Reports to government departments can be safely recommended as a cure for insomnia. But there are exceptions to every rule and one written by Ofcom for the Department of Culture Media and Sport provided an encouraging tonic at the end of a long day.
“We have recognised the critical role that local newspaper journalism plays in delivering public purposes,” said Ofcom.
Delighted to hear it.
“Local newspaper journalism not only underpins the delivery of local news on other media but also makes a key contribution to the national news agenda.”
That means our stories are copied or followed up by radio, television, larger newspapers and news agencies who trawl our websites as they don’t have correspondents here. Two examples are the prayers banned at council meetings story which appeared in yesterday's Cheddar Valley Gazette then featured in BBC television's Points West news last night, and the motorbike dealer cheated out of thousands of pounds story, which appeared in yesterday's Wells Journal and then on BBC Somerset radio's news today.
"Customers and citizens value the role local and regional content plays in their lives; local and regional news in particular helps to inform people about what is going on in their local community, while news and other types of local content contribute towards reflecting UK cultural identity and representing diversity and alternative viewpoints.”
Yes, everyone can contribute to our newspapers, providing they don’t break libel or other laws.
“Many respondents (to the Ofcom survey) felt an emotional tie with this medium (local newspapers), and considered it essential in following local politics.”
We report politics because it matters and no other media bother, but give little space to the bickering between parties.
So thanks to Ofcom for your understanding and forgiveness for keeping me awake.
Philip Welch
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Well done Roger and team
Roger Saul deserves considerable credit for organising the Feastival on the weekend of October 3-4.
Helped by his wife Monty and a small team they organised an ambitious two-day event at Kilver Court.
They did not do it for profit – setting up the Feastival in only three months was costly in terms of finance and stress.
They did it because they want to make a difference in resolving the environmental issues faced by us all.
We need to showcase the wide range of quality food produced in Somerset, which does not need to be dragged hundreds or thousands of miles with a corresponding carbon footprint.
Farmers are frustrated when they throw away up to 30 per cent of their produce because it does not meet the supermarkets’ criteria, mainly on appearance rather than taste or nutritional value.
Then the supermarkets throw away sacks of food when it passes its sell-by date.
Tristram Stuart, one of the speakers at the Feastival, said: “Every week, I heave open a supermarket skip and find a more exotic shopping list of items than I could have invented – Belgian chocolates, ripe bananas, almond croissants, stone-ground raisin bread – often so much it would have fed 100 people.
“A rummage in the bins of the local sandwich store yields another bewildering array, from granola desserts with honey on top to crayfish salad and tuna-filled bagels.”
How can we justify this waste and the energy needed to produce it when half the world has insufficient to eat?
Philip Welch
Helped by his wife Monty and a small team they organised an ambitious two-day event at Kilver Court.
They did not do it for profit – setting up the Feastival in only three months was costly in terms of finance and stress.
They did it because they want to make a difference in resolving the environmental issues faced by us all.
We need to showcase the wide range of quality food produced in Somerset, which does not need to be dragged hundreds or thousands of miles with a corresponding carbon footprint.
Farmers are frustrated when they throw away up to 30 per cent of their produce because it does not meet the supermarkets’ criteria, mainly on appearance rather than taste or nutritional value.
Then the supermarkets throw away sacks of food when it passes its sell-by date.
Tristram Stuart, one of the speakers at the Feastival, said: “Every week, I heave open a supermarket skip and find a more exotic shopping list of items than I could have invented – Belgian chocolates, ripe bananas, almond croissants, stone-ground raisin bread – often so much it would have fed 100 people.
“A rummage in the bins of the local sandwich store yields another bewildering array, from granola desserts with honey on top to crayfish salad and tuna-filled bagels.”
How can we justify this waste and the energy needed to produce it when half the world has insufficient to eat?
Philip Welch
Still moving forward after 1,100 years
Attending community events are part of an editor’s week on a local newspaper.
Fortunately, in a previous life my wife was a reporter on a weekly and understands why I am often out at evening and weekend functions.
There are occasions when we can go together, such as the Wells Cathedral School Foundation dinner on Saturday.
This was a most enjoyable occasion, thanks to the warm welcome, interesting conversation and excellent food prepared by the school’s catering staff.
More important, it gave further insight into the school’s ethos and the number of former pupils who have made a real difference in the wider world.
We knew the founder of the Glastonbury Festival went to the school, but not an Olympic gold medallist and a man who is internationally famous in the pharmaceutical industry.
The guests were allowed to handle the gold medal, learning they are made of a less valuable alloy and the three members of the winning modern pentathlon team had to share one medal in 1976.
Since then the school has made rapid progress, strengthening its reputation for musical excellence, increasing pupil numbers and embarking on an ambitious development plan. This includes a concert hall, sports pavilion, new classrooms and more bursaries for poorer children, at a cost of £10 million.
There is no standing still at this institution, which is now 1,100 years old.
Philip Welch
Fortunately, in a previous life my wife was a reporter on a weekly and understands why I am often out at evening and weekend functions.
There are occasions when we can go together, such as the Wells Cathedral School Foundation dinner on Saturday.
This was a most enjoyable occasion, thanks to the warm welcome, interesting conversation and excellent food prepared by the school’s catering staff.
More important, it gave further insight into the school’s ethos and the number of former pupils who have made a real difference in the wider world.
We knew the founder of the Glastonbury Festival went to the school, but not an Olympic gold medallist and a man who is internationally famous in the pharmaceutical industry.
The guests were allowed to handle the gold medal, learning they are made of a less valuable alloy and the three members of the winning modern pentathlon team had to share one medal in 1976.
Since then the school has made rapid progress, strengthening its reputation for musical excellence, increasing pupil numbers and embarking on an ambitious development plan. This includes a concert hall, sports pavilion, new classrooms and more bursaries for poorer children, at a cost of £10 million.
There is no standing still at this institution, which is now 1,100 years old.
Philip Welch
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