It’s all about mobile … but that’s much easier said than done for journalism

Journalism faces many challenges (that’s a cheery way to start a post isn’t it?) Many are beyond the control of journalists, but one of the biggest, however, isn’t. The challenge I’m talking about is making sure that the content (as opposed to *just* stories) we’re producing is done in a way which really suits the

Why the only future for football reporting is a ‘fan first’ future

On the day after Sir Tom Finney, the Preston North End legend and a player widely regarded as one of the gentlemen of the game, died BBC Radio Five Live broadcast its Saturday sports coverage from Deepdale, the home of North End. It was a touching tribute to one of the greats of the game

Forget the recession – learning to love audience data is the thing which will define the regional media’s future

For a long time now, it’s been almost a sport to predict the demise of the regional Press. Ex-editors and former journalists hiding out in universities have often been the worst offenders, but few predictions were more memorable than the one by Enders Analysis back in 2009 that half of the country’s regional papers would

There are some headlines you only ever get to write once in a career. The Newcastle Chronicle just published one of them

There are some journalists who believe the digital revolution has killed the art of headline writing. You won’t be surprised to read that I disagree (especially if you read this post I wrote back in 2009 and this one a tad more recently) with that theory – although there’s no doubt it’s changed what makes a

FOI Friday: Air gun attacks, stressed out students, pauper funerals and troubled families

Bedroom tax rent arrears < Wolverhampton Express and Star Out of 3,803 Sandwell people affected by the removal of the Government’s spare room subsidy, 2,432 have now fallen into rent arrears. But the Labour-led council has not yet evicted anyone for falling into arrears as a result of what has become widely known as the

Turning journalism from an art into a science … and then back again

WARNING: Long read! Summary as follows: Journalism has always been about gut instinct and hunches. Those who did best were those who guessed what audiences wanted. Digital audience data, however, means that journalism is much a science as an art now Journalism: Craft, trade or profession? It’s a debate which comes around periodically, normally when

FOI Friday: Suspects released by mistake, crimes in hospitals, careless coppers and big pay outs for teachers

Wrongly-released offenders < Manchester Evening News A sex offender, violent thugs and burglars are among a long list of charged suspects released without trial because of blunders by Greater Manchester Police. Dozens of charged suspects walked free over the last six years before they reached trial – with more this year than any of the

Introducing Shed Journalism. Something you never want to do

At the Society of Editors seminar in the Midlands on Monday, Liverpool Echo editor Alastair Machray was one of a number of editors to answer the question: “Is sport still important?” Actually, Ali also answered the question: “How we will make sure we’re important to fans?” as well, because the actual title of the session

The 12 days of Local Pressmasness 12: Great front pages

And it was all going so well. 11 days, 11 numerically-themed pieces which look at different aspects of the regional and local press. And then I get to day 12 – it should be the easiest of the lot, 12 great front pages. I didn’t want to do just 12 front pages I liked –

The vox pop which keeps it real

Most reporters I know have a problem with vox pops: They hate doing them. A lot of news editors and editors I know like them because, done properly, they can add valuable public opinion to a particular issue or story. However, we’ve all seen bad vox pops in newspapers. The problem comes when you leave