Thursday 29 May 2008
Wednesday 28 May 2008
Knackered
I'm always bloody tired these days. Maybe it's age, maybe it's stress, maybe it's the high blood pressure I apparently have?
Or maybe it's the training regime I'm in the middle of for the St Catherine's 10k run in July.
Whatever it is, there's only so much copious cans of Red Bull can do for your system. It's hardly "giving me wings", put it that way.
Our front page this week about the scrapping of two big summer events - the Mela and the carnival - should appeal to everyone who cares about Crawley.
I know these events haven't been well attended in recent times, but I still think it's pretty sad they are dying away.
Or maybe it's the training regime I'm in the middle of for the St Catherine's 10k run in July.
Whatever it is, there's only so much copious cans of Red Bull can do for your system. It's hardly "giving me wings", put it that way.
Our front page this week about the scrapping of two big summer events - the Mela and the carnival - should appeal to everyone who cares about Crawley.
I know these events haven't been well attended in recent times, but I still think it's pretty sad they are dying away.
Thursday 22 May 2008
Good cops
As a footnote to the below post, I think it's worth mentioning my positive experience of Crawley Police yesterday.
Whatever I think of the punishment and end result, the officers who dealt with the case were friendly, helpful and professional.
There have been (and I'm sure there will be in the future) times where we have had to hold the town's police to account for something they've done wrong.
But my experience yesterday, at least, was very positive.
It's also worth pointing out that our aggressor from yesterday has today called the office to apologise for his actions.
Now all we need is a new door.
Whatever I think of the punishment and end result, the officers who dealt with the case were friendly, helpful and professional.
There have been (and I'm sure there will be in the future) times where we have had to hold the town's police to account for something they've done wrong.
But my experience yesterday, at least, was very positive.
It's also worth pointing out that our aggressor from yesterday has today called the office to apologise for his actions.
Now all we need is a new door.
Justice?
Week in week out we carry stories which, we realise, won't please everyone (especially one's about school 'riots'..)
Court cases carry a particular risk. After all, if someone we report on is capable of carrying out a violent crime, there's always half a chance they might hunt us down for a good kicking afterwards.
This rarely happens, but yesterday it did. Was it over a court case? No. A controversial, sensitive topic? Not really.
It was to do with an item featured in our Celebrations page.
I won't go into the full, grotty details here but it resulted in a few hundred quids' worth of damage to our door, a lot of abuse and, in all seriousness, a pretty scary few minutes for our team.
Last night, I was told the offender has been given a caution and will not face prosecution.
I won't tell you what I think of that outcome here but, if someone kicked your door in and threatened your family, would you be happy if they escaped prosecution?
Court cases carry a particular risk. After all, if someone we report on is capable of carrying out a violent crime, there's always half a chance they might hunt us down for a good kicking afterwards.
This rarely happens, but yesterday it did. Was it over a court case? No. A controversial, sensitive topic? Not really.
It was to do with an item featured in our Celebrations page.
I won't go into the full, grotty details here but it resulted in a few hundred quids' worth of damage to our door, a lot of abuse and, in all seriousness, a pretty scary few minutes for our team.
Last night, I was told the offender has been given a caution and will not face prosecution.
I won't tell you what I think of that outcome here but, if someone kicked your door in and threatened your family, would you be happy if they escaped prosecution?
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Good riddance
Probably the worst thing about Crawley is, at this very moment, being removed from the town forever.
I'm talking about Sussex House, the big ugly building at the bottom of the high street.
Sussex House, to put it mildly, is (or was) a horrible building. The term eyesore was invented for it.
They used to have a similarly awful building in Portsmouth called the Tricorn. All concrete and no style.
The 60's might have brought us The Beatles, a man on the moon and an English World Cup triumph but it was also the decade of truly terrible architecture.
The bulldozers are taking to Sussex House today and, soon, it seems likely that the other great Crawley eyesore - the Central Sussex College tower - will also get the demolition treatment.
First impressions are crucial. If the first thing you see driving into town are the two ugliest buildings known to man, it's not exactly going to make a positive impression.
Which is why the JCB's are very welcome, as far as I'm concerned.
I'm talking about Sussex House, the big ugly building at the bottom of the high street.
Sussex House, to put it mildly, is (or was) a horrible building. The term eyesore was invented for it.
They used to have a similarly awful building in Portsmouth called the Tricorn. All concrete and no style.
The 60's might have brought us The Beatles, a man on the moon and an English World Cup triumph but it was also the decade of truly terrible architecture.
The bulldozers are taking to Sussex House today and, soon, it seems likely that the other great Crawley eyesore - the Central Sussex College tower - will also get the demolition treatment.
First impressions are crucial. If the first thing you see driving into town are the two ugliest buildings known to man, it's not exactly going to make a positive impression.
Which is why the JCB's are very welcome, as far as I'm concerned.
Tuesday 20 May 2008
Hello from Croydon
I've been on a training course these past couple of days, so am writing this blog from Croydon.
Consequently, I'm a bit out of the loop with the latest from Crawley.
From what I hear, it's been a bit of a 'slow week' in newspaper parlance - armed robberies or, dare I say it, school 'riots' don't happen every week - but the troops have still put together an excellent paper.
Why was a disabled man labelled a fire hazard? Which endangered species is causing a stir in one Crawley neighbourhood?
All will be revealed tomorrow.
Consequently, I'm a bit out of the loop with the latest from Crawley.
From what I hear, it's been a bit of a 'slow week' in newspaper parlance - armed robberies or, dare I say it, school 'riots' don't happen every week - but the troops have still put together an excellent paper.
Why was a disabled man labelled a fire hazard? Which endangered species is causing a stir in one Crawley neighbourhood?
All will be revealed tomorrow.
Thursday 15 May 2008
What a riot
Further to my earlier post, you might have noticed the comments are piling up on our Oriel School story - many of them not too positive about us.
Leaving arguments about who said what, etc.. to one side, all I will say is that any suggestion we started a "riot" at the school (as one correspondent implies) is totally ludicrious.
Contrary to popular belief, newspapers aren't in the business of making up stories or, even worse, encouraging people to manufacture a story by breaking the law.
The ironic thing is, newspapers are often accused of "sensationalism" yet some of the comments we receive (and others posted on certain holier-than-thou residents forums) are 10 times more "sensationalist" than anything we ever publish.
I go back to my original point - this is one of the most widely-read stories we have ever published.
Just shows you that the most criticised stories are also often the most popular. The critics just shout a bit louder.
Leaving arguments about who said what, etc.. to one side, all I will say is that any suggestion we started a "riot" at the school (as one correspondent implies) is totally ludicrious.
Contrary to popular belief, newspapers aren't in the business of making up stories or, even worse, encouraging people to manufacture a story by breaking the law.
The ironic thing is, newspapers are often accused of "sensationalism" yet some of the comments we receive (and others posted on certain holier-than-thou residents forums) are 10 times more "sensationalist" than anything we ever publish.
I go back to my original point - this is one of the most widely-read stories we have ever published.
Just shows you that the most criticised stories are also often the most popular. The critics just shout a bit louder.
Wednesday 14 May 2008
Non Story?
Often, when the odd person says "why are you reporting this" or, "this is not a story", it tends to mean the exact opposite for the majority of readers.
Take this comment that's just dropped into my inbox regarding our front page this week, about the student protest at Oriel School:
"Well done for putting a total non story on the front of your newspaper this week.
"I find it incredible that you thought this was an actual story and a front page one at that, that managed to eclipse an armed robbery."
Now consider this - twice as many people read this story yesterday as any other on our website.
Infact, it got more hits in a single day than any other story I can remember since we launched this site in February.
If it is a non-story, it's clearly a very interesting one.
Take this comment that's just dropped into my inbox regarding our front page this week, about the student protest at Oriel School:
"Well done for putting a total non story on the front of your newspaper this week.
"I find it incredible that you thought this was an actual story and a front page one at that, that managed to eclipse an armed robbery."
Now consider this - twice as many people read this story yesterday as any other on our website.
Infact, it got more hits in a single day than any other story I can remember since we launched this site in February.
If it is a non-story, it's clearly a very interesting one.
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Memories, memories
I've been a news editor for just over a year but, every now and again, something happens which makes me miss the buzz of being a reporter.
Often its a big breaking news story, like last week's car chase, but on Monday I missed the chance to meet a few sporting legends, who are taking part in the Superstars revival at K2.
Alex Morrison was the lucky man who got to rub shoulders with, among others, Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Homes and Mike Catt.
But it was only when Alex told me about another famous face he'd chatted to that I was truly jealous.
Jim Rosenthal (right), the host of Superstars, is a sports presenting legend in my eyes.
To me, he brings back memories of World Cups, Sunday afternoon matches on ITV and those epic Eubank/Benn boxing bouts of the mid-90s.
Sports presenters now are either too polished (Gary Lineker), too dull (Gabby Logan) or, in Steve Rider's case, look like they'd rather be covering a boat show than the Champions League final.
At least Jim has a bit of passion.When Alex asked him for his favourite sporting memory, he replied it was England's 2003 Rugby World Cup Final victory, which left him so speechless he was worried he wouldn't be able to contain his excitement on air
The day a journalist loses the passion for his subject is the day he should give up the job.
Sounds like there's a few years left in Jim yet.
Often its a big breaking news story, like last week's car chase, but on Monday I missed the chance to meet a few sporting legends, who are taking part in the Superstars revival at K2.
Alex Morrison was the lucky man who got to rub shoulders with, among others, Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Homes and Mike Catt.
But it was only when Alex told me about another famous face he'd chatted to that I was truly jealous.
Jim Rosenthal (right), the host of Superstars, is a sports presenting legend in my eyes.
To me, he brings back memories of World Cups, Sunday afternoon matches on ITV and those epic Eubank/Benn boxing bouts of the mid-90s.
Sports presenters now are either too polished (Gary Lineker), too dull (Gabby Logan) or, in Steve Rider's case, look like they'd rather be covering a boat show than the Champions League final.
At least Jim has a bit of passion.When Alex asked him for his favourite sporting memory, he replied it was England's 2003 Rugby World Cup Final victory, which left him so speechless he was worried he wouldn't be able to contain his excitement on air
The day a journalist loses the passion for his subject is the day he should give up the job.
Sounds like there's a few years left in Jim yet.
Tuesday 6 May 2008
Taking the Pete?
Late yesterday, I received this rather odd news release via email. I really don't know what to make of it....
Pete Doherty Welfare Fund raises £17.10
A special welfare fund set up for Pete Doherty has raised just £17.10, it was revealed today.
Lastseason.com - the UK' leading online discount fashion retailer - launched the welfare fund last month by offering a select range of big brand stripey tops with a percentage of the sales to be set aside to assist Pete Doherty once he got of jail.
Serious, a lame joke, or just clever marketing? Utterly bizzare, whatever way you look at it.
Pete Doherty Welfare Fund raises £17.10
A special welfare fund set up for Pete Doherty has raised just £17.10, it was revealed today.
Lastseason.com - the UK' leading online discount fashion retailer - launched the welfare fund last month by offering a select range of big brand stripey tops with a percentage of the sales to be set aside to assist Pete Doherty once he got of jail.
Serious, a lame joke, or just clever marketing? Utterly bizzare, whatever way you look at it.
Feeling the heat
There's one downside to a Bank Holiday weekend - the day after.
Today was Monday and Tuesday lumped into one, meaning twice the workload in a stuffy, sweaty office while others soak up the rays outside.
No matter - this week's paper looks great, short week or not. Look out for an extreme example of weight loss, the fallout from last week's elections, and news of a top TV show being filmed next week in Crawley.
I'll keep my powder dry for now, only to say that former Olympians, Rugby World Cup winning superstars and the scorer of one of the greatest FA Cup final goals ever will soon be gracing the track at K2.
A prospect that has got a couple of sport-mad hacks in the office just a little gooey-eyed.
Today was Monday and Tuesday lumped into one, meaning twice the workload in a stuffy, sweaty office while others soak up the rays outside.
No matter - this week's paper looks great, short week or not. Look out for an extreme example of weight loss, the fallout from last week's elections, and news of a top TV show being filmed next week in Crawley.
I'll keep my powder dry for now, only to say that former Olympians, Rugby World Cup winning superstars and the scorer of one of the greatest FA Cup final goals ever will soon be gracing the track at K2.
A prospect that has got a couple of sport-mad hacks in the office just a little gooey-eyed.
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