where the national press had failed to comment.
A
t the same time the paper has been able
to keep itself up-to-date, when its parent company, Archant, invested £4 million
into the N
‘Recorder’. This has enabled the ‘Recorder’, via its new website, to go on-line which is the way technology and the paper’s younger readers are going, and which at the same time enables Archant’s London papers to launch reports on
ow Mark sees the ‘Romford Recorder’ as not only a business
which aims to make money, but aims to improve the local community it serves. The paper makes it clear that it is one with the community, involving local people in local affairs, instructing them in what is happening locally and why it matters. In addition the paper takes up local causes such as the recent scandal concerning the Maternity provision at the Queen’s Hospital. Another aspect of this community link is, surprisingly, in Crime Reporting when reports of local cases are printed including the names of those charged and found guilty of the offence in question, and thus providing a deterrent to would be-criminals.
A
n example of this was when a local mother was tried at the Old Bailey
with poisoning her older son with salt, the defence asked the judge to instruct the local press not to print her name as she had a younger son who would suffer if his mother’s name was released. The ‘Recorder’ protested to the court and Mark went to Old Bailey and addressed the judge pleading that the principle of the press freedom was at stake – and the judge agreed! Here was the local press acting
London-wide events as they happen – such as the recent Riots when local readers rang the paper for information as to where it was safe to go in London! The new technological improvements have also enabled the paper to undergo a complete redesign in its layout, and so improve its attractiveness.
F
inally Mark looked at current events in relation to the freedom of the press
arising from the current Leveson enquiry into press standards, especially phone tapping. Mark fears that what is likely to happen is that while the current Press Complaints system will go, it will be replaced by a much more tightly controlled press, meaning that while the profitable and questionable press‘ exclusives’ will go, so will the ability of the local press to conduct investigations which currently help to limit abuses by local organisations and individuals. Despite this, Mark hopes that a lively local press will survive and continue to serve the needs of our area of Essex.
47
Story supplied by Dick Palmer
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