Forum Topic

"Local Democracy Reporter of the Year" Awards

The "Front Page" of this Website has an article announcing ...that the Journalist who investigates and reports on local matters for our consumpion ... Mr P J Lynch ...came 1st in his profession's Awards Ceremony.He is the "Local Democracy Reporter of the Year"That deserves Forum's recognition surely.

Jim Lawes ● 5d4 Comments

Do you really think the local political scene is adequately covered by the LDRS?If it was properly resourced and staffed then we would be up to our ears in stories of dodgy practices and dubious deals. Where was the forensic examination of Julian Bell’s housing situation in Ealing? Where’s the forensic examination of how Hounslow has been run under Rajawat, despite the claims made by certain councillors?There’s none, because the LDRS is mainly filled with spoon fed PR.

Simon Hayes ● 46m

'Spoon fed, Controlled by PR'Perhaps you should read some of Philip's articles before making such pronouncements.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1h

Spoon fed, Controlled by PR and a near impossible job to do nowadays.

Raymond Havelock ● 4d

Well he’s certainly to be congratulated on picking up the award but maybe consider that it’s from Reach PLC, publishers of the Daily Mirror and Daily Express (strange stablemates but a long story).Reach, formerly Mirror Group then Trinity Mirror, spent years destroying local newspapers with a slash and burn policy throughout the noughties and 2010s. Ironic that it’s now ‘celebrating’ journalism in that sector when cutting jobs and titles was the easy way to cut costs. It still owns the Chronicle/Gazette series that covers this part of London but the standard of journalism is woeful. Most of what’s printed is press releases or bought in copy from PA. Not much in the way of speaking truth to power locally if one actually reads the articles.And by the way, the LDRS is funded by the BBC. So that’s us paying to be provided with these press releases….work that one out.

Simon Hayes ● 5d