I quite enjoy reading the readers' comments at the end of our online stories, even the ones that either moan about the Advertiser or make me a bit twitchy libel-wise.
If you're unlucky, messageboards can attract some fairly unsavoury types from both ends of the political spectrum, but many of the contributions on thisiscroydontoday.co.uk are extremely well thought out, intelligent offerings that can make me think twice about how we play certain stories.
That said, there some that I completely disagree with like the one here .
It criticises today's (print edition) headline, 'Scissors in head horror at school', which apparently 'does nothing to help the pupil, the school, staff or parents.'
Well, sorry but as much as we like to take a responsible approach, it's not our job to do to any of the above.
It's our job to report the news, and if somebody sticks a pair of scissors into somebody else's head at school, then that's exactly what we're going to write.
Friday, 29 February 2008
Edenham High
Who'd be a headteacher?
As I said when all the Selsdon High stories kicked off earlier this year, it's easy to pin all the blame on the school and overlook a) parental responsibility and b) problems in society as a whole.
With regards to the latest incident at Edenham High (see the story on the home page), I've got no idea about Jacey Downes' abilities as a head teacher. However, I don't see how anybody could have stopped an incident like Wednesday's in advance.
It's abundantly clear there are huge problems in schools across Croydon, and it's likely to become a vicious circle.
Schools will struggle to attract the calibre of staff they need if teachers think they'll be walking into a war zone every day, and discipline will deteriorate even further if they are forced to employ weaker candidates as a result.
Talking of war zones - and that's one hell of a clumsy link - I find myself in the unusual position of being a bit uneasy about the Drudge Report's decision to break the Prince Harry embargo.
Most of the time, embargos are placed at the top of useless press releases by PR plonkers because it makes them feel like they're 'managing the news'.
They usually say something like: 'Survey reveals Stilton is now the UK's favourite cheese. STRICTLY EMBARGOED until noon on February 16.'
But in Harry's case, when you are talking about putting people's lives in danger, I don't feel particularly comfortable with it.
Finally, I'm glad to see the supplement with 651 pictures of Croydon mums seems to have come out as intended - believe me, there were many things which could have gone wrong - but less pleased with a typo in a prominent picture caption which has ruined my mood.
(Incidentally, if there ARE any mistakes in the supplement , don't call me, call promotions executive Kim Fyfe on extension 6655 instead.)
As I said when all the Selsdon High stories kicked off earlier this year, it's easy to pin all the blame on the school and overlook a) parental responsibility and b) problems in society as a whole.
With regards to the latest incident at Edenham High (see the story on the home page), I've got no idea about Jacey Downes' abilities as a head teacher. However, I don't see how anybody could have stopped an incident like Wednesday's in advance.
It's abundantly clear there are huge problems in schools across Croydon, and it's likely to become a vicious circle.
Schools will struggle to attract the calibre of staff they need if teachers think they'll be walking into a war zone every day, and discipline will deteriorate even further if they are forced to employ weaker candidates as a result.
Talking of war zones - and that's one hell of a clumsy link - I find myself in the unusual position of being a bit uneasy about the Drudge Report's decision to break the Prince Harry embargo.
Most of the time, embargos are placed at the top of useless press releases by PR plonkers because it makes them feel like they're 'managing the news'.
They usually say something like: 'Survey reveals Stilton is now the UK's favourite cheese. STRICTLY EMBARGOED until noon on February 16.'
But in Harry's case, when you are talking about putting people's lives in danger, I don't feel particularly comfortable with it.
Finally, I'm glad to see the supplement with 651 pictures of Croydon mums seems to have come out as intended - believe me, there were many things which could have gone wrong - but less pleased with a typo in a prominent picture caption which has ruined my mood.
(Incidentally, if there ARE any mistakes in the supplement , don't call me, call promotions executive Kim Fyfe on extension 6655 instead.)
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Lord
We're spending the day playing host to Lord Rothermere - head of our parent company's parent company - which means I'm feeling a bit out of the loop about anything going on outside the office.
So instead I'll leave it to Croydon Council leader Mike Fisher to entertain you as he has (sort of) launched his own blog.
I say 'sort of' because you can't actually post any comments on there, which is a bit of a shame but here it is.
So instead I'll leave it to Croydon Council leader Mike Fisher to entertain you as he has (sort of) launched his own blog.
I say 'sort of' because you can't actually post any comments on there, which is a bit of a shame but here it is.
Monday, 25 February 2008
'Shrine to a chicken'
Friday was the busiest day we've had on the website, but not for the reasons you might think.
Although the Sally Anne verdict had a lot of hits, it was overshadowed by the reaction to Palace manager Neil Warnock's column, in which he had a mild dig at Liverpool.
Within hours of going live the article had generated a furious response from people living in Liverpool, along with the city's well-known suburbs of, erm, Brighton and Oxon. It went on to become our most-read story and you can read the fall-out: here
I made an inappropriate Boris Johnson-esque comment about Scousers in a previous job, and I'm not making that mistake again.
However, this Liverpool Echo story remains my favourite example of the city's ability to spot tragedy in the most unlikely of scenarios: http://tinyurl.com/dlaps
Another story that generated a huge amount of interest - again, even more so than Sally Anne - was the yobs going on the rampage at Vue cinema.
It's clear from the comments on this story - and many others like it - that people are sick to the back teeth of Croydon's chav culture.
Although the Sally Anne verdict had a lot of hits, it was overshadowed by the reaction to Palace manager Neil Warnock's column, in which he had a mild dig at Liverpool.
Within hours of going live the article had generated a furious response from people living in Liverpool, along with the city's well-known suburbs of, erm, Brighton and Oxon. It went on to become our most-read story and you can read the fall-out: here
I made an inappropriate Boris Johnson-esque comment about Scousers in a previous job, and I'm not making that mistake again.
However, this Liverpool Echo story remains my favourite example of the city's ability to spot tragedy in the most unlikely of scenarios: http://tinyurl.com/dlaps
Another story that generated a huge amount of interest - again, even more so than Sally Anne - was the yobs going on the rampage at Vue cinema.
It's clear from the comments on this story - and many others like it - that people are sick to the back teeth of Croydon's chav culture.
Friday, 22 February 2008
Sally Anne
So Mark Dixie is guilty of the Sally Anne murder, and that's no surprise.
He couldn't have looked any more guilty if he'd stood in the witness box with 'murderer' tattooed on his forehead.
Sometimes a defendant's evidence can leave you incredulous - Ian Huntley springs to mind, but I think Dixie's explanation was even more ludicrous.
Hopefully this will at least give Sally Anne's family some closure.
He couldn't have looked any more guilty if he'd stood in the witness box with 'murderer' tattooed on his forehead.
Sometimes a defendant's evidence can leave you incredulous - Ian Huntley springs to mind, but I think Dixie's explanation was even more ludicrous.
Hopefully this will at least give Sally Anne's family some closure.
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Deadlines
I've got a bad feeling about this week's paper.
In fact, I've had a bad feeling about this week full-stop ever since I was pulled over by some chump of a police officer on my way to a wedding reception, and subjected to a random roadside spotcheck that only just stopped short of the rubber glove treatment.
Honestly, you'd have thought he was starring in The Wire rather than hassling motorists on a cold night in Crawley town centre.
Anyway, I digress. The reason I've got a bad feeling about this week's paper is because of the ongoing Sally Anne Bowman trial.
For obvious legal reasons I can't say much about the trial, apart from that the judge is expected to begin his summing up today, after which the jury will retire to consider its verdict.
Given the timing (and our early afternoon deadline) this obviously presents us with all sorts of difficulties in ensuring our coverage is as up to date as possible.
In fact, I've had a bad feeling about this week full-stop ever since I was pulled over by some chump of a police officer on my way to a wedding reception, and subjected to a random roadside spotcheck that only just stopped short of the rubber glove treatment.
Honestly, you'd have thought he was starring in The Wire rather than hassling motorists on a cold night in Crawley town centre.
Anyway, I digress. The reason I've got a bad feeling about this week's paper is because of the ongoing Sally Anne Bowman trial.
For obvious legal reasons I can't say much about the trial, apart from that the judge is expected to begin his summing up today, after which the jury will retire to consider its verdict.
Given the timing (and our early afternoon deadline) this obviously presents us with all sorts of difficulties in ensuring our coverage is as up to date as possible.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Bad news
I'm a bit too busy to write much this week, so in the spirit of of 'citizen journalism' I'm going to let a reader do it instead.
The email below covers similar ground to others I receive fairly frequently, but is argued with rather more style than most.
In defence, I have to point the 'most read' section on the home page, which is the most accurate reflection you can get of what people really do want to read about.
Dear Sir,
"I have read your paper for many years and over the recent past the content becomes ever more sensational and depressing. Take last week's publication , these were some of the headlines:
BODY LAY IN FLAT SIX MONTHS
SHOPPERS STUNNED AS GANG BATTER MAN IN STREET
POLICE PROTECTION FOR SCHOOL
HILDREN ATTACKED AND ROOFING STOLEN
OFFICER TO PATROL SCHOOL TO TACKLE LOITERERS
MAN INJURED IN GANG ATTACK
POLICE RAID SUSPECTED DRUGS DEN AFTER ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
MAN FACES NEW STABBING TRIAL
I MAY HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE STREET WITH MY BABY
FRAUD CHECK
FINE FOR BUGS
BARRED FROM PUB FOR GETTING STABBED
FRIENDS PUNCHED AND KICKED ME PUBLICAN
LOVE TRIANGLE LIAR JAILED OVER HIS MURDER CASE LIES
FIVE ARRESTS IN BROTHEL RAID
TRIO OF DRUGS DENS SHUT DOWM AFTER DAWN RAIDS
EIGHT YEARS FOR TRYING TO RAPE GIRL 11
FOUR OFFICERS INJURED AS FANS CLASH AT PALACE
JAIL FOR BURGLAR CAUGHT REDHANDED.
BEAUTY PARLOUR WAS DRUG DEN
UNDERCOVER POLICE SNARE DRUG DEALER
SOCCER YOB KICKED PC IN FACE
SEX DISEASES NO BED OF ROSES
These are only some of the depressing headlines in the paper. Couple this with stories about puppies, gas cylinder blasts, creating a town for the rich, tax rise agreed, explosion averted, climate change fear for home flooding,and you can see there is not much left for good news.
Come on Advertiser this is just driving people away from the town otherwise i can see the next headline "Freddy Starr ate my hamster!!!!"
The email below covers similar ground to others I receive fairly frequently, but is argued with rather more style than most.
In defence, I have to point the 'most read' section on the home page, which is the most accurate reflection you can get of what people really do want to read about.
Dear Sir,
"I have read your paper for many years and over the recent past the content becomes ever more sensational and depressing. Take last week's publication , these were some of the headlines:
BODY LAY IN FLAT SIX MONTHS
SHOPPERS STUNNED AS GANG BATTER MAN IN STREET
POLICE PROTECTION FOR SCHOOL
HILDREN ATTACKED AND ROOFING STOLEN
OFFICER TO PATROL SCHOOL TO TACKLE LOITERERS
MAN INJURED IN GANG ATTACK
POLICE RAID SUSPECTED DRUGS DEN AFTER ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
MAN FACES NEW STABBING TRIAL
I MAY HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE STREET WITH MY BABY
FRAUD CHECK
FINE FOR BUGS
BARRED FROM PUB FOR GETTING STABBED
FRIENDS PUNCHED AND KICKED ME PUBLICAN
LOVE TRIANGLE LIAR JAILED OVER HIS MURDER CASE LIES
FIVE ARRESTS IN BROTHEL RAID
TRIO OF DRUGS DENS SHUT DOWM AFTER DAWN RAIDS
EIGHT YEARS FOR TRYING TO RAPE GIRL 11
FOUR OFFICERS INJURED AS FANS CLASH AT PALACE
JAIL FOR BURGLAR CAUGHT REDHANDED.
BEAUTY PARLOUR WAS DRUG DEN
UNDERCOVER POLICE SNARE DRUG DEALER
SOCCER YOB KICKED PC IN FACE
SEX DISEASES NO BED OF ROSES
These are only some of the depressing headlines in the paper. Couple this with stories about puppies, gas cylinder blasts, creating a town for the rich, tax rise agreed, explosion averted, climate change fear for home flooding,and you can see there is not much left for good news.
Come on Advertiser this is just driving people away from the town otherwise i can see the next headline "Freddy Starr ate my hamster!!!!"
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