Published: Wednesday, 17th March, 2010 3:48pm

Babsolutely Brilliant

The past two decades have seen a revolution in media, print and the advertising industries.

And the Chronicle's advertising rep, Senior Sales Executive Barbara "Babs" Butler has seen the changes first hand having begun her career at 49 Ayr Road two years ago this month.

She was no stranger to the paper of course. She was born and raised in New Cumnock and her family were regular readers of their local newspaper.

And Babs herself appeared on the front page at the tender age of 21.

Since her time with the paper Babs has seen almost 20 reporters walk through the Chronicle's doors, two editors watch over the newsroom, and the advent of the digital age. Babs said: "There was no colour back then. When I started we didn't have a fax machine, email or mobiles. Everything had to be done by foot and car.

"We only had two outside telephone lines which were fought over by the advertising department and the reporters. But we did have a photocopier!

"Artwork for adverts was a real cut and paste job, you didn't get proofs back then either, you had to depend on others to read the information right.

"Black and white photos were processed in the dark room, and when the paper began to print in colour, ten years later, photos had to be processed at Boots in Irvine.

"All the news copy and advertising artwork had to be sent by carrier to Ardrossan to be placed on a page and printed."