The quality of local journalism.

[Speculator]

Am I the only one who thinks that the local papers (well, The Aggravate and The Examiner, I don't know about The Mercury) are rags barely worth wrapping fish and chips in? I don't get the paper delivered, and I actually avoid reading it because I find it too irritating. At it's worst my local paper is sub-tabloid. At it's best it still really only scratches the surface of issues, and prefers light general interest stories to the point where world issues sink to about page 4, with preference given to articles about trivial local affairs.

That's just the journalism. I might buy a paper if I could have the "Letters" section removed first. Everyone has an opinion, and I generally believe that the local paper does a service by publishing these opinions... generally. What infuriates me is when they publish what is simple bigotry. There's no place for it, and I fail to believe that they don't get enough letters that they needed to fill the space with the views of narrow minded sick people.

Anyway.... I could rant on this for ages. It's been a while since I bought an Avdocate (<--- spelled like they would). Maybe it's better?

L8r.

[Son of a Beach]

I find the quality of journalism in my local paper to be appalling with spelling and grammar mistakes being quite frequent, apart from all the other issues you mention which do appear to be true.

The only time I ever buy a local newspaper is the occasional Saturday edition to keep in touch a bit, but I usually end up flicking through fairly quickly, finding little that's worth reading.

[Speculator]

I find the quality of journalism in my local paper to be appalling with spelling and grammar mistakes being quite frequent, apart from all the other issues you mention which do appear to be true.

The only time I ever buy a local newspaper is the occasional Saturday edition to keep in touch a bit, but I usually end up flicking through fairly quickly, finding little that's worth reading.

Oh yeah, occasionally I'll buy it for the classifieds. They're reader contributed, so the spelling and grammar is probably okay too!

L8r.

[sthughes]

Yep - total trash.
A few years back I had my photo in their two times over a few months.Once I was called Steven and the other time Sam! I really wouldn't have thought Simon was so hard to get right!

[Whos_asking99]

well, The Aggravate and The Examiner, I don't know about The Mercury

BREAKING NEWS!!
Princess Mary has a new hair style....Wow, lets have a big photo of it on the front page, and dedicate the entire 3rd page to this amazing phenomenon. Oh wait, what about the double homicide....that can be pushed back to the 4th page

Yes, this did actually happen in the mercury a while back.

[Speculator]

Yep - total trash.
A few years back I had my photo in their two times over a few months.Once I was called Steven and the other time Sam! I really wouldn't have thought Simon was so hard to get right!

Hey it could've been worse! I mean they're note-taking skills are obviously atrocious, but if they were only a little poor, then they might have got closer and called you Simone!

L8r.

[corvus]

Was that AKA Steven, Sam or Simon.

[MrCAMEL]

By local, I thought you must have been meaning papers such as The King Island Courier, Circular Head Chronicle, North East Advertiser, Huon Valley News etc. .

How do they go compared to the big 3?

[Joe]

I believe recently most of the small 'local' papers like the circ head chronical burnie hub and devonport times etc have all been bought up by the company that produces the advocate (the mob who purchased it off Harris...but for life of me I cant remember their name...rural press...regional press...sommat like that...basically fairfax anyway i think) so they are everybit as bad if not 100 times worse

I was recently in the agrovates street poll as a journo asked me a question as i crossed at lights after work. The quote in the paper was no where near what I actually said and made me look more of a knob that im quite capable of making myself look. Cant stand any local rag...the interweb gives me my news.

[tasadam]

The three Tasmanian Papers -
The Advocate - The Aggrovate.
The Examiner - The Exaggerater
and the Mercury - The Mockery.

I rest my case.

I phoned the paper once - telling them of a hot story I had encountered - a CAT in the water.



Gave them a write up of it and sent them the link to HEAPS of photos for them to choose from. Didn't hear back from them.
I guess it just wasn't newsworthy.

[Speculator]

I phoned the paper once - telling them of a hot story I had encountered - a CAT in the water.

Gave them a write up of it and sent them the link to HEAPS of photos for them to choose from. Didn't hear back from them.
I guess it just wasn't newsworthy.

That's because they knew it was about large expensive machinery in the water. If it was about someone's lost cat it'd make front page!

L8r.

[Nuts]

NEWSFLASH>>>

BIG CAT TAKES DRINK.... AND SPEAKING OF CATS...

[tasadam]

NEWSFLASH>>>

BIG CAT TAKES DRINK.... AND SPEAKING OF CATS...

Oh no! Not THIS again!

[Speculator]

NEWSFLASH>>>

BIG CAT TAKES DRINK.... AND SPEAKING OF CATS...

Oh no! Not THIS again!

No, sorry this is a topic about the local papers. In keeping with the theme, no discussion of important local issues is allowed!

[Earthling]

That's just the journalism. I might buy a paper if I could have the "Letters" section removed first. Everyone has an opinion, and I generally believe that the local paper does a service by publishing these opinions... generally. What infuriates me is when they publish what is simple bigotry. There's no place for it, and I fail to believe that they don't get enough letters that they needed to fill the space with the views of narrow minded sick people.

Anyway.... I could rant on this for ages. It's been a while since I bought an Avdocate (<--- spelled like they would). Maybe it's better?

L8r.

I used to write to the local rags letters section when I was back in WA on a semi regular basis. Most people who actually write in are mild extremists and the like...not your average Joe. They usually write with emotion charging through their veins and sound reason is no dam to the flow of garbage from their pens. One guy even wrote how he wanted to kill people with views as I had and they published it! Sometimes you have a reasonable debate, but most are unwilling to look at reason...if only people could learn to control their emotions.

[Taurë-rana]

I don't mind The Advocate, and I like the letters to see what people are thinking in the community but I agree with all your comments about the poor journalism. The thing I hate most about it is What's in Ed's Head or something similar on Saturday's which is a complete waste of space. As for spelling and grammar, I don't think correct spelling exists any more. I take The Advocate for what it is, and listen to ABC news and get Time magazine to find out the news. The Advocate has deteriorated quite a bit since Harris sold it.

[the_camera_poser]

I couldn't be bothered with any of them. If you want real Aussie news, go to the US- no joke- they get better news there about us than we do. BUT, for real American news, you guessed it....come here and log on. Ain't censorship lovely?