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The Argus - Do they actually employ Journalists?



Established1982

New member
Jul 30, 2011
83
There's no doubt that the conventional business model is outmoded. The sums don't add up, and people's reading habits have changed out of all recognition.

But there is definitely a role for a really good Sussex news website, and niches for local magazines like Viva Lewes. There could even be a place for something more newsy and upmarket in printed form. I hope so because as things stand we don't really scritinise local authority decision-making in the way we used to, or keep an eye on what's happening to public services. Nobody at present has the resources to do these subjects justice. I remember when the culling began, editors would claim it was because they wanted more human interest stories and less boring politics. Truth is, they could no longer afford decent reporters, or enough of them.

Fully agree with this. There is definitely a future (and some money in it). It's all about being hyper local though I think. Lewes is ahead of the times and I think other similar sized places will catch up soon.

Imagine how much shit Brighton and Hove Council would have got if they were being properly scrutinised over the past four years!
 


The decline of the regional press is another example of how local democracy has weakened, greater control by Westminster, less accountability for those elected locally
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,821
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
The decline of the regional press is another example of how local democracy has weakened, greater control by Westminster, less accountability for those elected locally

Didn't Cameron get elected on a promise of small government and devolving powers locally. Wasn't Pickles going to give power to the people? Am I making that up? I don't think so. I'd agree that with their funding cuts and budget caps they've done the opposite. I'm not sure where the Argus fits in currently, they do politics when they can and most of their political output is anti-Green spin. Of course if (or rather when) the Argus goes you will have a valid point if nothing else replaces it. I read the Brighton and Hove Independent on Fridays, maybe that would step up? They certainly do a lot of politics and none of it is anti-Green spin.
 




Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,156
Neither here nor there
The decline of the regional press is another example of how local democracy has weakened, greater control by Westminster, less accountability for those elected locally

Local democracy has certainly weakened but that's not why local papers are struggling - though that may not be the point you're making.

Even with the cuts imposed by Westminster there is still a job to be done in monitoring and criticising local politicians. Perhaps even more so than before, because the way they spend their dwindling budgets and raise revenue in other ways is of massive importance to the electorate.
 




Lincoln Imp

Well-known member
Feb 2, 2009
5,964
The decline of the regional press is another example of how local democracy has weakened, greater control by Westminster, less accountability for those elected locally

You can blame Westminster for plenty of things but you can't blame it for falling regional newspaper sales. Technology is one cause and a declining sense of community among the population another (what a wonderful exception the stadium battle was). The dreadful standards of local newspapers don't help (although chickens or eggs might apply here) but at the end of the day (or even around lunchtime) the main culprit is the person like me, who now buys the Argus only rarely, and always feels cheated when he does.
 


Local democracy has certainly weakened but that's not why local papers are struggling - though that may not be the point you're making.

Even with the cuts imposed by Westminster there is still a job to be done in monitoring and criticising local politicians. Perhaps even more so than before, because the way they spend their dwindling budgets and raise revenue in other ways is of massive importance to the electorate.

Yes, they are separate points - but linked in a crucial way, it's money crushing democracy.

The Scots vote is another example of people rebelling against this. When will we?
 







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