It seems to me that we have said goodbye to a golden age of local news coverage, recently I spotted a new innovation on Kent Messenger's website something called civicboom which is meant to turn many more of us into news gatherers (I know my place and prefer to remain a blogger).
Maybe two or three years ago we there was a golden age for local news media when three newspaper publishers were producing well resourced newspapers for Thanet. It seems that the quality of output from local newspapers has suffered as a result one assumes the economic climate or perhaps even the profit taking.
Kent on Sunday ( KOS/Archant ) launched many newspapers across Kent like yourthanet to complement their excellent weekend newspaper, these now appear to be only available in electronic format, Kent Messenger's group paper Thanet Extra appears to rely heavily on press releases and Kent Regional newspapers have cancelled one of their titles the Adscene and we now just have two papers one of which is a hybrid free at your door or charged for in shops and of course the Gazette which has the edge as was always the case in being more comprehensive than all the rest.
Does this matter probably not, we've got used to being dumbed down, particularly in coverage of by broadcast media, so the loss of a bit more local media will not kill us, however it makes the illusion of democracy more so than it is already.
One plus of sorts, has of course been the input of the odd crazy, like myself prepared to comment, on things you didn't know, you didn't know, or inquisitive bloggers like Michael Child who is particularly good at fishing out detail.
Anyhow this particular posting really was made earlier, I've changing it around for a day or so and frankly it's not one of my better efforts but then, for me this is just a distraction from watching television.
It's a fair post Tony.
ReplyDeleteFact is, the printed media is either owned by, or heavily dependent upon, our corporate fascist dictatorship and, as such, only the mentally ill among us still take the newspapers seriously.
The alternative internet media has filled the void, of which brave fellas like yourself and Matt are the local branch.
It remains to be seen how effective the planned, draconian censorship of our internet freedom shall be.
Personally I think they are too late; the cat is out of the bag, the horse has bolted, the train has left the station and the creepy controllers are in disarray, rofl.