PeterboroughTribune
the shape of news to come ...
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| The word 'Daily' is in the title so why go once weekly? |
Julian Bray journalist and broadcaster writes: Its now time for Peterborough to follow Scarboroughs lead.
The transition from a daily evening newspaper to once a week on Thursday edition for its last remaining newpaper, has not been a happy one for the City of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, the Peterborough Telegraph title owned by cash strapped Scottish owned Johnson Press, now like the JP Scarborough daily newspaper and dozens of other English titles owned by JP, is now just an easily overlooked once a week event, and at an inflated cover price of £1. In addition, the design of the weekly newspaper is now regimented by an inflexible design template imported from a SPANISH design firm! The template adopted by JP titles does little for the dramatic display of ( cropped ) pictures and relegates daily breaking news, to a tired, possibly seven day old news in brief slot, plus twitter tweets and email plugs for the soon to be, behind a paywall website.
Local resident journalist and broadcaster Julian Bray who runs #PFNN - the neighbourhood news blog, is interested in getting a bandwagon rolling, and is seriously investigating the possibility of producing a three day Monday, Wednesday and Friday campaigning newspaper for Peterborough.
Julian Bray comments: "Ideally it would be based on the highly popular London Evening Standard format initially with a 30p cover price, and a 15,000 initial print run, with an expanded sports (Posh, Rugby, Golf and Speedway reports three days a week, and a full Arts/Fashion/Home section, with neighbourhood and social news and TV / radio listings carried in all editions. In depth crown and magistrates court reports, both main council and cabinet meetings, committee and neighbourhood meetings, but seriously putting our local politicians on the spot, and turning an even bigger spotlight on any backsliding two-faced, and in some cases downright dishonest politicians ...
"A lively City/Business section, not just a rehash of news releases from a local accountant together with a host of highly opinionated guest contributors. We will of course buttonhole front bench national politicians to campaign for the City of Peterborough. We'll also actively campaign for Peterborough council meetings to be video streamed over the internet, we will set up, and pay for the internet streaming, and offer it to all broadcasters
"The next stage is to bring together potential investors, develop the business proposition to put the advertising sales proposition forward to the many local businesses and national firms who operate in our region. It will be no more than two thirds of the advertising rate card of the other title, as we'll offer a two for three deal to ensure a full weeks worth of exposure and extend the offer to our daily website presence."
This is how Press Gazette reported the Scarborough developments:
The journalist behind a new three-times a week paper for Scarborough has said there is a “huge gap for daily news” following the decision by Johnston Press to take town’s daily paper weekly.
The Johnston Press-owned Scarborough Evening News, which had a daily circulation of 10,637, went weekly earlier this month.
Editor of monthly magazine the Scarborough Advertiser editor Matthew Thurston has announced plans for the Scarborough Voice to launch in September with an initial print run of 10,000, available every Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
Initially The Voice will be 20 pages, however Thurston hopes to double pagination if the paper is successful.
The Voice will initially employ eight full time staff, three of which will be journalists.
Two of these journalists lost their jobs at the Scarborough Evening News as a result of the weekly move.
Thurston says he is confident about taking on the town’s established paper.
He said: “Well the Evening News isn’t Evening anymore, its weekly… there’s a huge gap for daily news, there’s an awful lot of news in the area, and people can’t wait for a weekly, people want a daily newspaper.
“While a newspaper every Friday might be good for what’s on at the weekend in terms of sports, come Monday people want to know what’s happened, and they’re waiting another week for the match report.”
The Voice will cost 25p, this compares to 50p when the Evening News was a daily and the £1 price the weekly edition charges now.
Contributor: Media, Cruise Line , Aviation, Politics & Travel Expert, Broadcaster & Journalist Julian Bray NUJ, EQUITY UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (UK HOME ISDN 017 33 55 53 19) G722/APT-X Dual Codecs Glensound C5 SKYPE: JULIAN.BRAY.UK
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