The tragic death of Caroline Flack is still a very raw subject. Regardless of the circumstances, the world has lost another person – loved by friends and family – well before their time. The printed media took a chunk of blame. Hours after Caroline’s death the British press was subject to calls from tens of…
Tag: journalism
Love Island: why are my papers covering it?
There’s plenty of things in this world I don’t like – and ITV’s Love Island is firmly on the list. The programme divides opinion. Of all the ways to find love, it must be among the more questionable options. At one time, though, internet dating struck me as an odd concept and I can no…
A milestone for Headline Spews – and an update
Just over a year ago I set up Headline Spews as a way of providing a family scrapbook, informing people about Albie’s allergies and shining a light on the world of local journalism. Some 86 posts and thousands of views later I think we’ve generally hit the mark on all three – and thanks so…
Life as a journalist: behind the scenes on election day
Such is the political climate at present, precious little comes as a surprise. But after more than six years of covering politics in the traditional Tory heartlands of Sussex, yesterday’s local elections results really did go beyond the predictable. One of the councils I’ve spent many an evening at, Arun, has been under Conservative rule…
Milk ladder progress and turning a corner?
If I’d penned this post just a couple of days ago, the tone might not have been overly positive. I’m nearing the end of my first week of annual leave, which was much needed after the three of us spent recent memory swapping infectious diseases. The week didn’t start well, with Albie losing weight yet…
Consumed by illness, while Brexit consumes others
Apologies that this blog has not been updated for a few weeks – it’s increasingly felt like our household has been gripped by the Black Death. It’s no secret that babies and toddlers are magnets for illness. And while Albie has yet to master walking or consuming milk, neither has he got to grips with…
Why we are caught in a vicious social media circle – and negativity won’t solve anything
Used well, social media can be an incredible force for good. But too frequently it descends into a playground to kick around the same old complaints, aimed at the same old targets. Retail is a regular recipient of fault-finding. Just days before Christmas, a Worthing Facebook group debated a deserted evening high-street scene. The majority…
Producing a newspaper at Christmas: behind the scenes in journalism
Christmas is a time to unwind – but for many local journalists, the big day is not so relaxing. Depending on their newspapers – and breaking news – reporters drawing the short straw this year would at the very least be expecting an unwelcome phone call to draw their lunch to a swift conclusion. Let’s…
Making national news and finally cracking sleep after 11 months
Everyday life is pretty hectic at the moment – and that has impacted on how much I’ve been able to write recently. But even then, a lot has been achieved in blog terms. My last post leapt to the defence of pregnancy and parenthood company Bounty after it received a bit of a battering in…
BBC’s Press: a drama to make us journalists cringe
The titles of new BBC journalism drama Press roll and it’s already irritating most of the journalists watching. There’s some fancy shots of notepads with lots of longhand. Where’s their shorthand? Did the reporter flunk their entry exams? Why are they being burned? Their owners must be pretty confident they won’t need to defend any…
