Censorship by the Hereford Times

[Ubique]

You will be aware that during yesterday and today there has been a lot of Police activity around the Cathedral . Police officers in overalls with Spaniel dogs ( Search / sniffer dogs ) etc.

 

At 0900 today BBC Hereford and Worcester announced what was going to happen at the Cathedral , named names etc.

 

I added a comment to the HT article stating that BBC H and W did at 0900 announce what was happening today at the Cathedral - I mentioned no names or what was happening .

 

Within a few minutes that comment was deleted . Why , no secrets were given out , it was in the Public Domain.

 

I have now asked the HT why my comment was deleted - time will tell if I get a reply - I am sure that they check this Forum regularly .

[megilleland]

Well done Ubique.

 

"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one". ~Abbott Joseph Liebling, "Do You Belong in Journalism?" The New Yorker, May 1960

[DILLIGAF]

What’s going on? I hope the drone pilot is caa certified? Breaking several laws if not. What’s his name - I’ll check.

[Ubique]

As the BBC H And W said at 0900 - The Duke of Cambridge was attending the Cathedral re the SAS Stain glass window.

 

I never mentioned names on the HT site but in their " wisdom " they deleted my comment .

[Clarkester]

I might open my window later.

I wonder if I could persuade a royal type to attend?

I'd probably end up with Edward or Eugenie knowing my luck...

[megilleland]

All comments removed from Hereford Times. Must be hitting a nerve.

 

In The Guardian yesterday:

Low-level crimes to go uninvestigated in Met police spending cuts

Senior officer says need to save £400m means crimes of low value or with slim chance of prosecution will be dropped

The Metropolitan police are to stop investigating many lower level crimes as a result of spending cuts, a senior police officer has said.

On Monday, it was reported that the UK’s largest force would no longer look into many reports of crimes, including burglaries, thefts and assaults, where there was judged to be little prospect of identifying a suspect.

The plan has been denounced as a “green light to thieve†but the Metropolitan police said it needed to balance the books.

The deputy assistant commissioner, Mark Simmons, said: “With the pressure on our resources, it is not practical for our officers to spend a considerable amount of time looking into something where, for example, the value of damage or the item stolen is under £50, or the victim is not willing to support a prosecution.

Two days activity around the cathedral for this visit. Is this where the pressure is?

[bobby47]

The HT have brought it on themselves David. As your friend and an impartial observer I'd say that the HT should never have reinstated you after your original ban. Suck it up old soldier. You've faced far worse.

[K.Butt]

The HT have deleted harmless posts of mine in the past for no apparent reason, that is why I choose to reside here, virtually no editing or censorship here.

[Ubique]

The HT have brought it on themselves David. As your friend and an impartial observer I'd say that the HT should never have reinstated you after your original ban. Suck it up old soldier. You've faced far worse.

Bobby you are right of course , one correction - after banning me they never reinstated me - there is more than one way around an obstruction.

 

In connection with your last Sentance " Suck it up old soldier You've faced far worse ............That is so true and it rested well with me because the end result ( in the main ) was Freedom of so many important things which we take for granted including Free Speech.

[Roger]

Comments closed on the Royal Visit article on the HT website. WTF? Just crazy decisions on that site! 

[LuLu]

A slight deviation, but nevertheless, The Hereford Times are now the proud owners of the Hereford Admag, Newsquest, a subsidiary of the American Giant Gannett, have purchased NWN who owned, various titles including the Hereford and Shrewsbury Admags, they are going to want to keep that quiet so the advertisers do not feel they have know where to go.

I bet the Journal are kicking themselves.

[Pete Boggs]

Comments closed on the Royal Visit article on the HT website. WTF? Just crazy decisions on that site! 

I'd hazard a guess it was to silence the frothings of two or three tin hat loons who'd used the article as an excuse to share the benefit of their wisdom regarding the royal family. Republicanism is one thing, barely literate dribbling is quite another, especially when it's  actionable.  It does seem rather draconian to close the entire comment section though.  Deleting the dribblers' accounts would be a more proportional response I'd have thought.

 

[Roger]

I think Republicanism comments' are free speech. The HT item never got out of hand before it got closed down. They have a history at the HT of closing articles down if they anticipate the wheel will fall off. I can understand it with local cases but William is a future Monarch.  

[Pete Boggs]

I think Republicanism comments' are free speech. The HT item never got out of hand before it got closed down.

 

I'd agree with the former, but not the latter. The article had unfounded accusations of paedophilia, plus the usual grandiose claims of superior knowledge over "the sheeple" that one usually gets from people who know the THE TRUTH because they receive it direct by thought transmission from giant space bats living on the far side of the moon. 

 

HT were heavy handed closing down the comments section though, they could have just pulled the accounts of the mentalists making all the noise.

 

[megilleland]

A slight deviation, but nevertheless, The Hereford Times are now the proud owners of the Hereford Admag, Newsquest, a subsidiary of the American Giant Gannett, have purchased NWN who owned, various titles including the Hereford and Shrewsbury Admags, they are going to want to keep that quiet so the advertisers do not feel they have know where to go.

I bet the Journal are kicking themselves.

 

3rd January - John Wilson, Editor, Hereford Times

 

Join the Hereford Times as a local democracy reporter

 

IT is not too late to apply to be part of a unique scheme to report on local democracy for the Hereford Times.

 

As part of a UK-wide ground-breaking initiative between the BBC and regional publishers, we are seeking to recruit a local democracy reporter, initially on a two-year fixed-term contract.

 

The scheme is designed to increase coverage and scrutiny of local authorities across the UK.

 

Funded by the BBC and run by media publishers such as Newsquest Media Group, which owns the Hereford Times, reporters will be working on newspapers across the UK and will offer in-depth coverage of our local authorities.

 

The key aim will be to ensure deep scrutiny of the way our local government institutions operate, decisions they make and how they spend public money.

 

Successful applicants will play a vital part in launching the scheme and ensuring it is a success, with the aim of expanding in future years.

 

Acting as a trusted source of news and ambassador for the scheme, the successful applicant will be adept at identifying issues and stories buried in council agendas which need to be brought to the public’s attention.

 

Reporting to the local editor, this role offers the chance to get involved at the start of a high-profile initiative and help shape the future of the scheme.

 

For more details, including how to apply, visit: https://careers.newsquest.co.uk/job/local-democracy-reporters-x-37-various-locations-generaluk-wide-74.aspx

 

Applications close 8th January 2018

 

Not sure how this is going to pan out. With the large corporates and the BBC calling the shots I can only see news stories slanted to suit their agendas and pressure kept up to get us out of Brexit. Regarding the local authority there have been plenty of items to investigate and in most cases all ignored.

[Cloudberry]

It will depend on how democracy is defined! Will all sides of an argument be presented with equal weight? Is unbiased reporting possible? The priority for the Hereford Times is to sell newspapers, so it is in their interest to provide more controversy in their headlines and stories, that generate extra readers and contributors.