IT’S BEEN A year when everyone has taken a hit, and though local media has not escaped unscathed, it has survived with the help of some creativity.
“It’s fantastic, I thought ‘I bloody wish I had thought of that’. I think they called them ‘purr-traits’…”But despite adapting, survival is still a huge challenge, O’Connell says: “We’ve had the absolute stuffing kicked out of us advertising wise.” Darren Skelton, reporter at the Waterford News and Star, says that for local papers it’s about reviving an interest in the coverage of local issues, particularly among young people.
“I think even if people don’t buy it every week, they know that it’s there and that we’re keeping an eye on things.”TDs often make their apologies for their latest mishap on their local radio station; if there is a tragedy, local reporters can act as a spokesperson for the community; and local papers are tipped-off on issues that the national media can miss.
Skelton says the accessibility of local reporters makes it easier for people to raise issues: “I get dozens of messages and calls every week, almost like a councillor would. ‘I have this issue in my house, or this issue with the hospital.’ In what might be the most recent example of a local reporter’s importance, Mac an tSíthigh acted as a spokesperson for the area when the famous dolphin Fungie went missing in October.
#Open journalism No news is bad news Support The Journal Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to youIt also makes for faster reporting, too: “You know the area and the people so well, and you can quite quickly source your ingredients to create the final report.”
If you look at food and drink in Ireland, he adds, the drive for more locally produced and crafted goods is increasing: “I think the same holds quite well for for news reportage”.O’Connell says that the pandemic may have reignited the relationship between local people and their local newspaper.
Deisesupes Local newspapers have been bought out by big business interests like O Brien and INM - that has been a huge factor in their demise. Also, the journal has been to the fore in discrediting journalism in Ireland - little wonder they're now begging for money.
Deisesupes People are tired reading on covid scam
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