[Misc] The Argus

[timbha]

I can only categorise this thread as Misc because I’m not sure what the Argus actually is.

Today’s leading on line story about a boy from Wrexham finding a heart shaped crisp in a crisp packet is pitiful. And nothing on cricket for over a month.

So there!

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Today they had 24 pages of colour photos covering world book day. That’s a lot of colour printing. Their deadlines for news also means that reports on evening games are two days late. Very little news of Brighton and Hove - their reporters seem to live elsewhere. It’s day as a local paper are long gone.

 

[Frutos]

They posted a story on their FB page earlier about the unveiling of the new public loos in Churchill Square.

 

[Monkey Man]

Same story for local news all over the UK sadly. Sums don't really add up.

As has been discussed here several times, editorial teams are down to just a couple of people if you're lucky at many papers, who may or may not be based in the area they cover, and who get paid a pittance for long hours and the impossible job of keeping pace with the citizen reporting you find on social media.

Then they get accused of "lazy journalism". As an ex local journo I feel for them. I suspect, as a career choice and as a medium, local newspapers are finished.

 

[schmunk]

And nothing on cricket for over a month.

Do the local teams play much cricket in February?

 

[rippleman]

Same story for local news all over the UK sadly. Sums don't really add up.

As has been discussed here several times, editorial teams are down to just a couple of people if you're lucky at many papers, who may or may not be based in the area they cover, and who get paid a pittance for long hours and the impossible job of keeping pace with the citizen reporting you find on social media.

Then they get accused of "lazy journalism". As an ex local journo I feel for them. I suspect, as a career choice and as a medium, local newspapers are finished.

There is never any excuse for not checking their copy though. None at all. Typos, poor grammar, incorrect punctuation. That is 100% laziness and inexcusable.

And that's before we consider that it's a "local paper" which rarely carries any local news. It's finished!

 

[Brian Potter]

Is it owned by the same mob that also own our local rag the EDP. Quality of journalism is shocking and now you cant read the online without signing up. We had the story about the crisp as well..

 

[jamie (not that one)]

Their posts on social media are embarrassing. If it's not about Katie Price it's some clickbait shite with emojis.

 

[Monkey Man]

There is never any excuse for not checking their copy though. None at all. Typos, poor grammar, incorrect punctuation. That is 100% laziness and inexcusable.

And that's before we consider that it's a "local paper" which rarely carries any local news. It's finished!

I've worked with some brilliant journalists whose raw copy is littered with typos, style errors and punctuation problems.

In the good old days there were people who would spot these issues, correct them, and (in the case of younger reporters) drill some better habits. These people were news editors, features editors, sports editors, and ultimately sub-editors and the editor him or herself. They're a dying breed, because publishers can't afford them.

These days, especially online, reporters are increasingly expected to file their copy directly. If they make mistakes in their rush to do so, yes, maybe they're lazy, or maybe they just don't have the beneft of senior members of the team being present to moderate, correct and improve their copy. Like I did.

 

[timbha]

Do the local teams play much cricket in February?

No, but our county side has quite a few young players playing representative cricket overseas for the national side, Sussex has a new coach and some new players and the season starts next month.

I suppose some people would rather read about a heart shaped crisp in Wrexham

 

[dolphins]

Their posts on social media are embarrassing. If it's not about Katie Price it's some clickbait shite with emojis.

This - and they LOVE a post about road disruption or a fire in a central place or whatever, but they don't give the location in the article title or accompanying copy, forcing people to go to their dreadful website. It would be far better - and they'd probably get more clickthroughs - if they gave the location of the issue in the post.

As for the number of adverts dressed up as stories for supermarkets and takeaways/restaurants, that really irritates me too. How is it news? Particularly the "what's in the middle aisle this week?" nonsense. High time the Argus called it a day.

 

[giveusfalmerplease]

We stopped buying it when it went over 50p and became dearer than the nationals. Used to get the Leader free and then there was another one for a while which disappeared when COVID came. Get the Brighton Ian through the door, that's monthly a free ...

 

[Papak]

12 posts and no link to the Welsh crisp news story...I'm intrigued now.

 

[Normal Rob]

I've worked with some brilliant journalists whose raw copy is littered with typos, style errors and punctuation problems.

In the good old days there were people who would spot these issues, correct them, and (in the case of younger reporters) drill some better habits. These people were news editors, features editors, sports editors, and ultimately sub-editors and the editor him or herself. They're a dying breed, because publishers can't afford them.

These days, especially online, reporters are increasingly expected to file their copy directly. If they make mistakes in their rush to do so, yes, maybe they're lazy, or maybe they just don't have the beneft of senior members of the team being present to moderate, correct and improve their copy. Like I did.

This is because nowadays the vast majority of people refuse to pay for content. You get jack shit for free, and deserve it.

 

[timbha]

12 posts and no link to the Welsh crisp news story...I'm intrigued now.

It’s not hard
theargus.co.uk

 

[AmexRuislip]

The newspaper in true Argus fashion

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Used to love The Argus Pink Paper on Saturdays in Withdean era. Would be in local newsagents about an hour after final whistle. Full match report, all the results, commentary and interviews, even a full Fantasy Football update where you could check your league position. Can't help but feel that there's a niche to be filled there, for folks wanting post-match physical reading material. Sell it and they will buy