RIP Neath Guardian
Posted on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 4:39pm
14 responses
I’m really quite angry at Trinity Mirror’s decision to end the circulation of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardian. They will print the last edition next Thursday. Publishing Editor for Trinity Mirror said that this has taken place due to the fact that tough economic times means its continuation is not possible. Considering that it has a wide circulation, I am puzzled by this decision. Why the Neath Guardian before other local Trinity Mirror papers? Is it really to do with financial constraints that they are axing the Neath Guardian, or other reasons?
The paper had already recently been amalgamated with the Glamorgan Gazette which covers the Bridgend area. Although it is in the same region that I represent, the people are different, the issues vary, and I found it hard to understand how already rushed journalists would try and cover stories over such a large geographical area.
Now of course that won’t be the concern of Trinity Mirror, but there will be less local news, and obviously less competition for the local daily, The Evening Post. I am personally annoyed of course because I had a column in the Neath Guardian, and could generate debate, in a different way to how I communicate here on this blog. It gives us the opportunity to air our opinions on a very local level, and to ensure that people know about what we are doing as AMs.
Now the news provision for the area will be centralised yet again, and I am not quite sure as yet what plans Trinity Mirror has to try and justify that they will be able to report locally while acting on a National basis. This is compounded by the fact that more jobs are set to go at Trinity Mirror, and the NUJ have asked their officials to organise a strike ballot following the company’s failure to guarantee that there will be no compulsory redundancies in a plan to cut jobs. The company has announced a two month consultation period for its redundancy proposals but Martin Shipton said that ‘although we have been briefed fully about the financial position of the company and the group, we are determined that no NUJ member should be made compulsorily redundant as a result of these cuts. We expect the company to ensure that will be the outcome.”
Alun Ffred Jones the Heritage Minister has said the following-
“The announcement by Media Wales of 15 job losses is disappointing, as is the news that the Neath Guardian title is to disappear. Regional news outlets have a key role to play in ensuring that people can read about events and decisions which affect their everyday lives in the newspapers.
“Local papers have historically been not only a key medium of discussion for local issues, but also a campaigning force within their local communities and I am saddened to hear of the demise of another local title’.
I understand that Alun Ffred Jones has met with Trinity Mirror to discuss the future of newspapers in Wales. It is a very worrying time for Welsh media, especially in light of the cuts in Welsh programming by ITV, and the fact that the Carter review seems to be sitting on a shelf collecting dust at the moment. Of course, I would like to see broadcasting fully devolved to Wales so that we can tackle these issues head on here in Wales, and now is the time to do it. What do we want to see for a Wales with devolved government in full flow? We certainly do not want to see more centralised news outlets, and a lack of plurality of programme providers. We have to act now or the industry will diminish before our eyes.
Sad but inevitable unfortunatley. Newspapers are dying out faster than most species on the planet. It’s the inevitable rise of the web and the fact that you dont have to pay 50p to get your headlines via a RSS feed.
it was inevitable..especially with the poor quality of the editor rachael misstear. The paper lacked quality.
I got on ok with Rachael though when the saga over Peter Hain’s expenses happened they said that they did not need to cover it as it had been in the Nationals. Hmmm!
i heard on the grapevine that there are going to be demonstrations against the closure of both newspapers Bethan, all may not be lost just yet.
Clearly the newspaper industry in wales – much like everywhere else – is suffering from the collapse in advertising revenues as a result of the banker’s greed created recession and also the cumulative effects of the all pervasive growth of the internet and the fact that many people now get their information via the internet
But what this sad development also shows is the pressing need for media in wales….whether newspapers, television, the internet et al…to be wholly owned and controlled in wales!!!
Trinity mirror resides at canary wharf in london………….the south wales evening post is published by northcliffe who are owned by the london based rothermere’s………….swansea sound is owned by the ulster television group…..!!!
You have to wonder in what other nation in the world would a situation be tolerated in which almost all its media outlets are neither owned nor controlled by that country? But this is precisley the desperate situation that exists in wales!
Naturally this does have poltical consequences as it is a given that a media that is neither owned nor controlled by the welsh is never going to give a fair crack to the arguments for an independent wales for example……and is at best lukewarm – or on occassions downright hostile – to the case for more powers for the national assembly.
Its a shame these newspapers are disappearing and people will no doubt lose their jobs, however, the quality of the reporting and the reluctance of its editing staff to tackle the local authority over issues which were / are damaging our environment demonstrated to many these papers hands were being tied by Local Politicians and Planners. Is this the way Freedom of Speech is now going in this country?
Bethan you should be pleased, the Neath Guardian has always been opposed to Plaid Cymru. Remember the ‘Cabin’, ‘Blaenhonddan Council’ reports. It has always been biased in favour of the Labour Party.
I stopped buying it for that reason and the Western Mail because of the latters irelevance to Wales.
The sooner we get a daily publication and a media which has relevance to what goes on in Wales the better.
Roger- I know that the Neath Guardian were awful in reporting the Cabin, but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that we need a local paper. The quality of that paper should be discusses in parallel to that.
While I obviously wasn’t privvy to any discussions between Bethan and my former editor regarding Peter Hain’s expenses, I can pretty safely say that no one at any point said that we “did not need to cover it as it had been in the Nationals.”
I should know – I wrote the story, which appeared as a two-page spread. We also gave prominent coverage to Peter’s resignation from the cabinet.
What is true is that we did not use either story as a front page lead – and the fact that both stories had already been covered by the nationals would have been a major point considered when making that decision. I think those decisions were correct – and the result of solid news judgement, rather than any supposed inbuilt Labour bias.
I don’t make a habit of commenting on the local blogs, but I feel I have to knock this misinformation, and any accusations of bias (on my part, at least), on the head. I can’t comment on my former colleagues, though I can say that none of them ever displayed any overt sympathies one way or the other.
During my time at the Guardian I was accused of being biased in favour of both Labour and Plaid – usually by supporters of one in an area where the other had done well. I have even been accused of taking “kickbacks” from both parties. I haven’t, obviously – if only local newspapers were still that influential!
As for Bethan being “pleased” (as Roger urges above) I would hope she would instead have concern for the three of her constituents (myself included) who are now facing the prospect of redundancy, and who don’t seem to get much of a look-in in this blog post.
One final word on the accusation that the Guardian “has always been biased in favour of the Labour Party”. I saw the first-ever edition of the paper, from 1925, today. It carried a lengthy front-page op-ed piece urging readers to vote for………… The Ratepayers!
Matt, thank you for the comments, and I have been speaking to the NUJ today about the issue. I’ve put an urgent question down about the job losses, and a statement of opinion will be placed in the next few days. I hope there can be a way to save the paper,and I hope you have faith that as an elected politician for the region that I will do my best.
I can only say what I was informed by my press officer with regards to the stories on Peter Hain. I still believe that it should have been a front page story given the importance of it regardless of why this decision was made.
I have had many positive stories in the Neath Guardian also, and I thank the journalists for their work.
Matt Nicholls.
1925???
I would hope she would instead have concern for the three of her constituents (myself included) who are now facing the prospect of redundancy, and who don’t seem to get much of a look-in in this blog post.
As I am sure she has concern for the many many others within her constituancy who have or will be losing their jobs.
Also the pensioners who will be looking to a hard Winter with increasing utility bills and food prices.
The elderly and disabled who are facing the future with the plans this Labour Government have of taking their Attendance Allowances and Disability Living Allowances (care) away from them and handing it over to Local Authorities to distribute. For those Authorities to judge on where they think it is necessary.
We know their track record on things like that.
Therefore as much of a blow it is to the three affected, it is not Bethan Jenkins’s fault the Neath and Port Talbot sections of Media Wales are closing.
The blame lies with the owners of Media Wales who it seems are trying to get as far away from wales as possible. They don’t seem to have much concern for you.
Here is what I had back from the Presiding Officer today regarding placing an emergency question to the First Minister on the issue-
The Llywydd has considered your request to ask the following urgent question in Plenary:
Will the Minister make a statement on the impact of the closure of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardian newspapers on tne coverage of local news in Wales
The Llywydd has decided not to allow the Urgent Question.
Regards
I will ask a business question instead.
Bethan, I am indeed grateful for your concern and am heartened to know that you are taking some action to get the matter onto the Assembly agenda. I apologise if it appeared to anyone that I was suggesting you were personally at fault – I’m not.
I also hope it didn’t appear to anyone that I was indulging in morbid self-pity by bringing up the jobs issue – again, I’m not.
As someone who is single, with no mortgage and no kids, I’m relatively recession-proof. But my colleagues locally, and many of the 11 others who are under threat of redundancy in Cardiff, are unfortunately not so lucky. I’m a little disappointed that some people who have left comments here have chosen to play politics with these people’s livlihoods.
I can’t really comment any further on the closure of the Guardian (in a public forum, at least), since I’ve been asked not to by managers at Media Wales (as have all staff) – and I suspect disobeying this would impact on my future employment with the company or (if it comes to that) my redundancy payment.
Bethan may I please be allowed to answer Matt Nichols as it seems he refers to me in his comment.
He says, I’m a little disappointed that some people who have left comments here have chosen to play politics with these people’s livelihoods.
I apologise if I have disappointed him and caused him offence but I have not been playing politics with peoples livelihoods.
I am not a member of any Political Party, I just have personal views and, sad as I am, I take an interest in Politics.
I am just an ordinary person who has been a carer to my wife for over 30 years and was forced to give up work and livelihood 12 years ago through my own ill health.
I do make comments sometimes on what I perceive, rightly or wrongly, to be ill-conceived , sensational, or totally one sided comments that are only putting one side of an argument. such as newspapers and politicians, as they are in a position to influence peoples thoughts and deeds.
If as an ordinary person with views of my own and I am perceived to be playing politics, then I plead guilty.
But please Mr Nichols do not accuse me of playing politics, when the Media are the worse culprits at that game. Which is why I believe the general public have such a low opinion of Journalists.
Not my view, I might add.