talkmagic.co.uk

I just discovered the online forum for my local newspaper. I've long enjoyed the hilarious letters they print in the actual paper but I never realised how awesome their online community is. http://forum.newsshopper.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=18

Check out the titles of some of the ongoing discussions:

Socialists guilty of racism

Path of Poo - a health hazard to our schoolchildren

Brain dead drivers

BEWARE - Dogs on icy lakes

WHAT A LET DOWN THE NEW LONDON BOUROUGH BIDDING SYSTEM IS

[ Poll ] Should the burkha be banned in Britain?

The deserve a mention! Community getting a bus uphill!

[ Poll ] Fed Up With The Lawless Society? Vigilantes Required.

Dangerous Life-threatening Activities

Racism in British Schools

And that’s just the first page!

One word of warning though, if you are upset by the poor spelling and grammar that occasionally strays on to TM, you may want to spare your heart and give it a miss.

Is your local paper affiliated with the Mail?

I can never decide if they are taking the * or not. They did once have a campaign to start urban fox hunting as it wouldn't be long before 'one of them ate a baby!' they illustrated the campaign with a close up of a very cute baby foxes face... with a bright red crosshair over it!

I follow them on Twitter because they are so awesome. Today they asked if anyone wanted to be a guest blogger on their website.

I love local newspapers for the weird stories they throw up and will mourn their inevitable demise.

Years ago on a radio talk show, the owner and editor of a small village newspaper that was in financial trouble, turned it around by starting a "Your neighbours in court" section. It started off a few columns with the small ads, and ended up as a pull-out supplement. Completely revived sales.

I can't remember the name of the paper or where it was, but it was in the days before internet and has probably gone now.

Our letters pages are full of smug self-satisfied right wingers decrying the very idea that society includes other people. But then again, this is Cheshire.

That's the funniest thing I've seen in ages...

I particularly liked the thread "...Vigilantes Wanted"!


Sean

No "Pandering to Pandas" thread tho. What a bunch of upstarts!

gillows wrote:I love local newspapers for the weird stories they throw up and will mourn their inevitable demise.

Years ago on a radio talk show, the owner and editor of a small village newspaper that was in financial trouble, turned it around by starting a "Your neighbours in court" section. It started off a few columns with the small ads, and ended up as a pull-out supplement. Completely revived sales.

I can't remember the name of the paper or where it was, but it was in the days before internet and has probably gone now.

The ironclad rule when publishing a small-town newspaper is to make sure as many locals as possible get their names in print. Locals in court, even better. Why do you think so many local papers run a "from last night's police desk" column?

Then again, sometimes they just have to fill up space with whatever they've got:




(Both from Probably Bad News.)

Reminds me of the examples in the song "Letters Sent" by the excellent Half Man Half Biscuit...

"I'd like to warn your readers - Stapeley Water Gardens - a nice day out but best to take a flask"

"Dear Miss McVey
it pains me to say
the school choir was dull
and the blame lies with you"

"Sewage farm an absolute disgrace"
"Picnic table somewhat out of place"
"Leisure centre cashpoint, always out of order
And there's too much chlorine in the pool."

"Thirteen across; where was the clue?"


Appreciation of the comic in the banal is what keeps us all going I think...!