New editor of the Argus is this guy.....

[London Irish]

......Mick Beard, from the Hastings Observer.

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2004/12dec/041223ed.shtml

He's apparently a traditionalist in journalistic terms, so get ready for all the parish-pump, cat-up-a-tree stuff to make a big comeback.

Alas, the owners of the Argus lost faith in the recent efforts to modernise and turn it into a middle-market, populist yet intelligent read.

All the grannies who read the Argus didn't want to know, the younger readership it was aimed at won't buy newspapers, the sales fell and so that was the end of Simon Bradshaw's brave experiment.

It's an awful outcome really for local newspaper journalists and it's hard to see any other future for the Argus now than a prolonged and steady decline and eventual death as the grannies it will now chase gradually die off themselves.

The owners of the Argus, Newsquest and their American owners Gannett, really are a bunch of short-sighted, money-grubbing ***** with not an ounce of journalistic integrity.

If you think the Argus is currently poor when compared to national newspapers, just wait until you see it a year from now.

I really wonder how long we'll see the Sports Argus survive, a fairly obvious target for the Newsquest accountants you'd think.

A great shame


.......but in the interests of balance, of course some people will be happy.

http://forums.thisismidsussex.co.uk/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2144

 

[Brovion]

You may be right as to it's eventual decline (and sadly the loss of the Sports Argus) but personally I would welcome some sort of change as I think the Argus is neither fish nor fowl at the present.

However the most important question is - is he pro or anti Falmer? Also is he the same 'Mick Beard' who posts on here? I assume not.

 

[Albion Rob]

I've heard he is a real hardliner. Be interesting to see what the turnover of staff is like at the Argus over the next six months.

 

[Scoffers]

But is he an Albion Supporter ?

 

[Icy Gull]

Why didn't you apply for the job LI, you have a charming affable way about you?

 

[Uncle Buck]

The owners of the Argus, Newsquest and their American owners Gannett, really are a bunch of short-sighted, money-grubbing ***** with not an ounce of journalistic integrity.

Journalistic Integrity?

 

[Pevenseagull]

Re: Re: New editor of the Argus is this guy.....

Journalistic Integrity?

Fresh Frozen?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Re: Re: Re: New editor of the Argus is this guy.....

Fresh Frozen?

Fresh journalism? Sorry am used to the Rob Shepherd brand of make it up as you go along. Did I laugh when he got a stretch, could not have happened to a slimier lying little shit.

 

[Seagull73]

I'm afraid Simon Bradshaw was simply trying to polish a turd, it probably needed re-naming too. That rag has such a poor reputation now, that as LI says, it will either die or need to be re-launched under a completely different name.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What we really need is a Guildford based "Southern Counties Newspaper" or something housed in Southampton that can cover the whole of the south coast.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Hang on. Mick Beard? You mean PC BEARD -- The ACTUAL PC BEARD -- IS NOW THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I had a day up there just after Bradshaw had left and the place was in limbo with people pretty much just carrying on as they would have had Bradshaw still been there.

I do hope that it does not go back to 'cat up a tree / local fete' type news.

Needs completely repackaging.

 

[rool]

I only bought the argus for albion news anyway and if it can go back to an 'our club' type of reporting then I think that will be better. If I want impartial observations I would buy a national newspaper.

Isn't that the role of a 'local' newspaper?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Hopefully there will be less crap about premier league goings on in the sports section and more about Brighton.

 

[Attilio the Hun]

There's a cat up a tree ??!!! What sorta cat? How high's the tree? Did the fire engine attend?

Cool beans! I gotta get me a subscription!

Creased Up used to be brilliant, though, didn't it? Eh? Eh?

Oh.

 

[Stinky Kat]

The hastings Obsever has a decent coverage of local football and all levels, usually at least 3 pages and no premiership nonsense. Its not really a cat up tree paper, more a heres the latest crack house bust and why do councillors spend so much money on consultatnts rag really. Hastings is more Beruit than quaint old persons village so the fella might bring a bit of localness to the argus backpage.

 

[On the Left Wing]

Got a mate who worked for him a few years ago .... he said he was a traditionalist, but did give reporters plenty of slack for big investigations and off-diary stuff .... he is also a guy who likes campaigns!

 

[Biscuit]

I wasnt Bradshaws biggest fan. Fancy not sacking Naylor?

Seriously, as long as I get the Albion refereed to as 'we' then I'll be happy.

 

[GUNTER]

Sounds like very good news to me. The Argus has improved tremendously and I am sorry to hear that readership has declined, but people buy local papers for local news and I think that is something the Argus has always done really well. Hopefully this new guy will take it forward.

I also think the Albion coverage in the Argus has improved a lot over the past year.