You can review our full approach to sponsored content in the Sponsored Content Policy and learn more about our team on the Our Team page.
How can I advertise or partner with Southampton Wire?
Advertising and partnership enquiries are handled separately from the newsroom. To discuss display advertising, sponsored content, affiliate opportunities or newsletter sponsorships, please contact our commercial team at advertising@southamptonwire.co.uk or use the general enquiry form on our Contact page.
We offer a range of options for local businesses, charities and regional organisations. All sponsored content is clearly marked and must meet our editorial guidelines. We do not accept adverts that are misleading, discriminatory or that conflict with our mission of trustworthy local journalism. For full terms, see our Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about our ownership, funding or editorial independence, or if you wish to raise a concern, please get in touch. You can write to Editor-in-Chief William Ashby at william.ashby@southamptonwire.co.uk or call +44 20 4587 9486. For complaints or corrections, contact our corrections desk at corrections@southamptonwire.co.uk or see our Corrections Policy and Complaints Procedure. General enquiries can be sent to info@southamptonwire.co.uk.