Bias local newspaper

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

Probably because the things that different political parties might agree on isn't particularly newsworthy.

I weasn't just referring to the local press.

Even on places such as this forum, I've seen little evidence of it.

Like the door-to-door God botherers, with most politicans, it's their way, or the highway...to Hell.

[Greeny]

In our house we call the Observer , the Britcliffe Gazette .

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Greeny

In our house we call the Observer , the Britcliffe Gazette .

In our house we call it a poor imitation of the great newspaper it once was.

[g jones]

I don't think the Ob was deliberately slanted.

The previous Council put £,000 hundreds into press and Google Page Ranking. Articles written ready to drop in with photos. It was made easy for the Ob. An army of Council staff employed to monitor, report, write stories, produce a tsunami of positive press stories all paid for out of Council Tax.

The Council refused to do Labour Councillor stories but would regularly do backbench Conservative to make sure the public believed they were working hard.

I did once demand from the press officer to see the press releases and for a month got a quote in. PB quizzed everyone how this was happening and discovered it was the press officer doing a CC. He was angry and a new policy was announced, press releases were only to be released to councillors after they had been published.

I used to constantly be pushing against a closed door when Mervyn was editor because he was concerned his source of news would be cut off. PB regularly on the phone to
Mervyn to get a second quote on what the opposition has said often getting an opportunity to rubbish me/us.'

After getting little coverage one budget, I planned the next one in advance. When I spoke to Mervyn to thrash out our coverage I was told the Observer had been guaranteed an exclusive by PB so long as no quotes were reported by Labour Councillors - no opposition. I had to argue the wrongs of this to get quoted.

I was led to believe Peter was never off the phone to the OB. When Gail Atkinson was LT reporter they used to have ding dongs as she loathed him and Nigel Rix who when he didn't get his way would bully and threaten legal action.

In the end Gail almost broke down, beaten by the endless pressure and bullying.

Now neither paper needs Peter like they once did.

[cashman]

I learnt in the 70s Politics was a dirty game, a lesson i never forgot.

[g jones]

In answer to Gary.

I asked Mervyn for an opposition leaders column becAuse Greg believed he shouldn't get involved in anything unparliamentary.

Mervyn said the papers policy was one Labour, one Conservative and I had to sort it out with Greg. Thankfully that has changed to MP and the two leaders. There also needs to be a County Councillor column in my view as it provides 80% of services.

[garinda]

Thanks for your replies Graham.

As a reader I still don't see there's any evidence of political bias in the Observer, or that there ever has been.

The refusal to have an opposion leader's column, because they already had a Labour M.P.'s column, and a Conservative council leader's one, seems a little daft. Partly because of the times when our M.P. and ruling party on the council happened to belong to the same party.

Is the Political Column going to be a regular platform for the opposition leader? Or was it merely a means by which Cllr. Britcliffe could give his thanks for the memories speech?

I know for some people politics is one major turn off, but it is very central to how we all live our lives, and I believe that the local press have an important role in reporting politics fairly, which I believe the Accrington Observer does.

Even though I've been one of his fiercest critics, when it has come to some of his policies whilst in power, I would personally prefer to read the musings of the new opposition leader, rather than see another Hyndburn Hunk/Glasses Wearer of the Year/Bonny Baby/Carnival Queen/Pet of the Year, or pull-out Prom Spercial in the friggin' paper.

Peter Britcliffe used every legal avenue to maintain a high media profile.

That was his right. Just as it is an option for any politican.

It doesn't mean the press showed political favour.

As stated earlier, there were as many unfavourable stories, as there were smiley shots at the opening of the latest...envelope.

As a media whore he was up there with the Peoples' Princess.

May they both rest in peace.

[g jones]

I don't believe the paper was biased overall.

It was biased in that it printed 'headline' opposition stories to sell newspapers that the Council did not like.

It printed 95% Conservative/Council items because it was easy to do so and so 'worked in partnership' with the Council/Conservatives to the benefit of both parties.

[garinda]

As well as not noticing any particular political bias in published news stories, I can't say I've seen any evidence of this in the letters page of the Observer either.

As posted earlier, there's regularly letters printed from a local communist, as well as supporters of other political parties.

Until he discovered Accy Web, our very own true blue Jaysay, seemed to have a letter published in the paper every other week.

In the late seventies and early eighties the letters page featured many letters from one David Riley, a local National Front activist.

This didn't mean the paper supported his extreme right-wing views. As they also printed letters of reply, challenging his neo-Nazi diatribe, including letters from myself.

The last letter I wrote to the Observer was unpublished.

There are many reasons why this could happen. Lack of space being the more probable likely explanation. Rather than some editorial political conspiracy.

Happily I got over my disappointment, and got what I wanted to say off my chest, by posting my letter on here.



http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...gan-49652.html

[loweiy]

so you think Rishton is hard done to in the Accy OB, well spare a thought for the long forgoten corner of Hyndburn that is Belthorn, we get nowt!!

oh well at least we have the view!

Loweiy

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by loweiy

so you think Rishton is hard done to in the Accy OB, well spare a thought for the long forgoten corner of Hyndburn that is Belthorn, we get nowt!!

oh well at least we have the view!

Loweiy

I take your point, although you have three MPs covering one village!

There shouldn't be any 'forgotten corners' in Hyndburn but for far too long I'm afraid that Oswaldtwistle has received the lion's share of attention so everyone has felt a little left out up to now.

You have a nice little website though:

Belthorn, Lancashire - Home

[cashman]

Originally Posted by loweiy

so you think Rishton is hard done to in the Accy OB, well spare a thought for the long forgoten corner of Hyndburn that is Belthorn, we get nowt!!

oh well at least we have the view!

Loweiy

is there any regular news in Belthorn Loweiy? apart from occasional encounters wi sheep?

[MargaretR]

I lived up there for a few years.
When I phoned to report vandals on the school roof, I was asked "what side of the road is it?"
Different police forces were responsible for each side.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I lived up there for a few years.
When I phoned to report vandals on the school roof, I was asked "what side of the road is it?"
Different police forces were responsible for each side.

thats about as daft as it can get.

[loweiy]

Loads of news from the village in the sky....more to follow....

loweiy ;-)