Comments on: Twitter row erupts over councillor who ‘dislikes being quoted’ http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/ The home of UK regional journalism news and jobs Fri, 24 May 2013 15:38:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: Could the great commenting free for all actually make it harder for journalists to do their jobs? | David Higgerson http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-47261 Could the great commenting free for all actually make it harder for journalists to do their jobs? | David Higgerson Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:14:55 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-47261 [...] According to Holdthefrontpage: Tim Ridgway, political correspondent for The Argus in Brighton, took to the social networking site after receiving the email sent by councillor Christopher Hawtree, a member of the city’s ruling Green party. [...] [...] According to Holdthefrontpage: Tim Ridgway, political correspondent for The Argus in Brighton, took to the social networking site after receiving the email sent by councillor Christopher Hawtree, a member of the city’s ruling Green party. [...]

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]]> By: Martin http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-46216 Martin Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:00:34 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-46216 As a cub reporter on a weekly paper, the morning after a long council meeting there would be an email in my inbox from the council leader summarising proceedings i.e. giving her own carefully crafted spin. I wonder if this happens anywhere else and if wet-behind-the-ears trainees read it as gospel. As a cub reporter on a weekly paper, the morning after a long council meeting there would be an email in my inbox from the council leader summarising proceedings i.e. giving her own carefully crafted spin. I wonder if this happens anywhere else and if wet-behind-the-ears trainees read it as gospel.

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]]> By: GrimNorth http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-46074 GrimNorth Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:13:00 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-46074 Well said Neil. Journalists egos, empowered by Twitter followings in the hundreds or thousands, need to be tempered with a dose of reality. Too much exposure to the ''all about the image" mainstream politicians, and not the odd grass roots councillor who actually got himself elected to try and make a difference and fight for what he or she believes in. While I believe he should have commented to further his cause, and to not do was foolish, it didn't warrant this reaction. A responsible journalist could have furthered this discussion by talking off record / being briefed about the issue without directly quoting, if there was clarification needed. My memory of council meetings is you often do need to check or gather basic facts required to report accurately and cover all points, but this clearly became a farce. Well said Neil. Journalists egos, empowered by Twitter followings in the hundreds or thousands, need to be tempered with a dose of reality.
Too much exposure to the ”all about the image” mainstream politicians, and not the odd grass roots councillor who actually got himself elected to try and make a difference and fight for what he or she believes in. While I believe he should have commented to further his cause, and to not do was foolish, it didn’t warrant this reaction.
A responsible journalist could have furthered this discussion by talking off record / being briefed about the issue without directly quoting, if there was clarification needed. My memory of council meetings is you often do need to check or gather basic facts required to report accurately and cover all points, but this clearly became a farce.

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]]> By: Neil Hodge http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-46005 Neil Hodge Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:08:17 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-46005 The journalist's tweet infers that it is the job of councillors to give press interviews after a meeting. But actually it isn't - councillors are there to hold the local authority to account and to ensure that service provision meets the needs of the public. Council meetings should be public and on the record, but there is no requirement for councillors to be interviewed. Journalists have a right to approach elected officials (and anyone else) for comment, but they do not need to provide it. The journalist’s tweet infers that it is the job of councillors to give press interviews after a meeting. But actually it isn’t – councillors are there to hold the local authority to account and to ensure that service provision meets the needs of the public. Council meetings should be public and on the record, but there is no requirement for councillors to be interviewed. Journalists have a right to approach elected officials (and anyone else) for comment, but they do not need to provide it.

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]]> By: grey haired hack http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45998 grey haired hack Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:39:08 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45998 Perhaps one way around this is not to enable reader comments on any news stories at all - but save them for one area where readers can let off some steam. In print, that's known as a letters page I believe.... Perhaps one way around this is not to enable reader comments on any news stories at all – but save them for one area where readers can let off some steam. In print, that’s known as a letters page I believe….

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]]> By: Kendo Nagasaki http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45994 Kendo Nagasaki Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:58:37 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45994 Hammertime: "Makes an interesting point though… is there really any value in comments on web stories? Seems to mainly be the same people over and over again vying to be the most unpleasant." Says someone commenting on a story on the Internet... Hammertime: “Makes an interesting point though… is there really any value in comments on web stories? Seems to mainly be the same people over and over again vying to be the most unpleasant.”

Says someone commenting on a story on the Internet…

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]]> By: Move on http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45993 Move on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:55:42 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45993 So this councillor's eccentric comment is more important than a proper story? Not what my old news editor would have said. Be happy that you've nettled the councillor instead of wasting time and space that ought to be given to real news. And find a councillor who will give you a sensible answer. So this councillor’s eccentric comment is more important than a proper story? Not what my old news editor would have said. Be happy that you’ve nettled the councillor instead of wasting time and space that ought to be given to real news. And find a councillor who will give you a sensible answer.

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]]> By: Fresh coriander http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45981 Fresh coriander Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:00:26 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45981 You can understand how the councillor feels. And he's a Green so he's not going to do the politics side of things very well. Problem for him is that he gets comments published on the argus website and then the usual crowd of creepy crawlies descend with their anonymous online insults. No one likes to read that kind of stuff about themselves. But he's a councillor so he has to put up with it. By the same token the reporter should dismount from his high horse. Nothing has happened here. Move along please. You can understand how the councillor feels. And he’s a Green so he’s not going to do the politics side of things very well. Problem for him is that he gets comments published on the argus website and then the usual crowd of creepy crawlies descend with their anonymous online insults. No one likes to read that kind of stuff about themselves. But he’s a councillor so he has to put up with it. By the same token the reporter should dismount from his high horse. Nothing has happened here. Move along please.

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]]> By: Scribbler http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45977 Scribbler Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:05:46 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45977 A Twitter spat, eh? Careful how you say this. What a load of pointless infantile drivel. Can't we have some proper stories rather than this "He said, she said" nonsense on social media sites that management will be no doubt be urging us to boycott in a couple of years' time? A Twitter spat, eh? Careful how you say this. What a load of pointless infantile drivel.
Can’t we have some proper stories rather than this “He said, she said” nonsense on social media sites that management will be no doubt be urging us to boycott in a couple of years’ time?

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]]> By: Hammer time http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45976 Hammer time Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:58:25 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45976 Makes an interesting point though... is there really any value in comments on web stories? Seems to mainly be the same people over and over again vying to be the most unpleasant. What's the actual point? Can anyone tell me? And the old 'it's interaction' argument is tosh. It's actually just a way for people to write horrible things anonymously and get away with it. Makes an interesting point though… is there really any value in comments on web stories?
Seems to mainly be the same people over and over again vying to be the most unpleasant.
What’s the actual point? Can anyone tell me? And the old ‘it’s interaction’ argument is tosh. It’s actually just a way for people to write horrible things anonymously and get away with it.

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]]> By: The Daily Mess http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45975 The Daily Mess Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:46:18 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45975 To Richard Jones - surely if a councillor, who is by rights answerable to the residents of their area, is refusing to speak to the main news outlet in said area, that should be brought to the public's attention?, To Richard Jones – surely if a councillor, who is by rights answerable to the residents of their area, is refusing to speak to the main news outlet in said area, that should be brought to the public’s attention?,

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]]> By: Mudlark http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45973 Mudlark Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:32:35 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45973 What a tweet! What a tweet!

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]]> By: Peter J http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45971 Peter J Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:16:57 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45971 Wait until Latest TV arrives...... Wait until Latest TV arrives……

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]]> By: Peter J http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45970 Peter J Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:15:38 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45970 What so alarming about this story is when the Argus makes any of it's staff redundant or has a strike the editor refuses to comment!! What a joke this once good paper has become. What so alarming about this story is when the Argus makes any of it’s staff redundant or has a strike the editor refuses to comment!!

What a joke this once good paper has become.

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]]> By: Richard Jones http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45968 Richard Jones Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:38:49 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45968 How utterly professional of the journalist. A private email opened up to Twitter for a row that other reporters got involved with. A credit to the Argus. Well done. How utterly professional of the journalist. A private email opened up to Twitter for a row that other reporters got involved with. A credit to the Argus. Well done.

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]]> By: GrimNorth http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2013/news/twitter-row-erupts-over-councillor-who-dislikes-being-quoted/#comment-45966 GrimNorth Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:27:01 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1640876#comment-45966 Ridiculous stance from the councillor - though I can see comments causing issues with getting people to go on record - It is a rare day when they are helpful and insightful. Usually anonymous and cynical to the point of ridicule. Often a trolls' gallery of the uninformed, bigoted and borderline-psychos of the parish. Ridiculous stance from the councillor – though I can see comments causing issues with getting people to go on record – It is a rare day when they are helpful and insightful. Usually anonymous and cynical to the point of ridicule. Often a trolls’ gallery of the uninformed, bigoted and borderline-psychos of the parish.

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