Breaking news stories online for local media

Breaking news stories are curious beasts. Not only do they often see the national media descend on somewhere most people would be hard pressed to find on a map, it also provides an excellent chance for local media to excel themselves, be it breaking news in hourly bulletins for the local radio station, or in-depth coverage and analysis by the local paper, often built on the strengths of intimate local knowledge and contacts.

As somebody who, on more than one occasion, has been part of that slightly smaller feral pack, I’ve never yet seen a paper or radio station disgrace themselves with their coverage in print or on air.

Lock ‘Em All Up (Coffee and PC: The Best Bits 4)

I can’t remember when or why I wrote this, but it worrying seems just as apt today. Names have been changed below to bring us up to date with changes in government personal. Oddly, it makes no difference to the piece. Make of that what you will.

*****

The Sun: FURY AS POTENTIAL CRIMINALS WALK OUR STREETS

Victims of crime were OUTRAGED yesterday after new research revealed there are people walking the streets who COULD commit crimes.

New police statistics show a quarter of the population are likely to commit a crime at some point in their lives – and the government has done NOTHING to stop this.

Webbsfleet revisited

It’s official – Ebbsfleet are now in fantasy land. Earlier today nearly 96% of myfootballclub.co.uk members who voted to purchase a 75% stake in the club, while a similar number of members who logged onto vote also gave their go-ahead to allow manager Liam Daish to strengthen his squad during the rest of the transfer window.

So, did you survive today?

You may have noticed a small phenomena pop up in most newspapers, national and local, around this time of year: namely that day x in January is the most depress day of the year. Today, January 21st 2008, happened to be that day.

Journalists around the country must be praising Dr. Cliff Arnall, the man who devised the formula, for helping them to fill another meaningless column inch.

Man U? They’re just a small team in Salford (Coffee and PC The Best Bits 3)

As the FA Cup was quite good (Villa v United apart) and it was just over three years to the day since Exeter City travelled to Old Trafford, I thought now was a good enough time as any to revive my memories of the day, posted pretty much as soon as I got back from Manc land. Proof, if any were needed, that football can still throw out some of the most unexpected, emotionally draining, but equally wonderful results. Not to mention the two games virtually wiping out Exeter’s debt, saving the club and giving us money and a solid off-the-field base to now build for the future on.

Using social nets for news stories part 76

Imagine the scenario: a student heads out to a Halloween party, complete with obligatory ghoulish make-up and devil horns and, one would imagine, a good time was had by all. So good that friends stick the photos up on Facebook and liberally tag the student.

A few months later, the picture unexpectedly appears on the front page of a national newspaper to illustrate a story. The student has not given his permission for the photo to appear. Nor, you imagine, have the friends. Does the student have the right to get angry? Is this an invasion of privacy? After all, the photo was taken many months ago, and even when it was posted on Facebook, one would assume the student expected it only to be viewed by his ‘friends’.

Media Studies: Not completely useless

Wat Tyler has a list of subjects that won’t get A level students into Cambridge, along with a bit more about dumbing down. Given that nearly all the A levels I took were on the list [1], I doubt Oxbridge would come calling to me nowadays.

(Although, unless the standard of physics GCSEs has risen significantly over the summer, the sciences hardly inspire confidence for our great young minds.)

As somebody who spent the majority of his A level and university life studying soft subjects, I always feel slightly compelled to defend them. Or rather, the ones I studied, or near-as studied, in this case communication studies and media studies.

Roast Squash Lasagne (Coffee and PC: The Best Bits 2)

Below is the recipe I’ve spent the best part of the day cooking and then eating, and very nice it is too. This is a great alternative to serve to vegetarians and I’ve yet to find a meat eater who hasn’t polished off their plate either. This was first posted God knows how many moons ago at C&P.

Roast Squash Lasagne:

(serves four)

Ingredients: