Hartlepool Mail

[marky]

Looks like the Mail are keeping well out of it. I suggest anyone wanting to know what's going on in Hartlepool buys the Northern Echo unless all you want to know about is the latest family tragedy or you want the next 'free cup of tea' token. Jeez. 

[steveL]

The Mail have refused point blank to publish anything about the attacks on the site. What we need in Hartlepool is a Newspaper - not an extension of the Labour Party.

[Shepherd]

Never a truer word said!

[Shepherd]

In the memory lane section of the Fail tonight, I admit it, I buy it, old habit! Is that a photo of the Leader of the Stalinist outside the Kirkham Pub?

[Lord Elpus]

Carl Richardson, got married today to Sarah (Chris Simmons daughter). 

[fred c]

I wonder what the exact circulation of the Mail is ?... if they continue in the same vein it can only drop further.

[Shepherd]

Years ago, I used to go to the Park Hotel on a Friday night and have a couple of beers with my friends.

This character Richardson used to sometimes be in their with two others with little Soviet Union Flags on their lapels, before the buffoon George W Bush made Nationalism fashionable.

They used to sit only a couple feet from us and 'plotted', we could hear them. At the time I though 'Militant Tendency nutter', and I am not a right winger!

Now he is in charge of the largest group in the Council with corruption all around him.

Back in  the 80s he talked about the oppressed, removing the corrupt by force, quangos, untouchable politicians etc... Must have got sick and though if you can't beat em........!

Wonder if Angie was at the do with a brown envelope 'tribute', so he can 'wet his beak'!

[The Great Dictator]

...and the bad news is it will cost 50p from monday..

[fred c]

...and the bad news is it will cost 50p from monday..

Thats another nail in its coffin.

[Shepherd]

14,000 as of June 2011

[Lord Elpus]

14,000 as of June 2011

That must be well below a viable readership, I wonder how long before it becomes a once a week paper.

[Shepherd]

On those kind of numbers £80,000 turnover per month?

Tax, salaries, consumables, transport, rent and power must see that off.

However, it also goes out in Peterlee under the title Peterlee Mail!

There cannot be much profit it in it even so.

Maybe 'some people' would be prepared to foot the bill, in the event of a shortfall, for the right kind of headlines?

[The Great Dictator]

The main income is from adverts and public notices which are paid for by us, i would guess at about £5000 a night for these combined.

[rabbit]

The Hartlepool Mail is one of some 263 newspapers based around the country. They make up the Johnston Press PLC.

The Johnston Press website states that

"Johnston Press serves the local media needs of numerous communities in the UK and Ireland. We aim to be, and in the vast majority of cases are, the principal source of local news, information, entertainment and comment in those communities.

We currently provide our services through 18 daily newspapers, 245 weekly newspapers and a huge range of related specialist, locally focussed, print publications. We operate 273 local websites to extend the content and reach of our print products. Together these reach a combined audience of about 17.4 million readers each month, often providing unique local content."

I will not comment on the cuurent financial status of the company but it is noted that their 2011/12 results come out on Tuesday.

As our local newspaper forms just one part of the main company, the editor comes under a chain of management, and would have to be careful not to "rock the boat". And despite negative reviews of the newspaper posted here or elsewhere, we should realise that sometimes it is perhaps a matter of preserving jobs and covering your ar**.

Especially in the current financial climate. (I have no connection with this, or any other newspaper.)

[Stevef]

That's an interesting post and I have no doubt it makes some valid points.

But being careful not to rock the boat means being selective about what to (or not to) print, regardless of public interest or merit. I can't help but wonder at what point does this selectivity, become seen as propaganda and therefore counterproductive. The number of recent major public interest stories the Mail has refused to go anywhere near, would suggest they may already be well past that point.

If the public lose confidence in the Mails ability to be accurate in their reporting or in some cases their willingness to print the news at all. Then their stated aims to serve that community become meaningless and what should be a vital resource will quickly disappear.