Dear Sirs,
http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/03/31/mp-calls-for-expenses-reform/
The above URL links to an online article titled: MP calls for expenses reform, reporting that Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has called for
expenses reform.
The quotes here are EXACTLY the same words used by Mark on the Jim Hawkins show on Radio Shropshire leading me to two possible scenarios;
1) Mark pre rehearsed the lines, and sent a written copy to the Star upon request.
2) Some lazy hack in Ketley was listening to the radio this morning and wrote his piece based upon it.
If number two is the correct answer then why not cite the source of your quotes here and give Jim and his team the respect they are due?
If number one is the correct answer then forgive my tone, but given the recent ‘borrowing’ of the Wrekin/Gem stone story from the Birmingham Post finance editor (Source), I’m starting to wonder if the Shropshire Star is being run by 6th form media students.
I would appreciate if it someone would look into this issue and explain the stance. Can I also ask that if, like many times before, my concerns are ignored I shall take this to mean that the Shropshire Star does not mind any form of plagiarism and I am okay to reproduce the entire day’s paper verbatim and sell it at a 5p lower than the Star?
Kind Regards
Merk
Update: I have an email back from the Internet Editor who writes: It could be, of course, that Mr Pritchard gave his comments to Radio Shropshire and the Shropshire Star. Have you considered that possibility?
To which I reply yes I have, thats why I have asked the question.
Update II: This isn’t some sort of personal vendetta against my local newspaper but another possible example of the dwindling standards of journalism and I think that is a shame.
11 Comments
It’s a terrible bloody newspaper Merk and you know it, it’s been bad for a while.
Having said that, I do hate Shropshire.
I’m not having that Dan, take it back – Shropshire is a great place. You met a few bad eggs, you’re wrong if you think it applies to all of us.
It’s the same with the majority of local rags.
You don’t expect Times standard journalism from them surely?
They can write cracking articles on how Mrs Tiggywinkles pet ferret went missing though
No I don’t – but I expect clarity and some sort of standards when there’s a good story to be had.
Telford ain’t Shropshire and you’ve always got to have somewhere to hate for no reason aside from a bad time there.
Goole is also really bad.
Re the Wrekin Ruby. Star had story, but Birmingham Post published first as prints in the morning. Incidentally, Star never claimed to have had story first, Newsnight voiceover implied they did. Newsnight interest actually in Star business editor’s exclusive on the original owner of the ruby, Michael Hart Jones. Star exclusively revealed link to the arms dealing, goat-serum selling conman who claimed he had cure for Aids and tried to sell a $100 million scheme to Richard E Grant and the Swazi royal family. Isn’t it good to see proper old fashioned investigative reporting skills alive and well on a newspaper bidding to survive with a skeleton staff trying to hang on to their jobs….you’d think they actually wouldn’t give a damn whether they got there first or not.
I take your point David, but I’m yet to be convinced that the the Star did anything other than let a Post journo do all the digging then reprint the story.
Perhaps I’m being disingenuous but why not do the investigating before just reeling off words from Tory Rent-a-quote Mark Pritchard MP as they did when this story first broke?
If you think the Shroppie (Shropshire Star) is bad, you should try the Oswestry Advertizer.
Hey Big Daddy, why the loss of interest in your blog.
Blog more… I demand it!
A shameless plug of sorts…
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/films/film/the-stall/
I just watched that Dan, it’s pretty funny.