Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
It's almost certainly just me, but I'm at once bemused, baffled and annoyed by the Argus's habit of not mentioning any specific people or places in its intros. Take today's front page, for example. Main story, first paragraph. "A university is set for a £500 million expansion ..." Why not say "The University of Sussex"?
Page 2: "Bosses at a mental health trust ..." Why not "the Sussex Partnership mental health trust"? Page 6: "A major overhaul of a town's main shopping street ..." No reason not to mention that it's Horsham, is there?
It goes on: "a Sussex village" (Hurtspierpoint), "a city" (Brighton & Hove), and on page 15 "a council" and "a college" in the same opening sentence.
And of course, on page 7: "A football president has joined an elite group of heroes to become a freeman of the city." Mad, isn't it? Especially when the headline (Hero Knight to be made freeman) rather gives the game away about who this mystery president is.
But that's not my objection. I can accept that the Argus in some strange way wants to keep us in suspense and pique our curiosity. Until we read the later paragraphs and discover the dreary reality, "a town" might prove to be somewhere exotic in Patagonia or Muanmar rather than Hailsham or Crawley. Fine by me if they want to begin the story of Albion's eventual ascension into the Premier League with "A professional sports club has won promotion to an elite soccer competition."
No, my problem with the Dick Knight intro is the maddening inconsistency.
Leave aside the fact that it should probably be "A football club president", why "THE city"? By their own insane, twisted logic it should surely be "A city".
It's too much. A newspaper has seriously annoyed a reader.
Page 2: "Bosses at a mental health trust ..." Why not "the Sussex Partnership mental health trust"? Page 6: "A major overhaul of a town's main shopping street ..." No reason not to mention that it's Horsham, is there?
It goes on: "a Sussex village" (Hurtspierpoint), "a city" (Brighton & Hove), and on page 15 "a council" and "a college" in the same opening sentence.
And of course, on page 7: "A football president has joined an elite group of heroes to become a freeman of the city." Mad, isn't it? Especially when the headline (Hero Knight to be made freeman) rather gives the game away about who this mystery president is.
But that's not my objection. I can accept that the Argus in some strange way wants to keep us in suspense and pique our curiosity. Until we read the later paragraphs and discover the dreary reality, "a town" might prove to be somewhere exotic in Patagonia or Muanmar rather than Hailsham or Crawley. Fine by me if they want to begin the story of Albion's eventual ascension into the Premier League with "A professional sports club has won promotion to an elite soccer competition."
No, my problem with the Dick Knight intro is the maddening inconsistency.
Leave aside the fact that it should probably be "A football club president", why "THE city"? By their own insane, twisted logic it should surely be "A city".
It's too much. A newspaper has seriously annoyed a reader.