Comments on: MP Condemns Hyperlocal Websites as Purveyors of Tittle Tattle and Opinion

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:41:02 +0000

Martin,

There is a mySociety website which makes it easy to get in touch with elected representatives at all levels:

http://www.writetothem.com/

By: martin brown

martin brown — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:53:40 +0000

HI would like mps to look into bad weather ,icy paths .my wife fell on the foot path ,at TAN LANE in STOURPORT ON SEVERN . On block pathing is council have used to identefy egde of path or crossing piont for the blind.these block are deadly when icy .the council have used concret slabs on the otherside of the road .Could someone take the time to look in this deathtrap created by councils
thanks
martin
PS if this has been sent to wrong adrress could you please pass to ALL MPs as to find local MPs email adress is almost inpossible to the public .

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:52:47 +0000

Mr Sanders has responded to a request from Pits n Pots for an interview to say:

In select committees MPs ask questions of the witnesses, not the other way round. In this case the witness was the Minister responsible for Creative Industries. From his answers it appeared to me that he has time to surf the net, but not help prevent the closure of local newspapers and the loss of skilled jobs. In that context when compared to a local newspaper most of what appears on the web is tattle-tattle and opinion.

That is not the same as saying a particular website is tittle-tattle and opinion, although as if to make my case for me a couple of websites have published their own opinions that the exchange was me expressing that view. Had they been present, or watched the entire exchange, they would have realised I was commenting generally in a heated exchange with the Minister.

By: David Vincent

David Vincent — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:57:58 +0000

Whatever happens with the local press model, I do not see that we will return to the days of the specialist Court reporter, or even the specialist reporter on Council affairs. It is this level of detail that is important. I read (in The Guardian I think) that the government is proposing to list on-line the convictions in local courts. Clearly, this is only a very small part of what matters in Court proceedings. If it becomes increasingly clear that no one is interested in justice or democracy functioning in public, then the excuse for them to function behind closed doors is already in place.

By: Colin in Cardiff

Colin in Cardiff — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:27:03 +0000

I’m only here because I was so astounded by Mr Saunders comments when I heard them on Yesterday in Parliament yesterday. He truly is a fool.

There will be more of this though - there’s a very close relationship between politicians and the press, particularly an MP and his/her local paper, so they’re bound to lobby for them.

I largely agree with what Mr Rand says above but would go further - actually taking an active interest in, or God-forbid, participating in our democracy (whether it be local or national) is the province of a tiny, tiny minority of the people of this country. It’s sad, but we do, by and large have the democracy we deserve, which is not a very good one.

I have no idea how to change this, or what the - no doubt very complex - reasons for it are, but, if newspapers are to get some sort of subsidy - it’s certainly under serious discussion in Wales - then I would like to see them set some very, very tough rules on what they do.

The press has had a far too easy ride in almost every way imaginable and it is to a large extent a disgrace - local and national. They keep saying ‘freedom of the press’ and ’scrutinising democracy’ as if saying it, or the fact that it would indeed be a good thing, means they are actually doing it.

By: David Hollingsbee

David Hollingsbee — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:22:48 +0000

The main story in today’s Cambridge News is that the letter “N” of the world “ONLY” has been painted the wrong way round on one of the guided bus signs.

Presumably this is the case in both the printed and the online versions.

An online comment which has been posted under the story reads: “Any chance of some real news please?”

By: Chris Rand

Chris Rand — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:45:11 +0000

“Now if you’ve got a newspaper that’s gone to weekly, who is now going into the council meetings, who is going in every day to scrutinise what’s going on in the local court?”

…not 90% of local newspapers, that’s for sure. If they justify their lack of coverage of local council activities by saying it’s not something that sells newspapers, that’s a fair and commercial decision. But for anyone to claim that local papers do go into council meetings or scrutinise what’s going on in the local court is a joke. “Citizen journalism” may be less reliable than local newspapers in many ways, but when it’s good (like this blog), it provides more of a public service than the newspapers have ever done, and we all know how uncomfortable that’s going to make those in power.

By: Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:59:04 +0000

It all comes down to the costs of production.

Each individual copy of a newspaper costs the publisher a certain amount.

For a dead-trees version, the initial costs are vast, running costs are huge and individual copy costs are significant.

For an on-line version, the initial costs are moderate, running costs small and individual copy costs tiny.

Which business model looks like a dinosaur?

Oh, as does Adrian Sanders MP.