It might sound petulant but I rarely buy the Free Press. I still read it, mind you. It's available in the local library. But boycotting it is just my small, perhaps insignificant, protest against its journalistic style, something that seems to have slipped back to the "long shadow" days when the paper had it in for Denbighshire's then chief executive, Ian Miller: it got personal. Mind you, Denbighshire has changed markedly since then.
One case in point was the green bin coverage. Sister title the Rhyl Journal, owned by the same newspaper group as the Free Press, reported the issue. The Free Press sensationalised it. By using invective, the Free Press deliberately used shock tactics and sought out the worst. It was a very one-sided approach that was no credit to journalism. And, in the event, what happened regarding green bins? More people than anticipated stumped up the cash to continue using the scheme.
At the root are local journalists who drift in and out without getting a propoer "feel" for the area. They seem to rely on Facebook comments—they certainly make no secret in print of referring to the social medium. Not only does this promote laziness, it allows obloquious and opprobrious reporting and comments.
Another issue is local education. First, the Free Press was right to major on the Estyn report at Ysgol Brynhyfryd. Parents have a right to know. But the issues reported about uniforms at the school were blown up. There's a difference between reporting and ranting. Readers will recall that there were two separate issues: where to buy "branded" uniforms and when & where pupils should wear their school sweatshirts. Let's be honest, both issues were fairly trivial. The reporting relied on a small number of parents who sensationalised issues again through social media. Such parents were not representative of the local majority, who are fair-minded individuals who support the school in the way it is trying to turn things around: in this, a sound uniform policy has its part to play.
And it can't be easy closing a school. This week, Denbighshire's cabinet has effectively closed three in the Rhuthun/Ruthin area… although two will rise again as a single unified new school. There were protests and one non-cabinet councillor actually flounced out.
Pentrecelyn parents of the proposed merger of Ysgolion Llanfair DC a Phentrecelyn believe that it will not benefit those pupils who currently receive their education in Welsh. But what the Free Press didn't feature was the views of those who school their children at Ysgol Llanfair—by far the majority. Perversely, and here again there's no mention within the Free Press, it could also be argued that a new single school is in the interests of the Welsh language, in spite of a vociferous campaign on the part of Pentrecelyn parents. For the resultant bilingual school widens the possibility for those from English speaking homes to learn and develop in Welsh. Llanfair school already has a good reputation in this regard. Given the April Free Press front page headline that Welsh will locally be dead in 10 years' time, in the interests of balance, why didn't the Free Press report this alongside Pentrecelyn's genuine concerns?
The closure and subsequent merger is also to the benefit of the wider community, as there will be savings. Those who really cannot stomach the thought of a brand new £3.4mil school will, it seems, be entitled to free transport to their nearest category 1 school—Ysgol Penbarras. It's a case of heads you win, tails you win: any extra pupils will help support Penbarras (not that it particularly needs it; it's doing fine). Though, of course, it is quite feasible for the new school to be Welsh only and to ask those who prefer an English education to accept free travel to Rhos Street.
The proposed closure of Ysgol Llanbedr DC may not be to the benefit of the parents who send their children there but, again, it is in the interests of the wider community, owing to the inevitable cost savings that result. Was this side reported? What are the views of the readership beyond the 787 who live in Llanbedr? The school is very under-subscribed and has been through a rocky road since internal wrangles resulted in it dropping from grace as the area's must-attend village school. Ironically, though, according to the Free Press of October 14th's school starters photograph pages, there were 10 new starters this year at Llanbedr. Perhaps this is a reflection of the closure-reprieve-closure of the school. There were 12 at Pentrecelyn and 15 at Llanfair.
We all need to know about local protests regarding schools and even green bins but, please, let's have some measure. This, surely, is how journalism should operate. Fairness on all sides. How much evidence is there of this within the current Free Press? If there is, then I'll stump up my 65p again to contribute to its journalists and owners.
At the root are local journalists who drift in and out without getting a propoer "feel" for the area. They seem to rely on Facebook comments—they certainly make no secret in print of referring to the social medium. Not only does this promote laziness, it allows obloquious and opprobrious reporting and comments.
Another issue is local education. First, the Free Press was right to major on the Estyn report at Ysgol Brynhyfryd. Parents have a right to know. But the issues reported about uniforms at the school were blown up. There's a difference between reporting and ranting. Readers will recall that there were two separate issues: where to buy "branded" uniforms and when & where pupils should wear their school sweatshirts. Let's be honest, both issues were fairly trivial. The reporting relied on a small number of parents who sensationalised issues again through social media. Such parents were not representative of the local majority, who are fair-minded individuals who support the school in the way it is trying to turn things around: in this, a sound uniform policy has its part to play.
And it can't be easy closing a school. This week, Denbighshire's cabinet has effectively closed three in the Rhuthun/Ruthin area… although two will rise again as a single unified new school. There were protests and one non-cabinet councillor actually flounced out.
Pentrecelyn parents of the proposed merger of Ysgolion Llanfair DC a Phentrecelyn believe that it will not benefit those pupils who currently receive their education in Welsh. But what the Free Press didn't feature was the views of those who school their children at Ysgol Llanfair—by far the majority. Perversely, and here again there's no mention within the Free Press, it could also be argued that a new single school is in the interests of the Welsh language, in spite of a vociferous campaign on the part of Pentrecelyn parents. For the resultant bilingual school widens the possibility for those from English speaking homes to learn and develop in Welsh. Llanfair school already has a good reputation in this regard. Given the April Free Press front page headline that Welsh will locally be dead in 10 years' time, in the interests of balance, why didn't the Free Press report this alongside Pentrecelyn's genuine concerns?
The closure and subsequent merger is also to the benefit of the wider community, as there will be savings. Those who really cannot stomach the thought of a brand new £3.4mil school will, it seems, be entitled to free transport to their nearest category 1 school—Ysgol Penbarras. It's a case of heads you win, tails you win: any extra pupils will help support Penbarras (not that it particularly needs it; it's doing fine). Though, of course, it is quite feasible for the new school to be Welsh only and to ask those who prefer an English education to accept free travel to Rhos Street.
The proposed closure of Ysgol Llanbedr DC may not be to the benefit of the parents who send their children there but, again, it is in the interests of the wider community, owing to the inevitable cost savings that result. Was this side reported? What are the views of the readership beyond the 787 who live in Llanbedr? The school is very under-subscribed and has been through a rocky road since internal wrangles resulted in it dropping from grace as the area's must-attend village school. Ironically, though, according to the Free Press of October 14th's school starters photograph pages, there were 10 new starters this year at Llanbedr. Perhaps this is a reflection of the closure-reprieve-closure of the school. There were 12 at Pentrecelyn and 15 at Llanfair.
We all need to know about local protests regarding schools and even green bins but, please, let's have some measure. This, surely, is how journalism should operate. Fairness on all sides. How much evidence is there of this within the current Free Press? If there is, then I'll stump up my 65p again to contribute to its journalists and owners.