Letters to the Editor Options

[GMR]

Its War time restrictions - ration books next

And head shaved.

[dannyboy]

When I used to bother to read the NWN I found most of the letters so self centred I was amazed they were ever published in the first place.

The letters page was refered to as the 'Paul Walters' page in our house....

[Simon Kirby]

When I used to bother to read the NWN I found most of the letters so self centred I was amazed they were ever published in the first place.

The letters page was refered to as the 'Paul Walters' page in our house....

Paul Walter was doing what he was elected to do - voice his opinion. Newbury Town Council is in the sad state it's in today because councillors want to suppress public debate and the last thing they want to do is go writing to the NWN and getting ordinary people thinking.

[dannyboy]

Paul Walter was doing what he was elected to do - voice his opinion. Newbury Town Council is in the sad state it's in today because councillors want to suppress public debate and the last thing they want to do is go writing to the NWN and getting ordinary people thinking.

No, he was ceaselessly page-hogging the letters section of the NWN.

[Iommi]

No, he was ceaselessly page-hogging the letters section of the NWN.

A little exaggerated, eh? Are you TDAH in disguise?

[dannyboy]

A little exaggerated, eh? Are you TDAH in disguise?

His Jekyll?

[HeatherW]

Paul Walter was doing what he was elected to do - voice his opinion. Newbury Town Council is in the sad state it's in today because councillors want to suppress public debate and the last thing they want to do is go writing to the NWN and getting ordinary people thinking.

I understand what you are saying but is it right for one individual to have a monopoly over all others? I remember reading Paul Walter's letters, at the same time I know of others who also wrote in and they were not published. If you read my previous post that fits in nicely with what I had said about the newspaper industry. Walters, I believe, was a councillor so seemed to have priority (as other men of distinction did). He was more acceptable, sadly, than Joe Bloggs to help enhance the papers standing in the community. It used to be that ordinary citizens writing into the Letters Page was the heart of the community, now it is the celebrity.

[HeatherW]

But are they still going to make a profit if they don't give the people what they want?

They do not have to worry about that as there is only one local paper. People will buy the paper no matter what the it gives them (as you see the case at the moment). Only competition changes the dynamics of the status quo.

[Guest_Newburymafia_*]

They do not have to worry about that as there is only one local paper. People will buy the paper no matter what the it gives them (as you see the case at the moment). Only competition changes the dynamics of the status quo.

You're quite at liberty to buy the Newbury & Thatcham Chronicle. Hot off the presses of Reading. Or listen to Newburysound (which just pinches its news from Newburytoday, or whatever press release West Berkshire Council churns out that day), or Newbury.net (which is essentially one giant letters to editor page), or watch South Today etc.

I'd say the NWN does have a fair amount of competition for such a small news area.

The letters to editor page of any newspaper is the biggest a**eache going, because the newspaper is legally responsible for its content.
Once you've weeded out most of the piles and piles of benign and boring thankyous for this, that and the other, the totally libelous, the ultra niche interest, erroneous information, letters that would be better served as a story or require some balance, you're not left with very much you can publish.
The usual political biccering is pretty much all that's left, and If i was that interested in political biccering I'd go to full council or executive meetings. Which I definitely don't do anymore, and neither does anyone else!

And come on.........what on earth is Christian Viewpoint doing in ANY newspaper?! We could make more room for proper letters by getting rid of that for a start!

[Iommi]

The letters page up until fairly recently, was over 3 pages, now it is barely 1.

[Biker1]

And come on.........what on earth is Christian Viewpoint doing in ANY newspaper?! We could make more room for proper letters by getting rid of that for a start!

And a whole page devoted to one persons views on farming!

[On the edge]

........I'd go to full council or executive meetings. Which I definitely don't do anymore, and neither does anyone else!

Agreed, but we can't now because they've abolished the forums. Presumably NWN is still 'the paper of record' for the area? (unless tha'ts a concept similarly abolished!!!)

[Bofem]

Is it any surprise that since this forum started, the number of letters published has declined.

All you need to do is start a thread, and you get your very own news story. Mission accomplished.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14038

[GMR]

You're quite at liberty to buy the Newbury & Thatcham Chronicle. Hot off the presses of Reading. Or listen to Newburysound (which just pinches its news from Newburytoday, or whatever press release West Berkshire Council churns out that day), or Newbury.net (which is essentially one giant letters to editor page), or watch South Today etc.

Not everybody gets the Newbury & Thatcham Chronicle and they don't have a letters page either.

Newbury Net is controlled by one person so you've got to be careful what you write and is not a newspaper, nor are the others you've mentioned. Also most people left Newbury.net when this started up. Now there are only a few people on it.

I'd say the NWN does have a fair amount of competition for such a small news area.

I don't call what you mentioned competition.

The letters to editor page of any newspaper is the biggest a**eache going, because the newspaper is legally responsible for its content.

All other papers and forums are legally responsible and manage not to censor as much.

[GMR]

The letters page up until fairly recently, was over 3 pages, now it is barely 1.

Exactly, and it hasn't shrunk because the letters to them have dried up.

[GMR]

Is it any surprise that since this forum started, the number of letters published has declined.

All you need to do is start a thread, and you get your very own news story. Mission accomplished.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=14038

Are you saying that was NWN's objective for starting this forum up?

[Iommi]

Exactly, and it hasn't shrunk because the letters to them have dried up.

How do you know that?

[GMR]

How do you know that?

I've already been asked that by strafin, look on page two.

[Iommi]

I've already been asked that by strafin, look on page two.

Did your friend from the NWN give any reason why the letters page has got smaller?

[On the edge]

Did your friend from the NWN give any reason why the letters page has got smaller?

Probably the present cold weather.....