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Barking council scraps newspaper to cut costs | Barking council scraps newspaper to cut costs |
(5 months later) | |
A council has closed down its free fortnightly newspaper because it cost too much to publish. | A council has closed down its free fortnightly newspaper because it cost too much to publish. |
When the London borough of Barking & Dagenham launched a paper called thenews four years ago it claimed it would save the council money. It would appear to have done just the opposite. | When the London borough of Barking & Dagenham launched a paper called thenews four years ago it claimed it would save the council money. It would appear to have done just the opposite. |
According to an article in the paper's final issue, its closure is "part of a raft of savings to allow the council to balance its books in the new financial year." | According to an article in the paper's final issue, its closure is "part of a raft of savings to allow the council to balance its books in the new financial year." |
At the time of launch, the council estimated that it would save the £250,000 a year it spent on placing advertising in the local commercial newspaper, the Barking & Dagenham Post. | At the time of launch, the council estimated that it would save the £250,000 a year it spent on placing advertising in the local commercial newspaper, the Barking & Dagenham Post. |
In a subsequent row in 2011 about the council's failure to abide by a government code forbidding newspaper-publishing by local authorities (see here and here), the council then advanced an editorial, rather than financial, reason to go on publishing its paper. | In a subsequent row in 2011 about the council's failure to abide by a government code forbidding newspaper-publishing by local authorities (see here and here), the council then advanced an editorial, rather than financial, reason to go on publishing its paper. |
Whatever the case, it has gone to the wall. But can the resource-strapped Archant-owned Post bounce back? Its sale has fallen below 10,000 a week in a borough with a population of 180,000. | Whatever the case, it has gone to the wall. But can the resource-strapped Archant-owned Post bounce back? Its sale has fallen below 10,000 a week in a borough with a population of 180,000. |
Why are council papers exempted from press regulation? | Why are council papers exempted from press regulation? |
On a related subject, it appears odd that the government is prepared to allow council-owned papers to be exempt from a new system of press regulation. | On a related subject, it appears odd that the government is prepared to allow council-owned papers to be exempt from a new system of press regulation. |
And it's no wonder that Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for the east London area of Poplar and Limehouse, should be in the forefront of attacking the exemption. | And it's no wonder that Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for the east London area of Poplar and Limehouse, should be in the forefront of attacking the exemption. |
He serves part of a borough, Tower Hamlets, where the council publishes a weekly paper, East End Life, that has spent years strangling the life out of the commercial local paper, the East London Advertiser (also owned by Archant). | He serves part of a borough, Tower Hamlets, where the council publishes a weekly paper, East End Life, that has spent years strangling the life out of the commercial local paper, the East London Advertiser (also owned by Archant). |
Fitzpatrick said: "East End Life has become too big and too biased. Hand-delivered to nearly every household in the borough it enjoys a privileged position without any real oversight." | Fitzpatrick said: "East End Life has become too big and too biased. Hand-delivered to nearly every household in the borough it enjoys a privileged position without any real oversight." |
Sources: Newspaper Society/Barking & Dagenham Council/East London Advertiser | Sources: Newspaper Society/Barking & Dagenham Council/East London Advertiser |
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