"I think the vicar is there to show the emotional fall-out of crimes which was always supposed to be Broadchurch's focus. How can you maintain your faith when awful things happen to good people? When church attendance is falling? When you can't give explanations for all the suffering in the local community never mind in the wider world?"
Very good point, APlaceOn...I agree.
I've come to the conclusion that LocalPaper(now EX)Editor was included for similar reasons: to remind us about dwindling readership/ online replacement of what once would have been another important hub of small community Broadchurch.
And her growing despair at public appetite for what now passes as 'journalism' i.e. salacious scandals/ celeb stuff, instead of local interest stories.
(Unless hard-hitters like Danny's murder, of course, which made her/ the book and the paper briefly important again?).
She also proved her integrity, esp. when promising Beth she'd keep Mark's suicide attempt quiet.
In contrast with the brash, younger journo, who was pretty unlikeable...kind of got the feeling she'd sell her soul for big stories, and not give a toss about how individuals would be affected.
(Especially loved Ex-Editor's barely disguised dig at The Fail 
Sidebar of shame etc. got a sarcastic comment or two, didn't it? No sad face from her...more a frustrated and angry one). 