Dross in the Newbury Weekly News, Can we even call this a newsaper anymore? Options

[Blake]

I get more and more disappointed at the lack of real news content now in the Newbury Weekly News. Last week's edition was a classic case of paper masquerading as a newspaper.

It had pages of items that were not news; two stories on local births, they happen all the time and their place is the births, deaths and marriages section, not pages one and two. A complete pair of non-stories.

Two pages of dross on how people went to Newbury pubs on New Year's Eve...and this is newsworthy because????????
Most of that had photos. The newspaper also ran pages of drivel and photos on local school plays before Christmas. This is of supreme indifference. The NWN did not used to run this stuff and I do not want to pay to see it.

Letters Section; this was a good three pages long, now cut to one most weeks. This can still be worth reading.

TV listings: where have they gone? We want them back.

I also note a massive increase in full page and double-page ads, meaning even less news.

The Newbury Weekly News also needs a proofreader; not only are there dozens of spelling errors, but often factual ones too. On this very website, a story described someone as both an estate agent AND travel agent. This is just sloppy and yet it just goes on unchecked.

Does anyone know what is going on at Newspaper House?

[On the edge]

Yet people still buy the paper and they still manage to make a profit.

What is local news? There doesn't seem to be much going on in Newbury anyway. Not sure an article about which lane cars should use at the Robin Hood would be any more interesting than one on party goers in the town centre. Local government seems to close this time of year; although this week there was a fair bit about flooding. I've never seen what place TV listings have in a local paper, in fact the space given over in some national papers irritates me as well; but that's just personal preference.

So then, as you clearly have a keen interest and have spent a lot of time checking spelling, the cover price was a small amount to pay for your entertainment!

[theone09]

I see there were a few spelling mistakes again this week too... even on the front page!

[On the edge]

I see there were a few spelling mistakes again this week too... even on the front page!

They could capitalise on the entertainment value and give a small prize for the reader who spots the most! Still, its good to know our local paper is as good as a prestigious national one; the Guardian.

[GMR]

As long as they have a monopoly they can dictate to us. Competition is what papers need to re-look at themselves again and the area they serve.

[On the edge]

As long as they have a monopoly they can dictate to us. Competition is what papers need to re-look at themselves again and the area they serve.

#
Couldn't agree more. So then, if we want something different, more campaigning, more lively then its up to us. There are alternatives, but they would need to see a market. Nationwide traditional local papers are in decline, quite rapid in most places. This means being left with just the free ad sheets. There are some micro papers, some of which thrive; particularly those who want to promote their own opinions and messages. Is that a venture our wannabe local politicians could consider?

[GMR]

#
Couldn't agree more. So then, if we want something different, more campaigning, more lively then its up to us. There are alternatives, but they would need to see a market. Nationwide traditional local papers are in decline, quite rapid in most places. This means being left with just the free ad sheets. There are some micro papers, some of which thrive; particularly those who want to promote their own opinions and messages. Is that a venture our wannabe local politicians could consider?

I agree, but society is changing and more and more is put on the Internet. Eventually our news will be got totally from the Internet, including local news. That will be the individuals power over monopolies.

[Andy Capp]

I see the likely effect of the Internet is to inhibit 'quality news', not encourage it. I also disagree with Blake's rather over-the-top condemnation of the paper. The NWN usually contains the things I would expect from a paper covering what it does.

And Blake can be only one of a very small band of people that 'want' the unreliable TV listings back. We have digital TV these days.

[user23]

I think Blake is being a bit unfair. As some have already pointed out there was very little going on last week bar NYE.

[GMR]

I see the likely effect of the Internet is to inhibit 'quality news', not encourage it. I also disagree with Blake's rather over-the-top condemnation of the paper. The NWN usually contains the things I would expect from a paper covering what it does.

And Blake can be only one of a very small band of people that 'want' the unreliable TV listings back. We have digital TV these days.

I disagree; there is poor quality newspapers out there at the moment. Granted that Internet will be a mixture of poor and good quality, but the good quality will always be there.

[GMR]

I think Blake is being a bit unfair. As some have already pointed out there was very little going on last week bar NYE.

A good journalist can always find worthy news, no matter how hard it is hidden.

[Andy Capp]

I disagree; there is poor quality newspapers out there at the moment. Granted that Internet will be a mixture of poor and good quality, but the good quality will always be there.

But the Internet puts the control of the journalistic integrity in the hands of the reader. How does one decide what is good and what is not. There's no quality control. People want to read what they like, not what is necessarily true.

A good journalist can always find worthy news, no matter how hard it is hidden.

Worthy news is in the eyes of the beholder. The 'Christmas Editions' are notorious for the paucity of news.

[motormad]

A good journalist can always find worthy news, no matter how hard it is hidden.

Do you HONESTLY believe that..

[GMR]

But the Internet puts the control of the journalistic integrity in the hands of the reader.

As in now; what makes you think the Newspaper's are any better judge of their journalists? There are thousands, if not millions of readers who are good judges.

How does one decide what is good and what is not.

By using ones intelligence; granted not are all good judges, as not all paper editors are good judges.

There's no quality control. People want to read what they like, not what is necessarily true.

Isn't that why we have specialist papers; i.e. Times, Telegraph, Mail (Tory), Guardian (Labour, Lib), Mirror (Labour). Would you say the Tabloid press have quality control? Or do they produce a paper that is mostly made up to sell their papers?

Worthy news is in the eyes of the beholder. The 'Christmas Editions' are notorious for the paucity of news.

And it is those eyes that the papers write for; not the truth.

[GMR]

Do you HONESTLY believe that..

That is not what I believe but has often been said by Journalists; at least the old school said it. Maybe it is different now.

[spartacus]

This is a forum on a website run by the local paper where a thread is slagging off that local paper.... You'd think the board admin would maybe come on and defend themselves?? (or delete the numerous threads complaining about the paper )

[GMR]

This is a forum on a website run by the local paper where a thread is slagging off that local paper.... You'd think the board admin would maybe come on and defend themselves?? (or delete the numerous threads complaining about the paper )

I wouldn't use the word "slagging off" but constructive criticism. I am sure they welcome our input so that they can improve their paper; a paper that listens is a paper that will grow in strength.

[Andy Capp]

As in now; what makes you think the Newspaper's are any better judge of their journalists? There are thousands, if not millions of readers who are good judges.

By using ones intelligence; granted not are all good judges, as not all paper editors are good judges.

Isn't that why we have specialist papers; i.e. Times, Telegraph, Mail (Tory), Guardian (Labour, Lib), Mirror (Labour). Would you say the Tabloid press have quality control? Or do they produce a paper that is mostly made up to sell their papers?

And it is those eyes that the papers write for; not the truth.

A paper has a reputation to protect, and while some have come under a lot of justifiable criticism, that is nothing compared to the rubbish you can read on the Internet.

Here's another point, if there are millions of good judges of journalistic integrity, why was the NotW and The Sun the most popular papers? I think most 'sensible' people would acknowledge that they are more likely to get a better standard of journalism reading the broadsheets than they are reading from the red tops.

[JeffG]

And Blake can be only one of a very small band of people that 'want' the unreliable TV listings back. We have digital TV these days.

So where on your EPG can you find cast lists, recommendations, background articles etc.? That's why I subscribe to Radio Times (the only printed thing I buy).

[Andy Capp]

So where on your EPG can you find cast lists, recommendations, background articles etc.? That's why I subscribe to Radio Times (the only printed thing I buy).

You mean you don't have your TV plugged into the Internet? How very 1990s

Anyway, I was refering to the OP.

TV listings (in the NWN): where have they gone? We want them back.

But if I needed the information as you described, I find the BBC website equally capable.