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Regional daily staff meet readers to discuss ideas for newspaper

A regional daily has launched a consultation with readers to ask them what they want from the newspaper.

The Star, Sheffield, is set to host a series of drop-in sessions between its staff and members of the public as part of a project started by editor Nancy Fielder when she took over the role in April.

Readers will be able to meet managing director Rob Hollingworth, digital editor Ben Green and Ellen Beardmore, deputy head of communities, to discuss their ideas.

The sessions will be held at The Star’s offices over the next three weeks.

From left: Ellen Beardmore, Rob Hollingworth and Ben Green outside The Star's office

From left: Ellen Beardmore, Rob Hollingworth and Ben Green outside The Star’s office

In a message to readers, Nancy said: “Since I became editor two months ago I have received hundreds of emails, letters and calls on the future of Sheffield. Now I want to know exactly how you see The Star’s role in that.

“I firmly believe we are here to reflect your feelings about our city, name and shame wrongdoers, challenge those in power, inform, entertain and also raise a smile. Most importantly we need to work with Sheffielders for the good of our city.

“So there is no point sitting in our newsroom hoping you feel we are getting it right. Come in and have a cuppa, tell us your expectations, what you want us to do and join us on the journey.

“We also want to hear from more clubs, organisations and voluntary groups. So we are starting free workshops on how to promote the work in your neighbourhood.

“Sheffield is a stronger city if Sheffielders work together so take this invite and let’s move forward, side-by-side.”

Ben added: “The great thing about The Star website and our Facebook and Twitter pages is how they allow our readers to interact with us.

“We love getting feedback and hearing about the issues that matter the most to Sheffielders. We want the people of Sheffield to set our news agenda.

“The Star has a unique position in that we can give local people a voice. Not only that but we also have the ability and desire to connect and bring people, groups and communities together.

“I’m looking forward to meeting and speaking with Star readers to share thoughts and ideas. That way we can make The Star even better and help shape a better Sheffield.”

9 comments

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  • June 20, 2016 at 10:44 am
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    And as the farmer bolted his stable door, there was the sound of a horse thundering off into the sunset….

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  • June 20, 2016 at 12:40 pm
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    And we (the readers) don’t want “nasty” stories about real life so all stories must be nice and lovely and we will look after the fairies at the bottom of the garden. I must have got it all wrong during my 50 years in journalism because I thought it was the editor who set the tone and and then let circulation speak for itself.

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  • June 20, 2016 at 2:45 pm
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    Be prepared to welcome the usual array of axe-grinders, time-waster and downright loony-tunes and very little else.

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  • June 20, 2016 at 3:47 pm
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    Wordsmith you beat me to it. Readers we want positive stories… Circulation department: we got any more murders?
    Never listen to the readers, just remember no one ever bought the News of the World but somehow it always had a huge circulation!
    If you want advice take it from Kelvin MacKenzie: I sort the wheat from the chaff… And then I print the chaff

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  • June 20, 2016 at 4:10 pm
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    Never give the readers what they want, give them what they need (with the exception of female readers of course).

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  • June 20, 2016 at 5:46 pm
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    I agree with others who are fearful about what the paper will hear from its readers (or rather those who turn up). But I’m even more fearful about what decisions regarding content will then be made – the list of suits the readers will be meeting doesn’t include the editor nor a single working journalist!

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  • June 20, 2016 at 10:38 pm
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    Would it not be better to have a city wide “vox pop”…..as to why you do not buy The Star….,?

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  • June 22, 2016 at 8:47 am
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    The poor old Archant evening news editor tried this but with presumably, lack of interest and presumably not liking what he’d heard, a week later they close one Norwich weekly and open another free edition of the daily morning evening paper which presumably city folk asked for?
    eg; scrap your awful weekly paper and make your evening one free
    The blueprint for their stable of daily and weekly papers
    presumably?

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