Do you still buy Donegal Newspapers ?..

Paddy20

I have given up buying newspapers, and Donegal newspapers in particular, mainly because there are far too many titles and as as far as I can see, the Journalist's are being ripped off 'big time' as their storie's are being reprinted with their personal names attached, in a lot of local press publications even though I do not believe they are being paid accordingly.

It appears our local press North and South have been swallowed up by the Murdoch megalomaniac conglomerate, which I despise with a vengence.

Bring back independent local press, and free our journalist's to report news as they see it . Without fear or favour and the same applie's to local Press editor's.

Plus congrats muffler on starting this sub-forum , It was needed.

P. :cool:

R0ot

I have never bought a paper for my own consumption (reading not eating ) And I have barely ever read one either.

smashey

People's Press on Tuesday and Democrat on Thursday. Sometimes Patsy McGowan's column hits the spot.

muffler

Paddy20 wrote:

as as far as I can see, the Journalist's are being ripped off 'big time' as their storie's are being reprinted with their personal names attached, in a lot of local press publications even though I do not believe they are being paid accordingly.

Thats a big statement Paddy. Can you back it up with proof?

ednwireland

stopeed buying democrat when it went twice weekly as most of the stuff was the same havent bought it since then (3-4 years) buy donegal times (donegal town community paper) has better gossip which is relevant to the town.
mind you stoped buying irish times when it went upto 1.30 worked out what i was spending per year - read em online since i got broadband

byte

I buy the Donegal Times every fortnight, and I get the Letterkenny Post, which is free!

I don't bother with the Demo anymore.

jimmycrackcorm

I've an online subscription to the donegal news for fridays. It's the full paper in PDF format.

bettlebrox

The Mammy gets the Donegal Times every fortnight and posts it over to me (in Boston) when she's done reading it. I grab the odd Democrat when I see it in the Irish shops out here. I must say that the Democrat is much better than it used to be years ago. I like the Donegal Times for the local news, I miss JR's column. But I'd say the Deomcrat is a more professional paper, and some of the editorals and reporting in the Times can seem to have some bias.

ednwireland

yeh well the times is a not for profit community paper !

muffler

I buy most of the local papers and have no hesitation in saying that the Donegal News is head and shoulders above the rest

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

I buy most of the local papers and have no hesitation in saying that the Donegal News is head and shoulders above the rest

Agreed: .

P.:cool:

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

Thats a big statement Paddy. Can you back it up with proof?

Just ask a decent Journalist .

P.:cool:

muffler

Paddy20 wrote:

Just ask a decent Journalist .

P.:cool:

But it wasnt a journalist that made the statement in the first instance. If you are going to make statements about work practices of the media or any other profession you should be able to back it up with facts or at least supply us with links where we can view this dastardly deed first hand.

However if this is just your personal opinion then you should say so.

Its either/or Paddy. Facts or opinions.

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

But it wasnt a journalist that made the statement in the first instance. If you are going to make statements about work practices of the media or any other profession you should be able to back it up with facts or at least supply us with links where we can view this dastardly deed first hand.

However if this is just your personal opinion then you should say so.

Its either/or Paddy. Facts or opinions.

O.K. It is my opinion based on basic observation of how our local Press has changed over the past 5 years which in my opinion is not for the betterment of readers, Journalists or in the best interest of the general public.

P. :cool:

Beans_On

Cant really complain about the papers tbh. The ridiculous headlines get my attention usually ("Man wiggles bum at woman feeding donkey " comes to mind!)

I also enjoy "The Last Corncrake" piece in the Dem.

Glazun

I just pick up the Letterkenny Post.. which is free.. and has more content than the other papers..

Redsoxfan

Does The Follower still write on GAA in his unique mix of Latin/Gaelic/English?

smashey

Redsoxfan wrote:

Does The Follower still write on GAA in his unique mix of Latin/Gaelic/English?

He died either last year or the year before.

niamh1975

I am a very sad person...I get them all, demo tues and thurs, Donegal post on a wedesday and the Donegal times every two weeks. Am always afraid that will miss something juicy if i dont get them. However lately its getting very boring with same stories running all the time.

Eirebear

niamh1975 wrote:

I am a very sad person...I get them all, demo tues and thurs, Donegal post on a wedesday and the Donegal times every two weeks. Am always afraid that will miss something juicy if i dont get them. However lately its getting very boring with same stories running all the time.

I think a major problem is that the market is completely saturated.
The Democrat and the News now have papers out twice a week, add the Donegal and letterkenny Posts into the mix, add in all your extremely localised papers such as the donegal times and theres not a lot of room for maneuver there.
Donegal may be a large county, but it doesnt have a massive population, therefore very little in the way of "breaking" news in the space of a day or two.
thats why i reckon you see more and more stories cropping up in all of the papers.

Civilian_Target

I'd say journalistic quality is desperate in all the Donegal local papers - on more than one occasion too, in the Donegal News, I've seen the same article reprinted with just the names changed, several months/years after the original...

byte

I just noticed that Letterkenny Post's website allows you to view the whole paper online. Tis a week or so behind, but still a handy touch if you wanna look over older papers.

Mind you, if any of the "Post" papers removed all the photos of people out, the paper would be considerably smaller.

Eirebear

byte wrote:

I just noticed that Letterkenny Post's website allows you to view the whole paper online. Tis a week or so behind, but still a handy touch if you wanna look over older papers.

Mind you, if any of the "Post" papers removed all the photos of people out, the paper would be considerably smaller.

yeah i dont really care for the "out and About" pages either.
if i want to know whos in the pub on saturday night.....ill go to the pub on saturday night!

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

But it wasnt a journalist that made the statement in the first instance. If you are going to make statements about work practices of the media or any other profession you should be able to back it up with facts or at least supply us with links where we can view this dastardly deed first hand.

However if this is just your personal opinion then you should say so.

Its either/or Paddy. Facts or opinions.

If you were a Journalist working for one of the main Donegal newspaper title's, and your storie's were then openly being printed under other title's, and using your 'byline', would you put your living at risk by publicly kicking up a fuss ?.. as the N.U.J. is not looking after these Journalist's. It is naturally difficult for individual Journalist's.

I hope you understand, but the same story with the same author appearing in so many N.W. newspaper's clearly illustrate's my point.

P. :cool:

Paddy20

byte wrote:

I just noticed that Letterkenny Post's website allows you to view the whole paper online. Tis a week or so behind, but still a handy touch if you wanna look over older papers.

Mind you, if any of the "Post" papers removed all the photos of people out, the paper would be considerably smaller.

The Letterkenny Post, as a freebie is a reasonably good publication, but if it last's another 12 Month's I will be surprised. Outlet's were generous with 'shelf space' at the start because of good Journalist's who had defected from long established Title's, but the simple fact is Newsagent's need an income from the 'cover price' as they are in business and shelf space is at a premium.

Egotistical journalism never AFAIK kept a 'Free' newspaper alive, as business is business and retailer's need an income, I am afraid the end is nigh for any publication without a cover charge .

Personally, I will pay to buy 'The Donegal News' on a friday, but I can NOT be bothered to pick 'The Letterkeeny Post' even if I could find it, as they have tried to run before learning to walk.

P. :cool:

Eirebear

Paddy20 wrote:

The Letterkenny Post, as a freebie is a reasonably good publication, but if it last's another 12 Month's I will be surprised. Outlet's were generous with 'shelf space' at the start because of good Journalist's who had defected from long established Title's, but the simple fact is Newsagent's need an income from the 'cover price' as they are in business and shelf space is at a premium.

Egotistical journalism never AFAIK kept a 'Free' newspaper alive, as business is business and retailer's need an income, I am afraid the end is nigh for any publication without a cover charge .

Personally, I will pay to buy 'The Donegal News' on a friday, but I can NOT be bothered to pick 'The Letterkeeny Post' even if I could find it, as they have tried to run before learning to walk.

P. :cool:

For me the problem with the Posts, both the Free letterkenny Post, and the priced Donegal Post is the fact that instead of offering something a little more vibrant and younger than the two more established papers in the county like they did at the start, is that they are trying to emulate them.
Donegal badly needs a newspaper that appeals to a younger audience.

Also, why by the Donegal Post on a wednesday, when 90% of the population in the county is in letterkenny once a week where you can get pretty much the same newspaper for free?
Shot themselves in the foot there

byte

Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me if the Letterkenny Post was stopped, and the Donegal Post made available county-wide. AFAIK, the DL Post is aimed at South Donegal?

Though, the Letterkenny Post makes their readership figures look good. 60,000 copies per week! Sales figures for Donegal Post are considerably less.

If the Donegal Post was free a lá Letterkenny Post, it would be a lot more popular IMO.

Eirebear

byte wrote:

Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me if the Letterkenny Post was stopped, and the Donegal Post made available county-wide. AFAIK, the DL Post is aimed at South Donegal?

Though, the Letterkenny Post makes their readership figures look good. 60,000 copies per week! Sales figures for Donegal Post are considerably less.

If the Donegal Post was free a lá Letterkenny Post, it would be a lot more popular IMO.

It is aimed at South Donegal mainly, but TBh as far as my experiences have been there are very few differences.
The main ones seem to be the pictures of people in the pub and the entertainment sections, and the local notes.
The two newspapers could be very easily combined into one substantial county wide paper.

bettlebrox

ednwireland wrote:

yeh well the times is a not for profit community paper !

Why should that make a difference?

donegalman1

Looking at it, The Letterkenny Post is free as it has a wider pool of advertisers in that area. There is no reason that South Donegal should not have its own paper either, though commercial concerns would dictate a charge I'd imagine. I see in tonights paper that a Finn Valley Post is on the way too.

Over the years it could be argued that the Democrat was a south Donegal Paper and the Derry News a North Donegal Paper, so the divide has not been a new creation by the post papers.

Looking at it the Letterkenny post hasn't put its commercial rivals out of business, nor any shopkeepers. Many pick it up elsewhere or along with the Derry News as an extra. I have seen many worse examples of free news papers around the country.

Going by the Entertainment advertising in the Post it appears the place to get your message across in the entertainment environment.

One could derive all sorts of arguements here such as radio has the news more regularly so why need papers at all. I think there is room for the free papers and the established ones.

Certainly when the post papers came along it forced the existing papers to up their production standards.

It is all a matter of advertising and if advertisers are happy to use the papers as a tool then they will be around for a long time. With regards to journalists integrity, I feel all journalists have great integrity in the county, Its rare to see commercial concerns get in the way either and even the community papers tend not to soapbox too often.

People do like to see their pictures in the papers and as for news stories, well it is Donegal. I'd imagine if the post in Letterkenny had a charge they could take in less advertising and more news but then would it not become another Derry News and this thread would be complaining that all papers are the same.

Its good to see a thriving media in Donegal, competitive and supplying a lot of employment.

muffler

Anyone got any info about the new Finn Valley Post that I see being advertised along the Lifford - Ballybofey road?

byte

muffler wrote:

Anyone got any info about the new Finn Valley Post that I see being advertised along the Lifford - Ballybofey road?

First edition this Wednesday.

muffler

byte wrote:

First edition this Wednesday.

Is it free or will the Finn valley Voice have some competition?

byte

Says it'll be on Newsagents shelves, so I'd say it won't be free... If it were free, I'd have expected them to say as much in the article.

sesswhat

muffler wrote:

Is it free or will the Finn valley Voice have some competition?

The radio ad also says something about 'in your home' so they may plan to deliver it around the towns, which would suggest it is free?

Anyway, if they don't have regular dodgy black and white photos of dangerous-looking but harmless exotic insects I'm sticking with the Voice for now.

muffler

Yeah, I just heard the ad o Highland radio this morning and it does indeed sound like it will be free - unless they plan selling door to door

curtains

As someone who worked, albeit very briefly, in the offices of one of these papers a few years ago, I can tell you there's not much in the way of investigative journalism to be found. Most stories are either phoned in or gathered through contacts, the senior reporters at least very rarely have to leave their offices, except for the major headlines.

That said, there's usually no need anyway, as most stories do not require too much on the ground coverage. But I wouldn't be relying on the press as an all-seeing watchdog for the county. However, they do provide a valuable community service, and are always happy to promote and advertise local events, and are generally quite a sound bunch.

As for the abundance of papers creating more employment, well competition's a good and a bad thing, and I don't think most of the journalists get the largest of salaries.

Paddy20

curtains wrote:

As someone who worked, albeit very briefly, in the offices of one of these papers a few years ago, I can tell you there's not much in the way of investigative journalism to be found. Most stories are either phoned in or gathered through contacts, the senior reporters at least very rarely have to leave their offices, except for the major headlines.

That said, there's usually no need anyway, as most stories do not require too much on the ground coverage. But I wouldn't be relying on the press as an all-seeing watchdog for the county. However, they do provide a valuable community service, and are always happy to promote and advertise local events, and are generally quite a sound bunch.

As for the abundance of papers creating more employment, well competition's a good and a bad thing, and I don't think most of the journalists get the largest of salaries.

Curtains,

Nice post, I like it .

P. :cool:

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

Yeah, I just heard the ad o Highland radio this morning and it does indeed sound like it will be free - unless they plan selling door to door

That darn ad, was getting up my nose, as I did not have a clue what they were on about, now things are becoming clear .

Although it looks to me as if a 'Media war' printwise is afoot.

As for 'The Finn Valley Voice' I will not miss them, if they fold.

P. :cool:

donegalman1

Finn Valley post to be €1. Not that dear really I suppose, though still not free!

muffler

Read all about it, read all about it

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

Read all about it, read all about it

I have read it and I am not very impressed, it looks like an advertising rag, without much hard news.

It is mainly advertising, well composed, but then such is the tabloid press, it remind's of a Sunday Tabloid, without the attraction of sensationalism.

I hope it improve's .

P. :cool:

K-9

Paddy20 wrote:

I have read it and I am not very impressed, it looks like an advertising rag, without much hard news.

It is mainly advertising, well composed, but then such is the tabloid press, it remind's of a Sunday Tabloid, without the attraction of sensationalism.

I hope it improve's .

P. :cool:

Well it is the Finn Valley Post and their competition will be the Finn Valley News!:rolleyes:

There is far too many at the minute and its got to the stage that I just get the Letterkenny Post as the rest seem to be repitition. People's Press if Donegal are playing or County Championship to get reviews. With the LK Post, at least its free and their is only so much you can expect from a free newspaper.

Paddy20

Seanies32 wrote:

Well it is the Finn Valley Post and their competition will be the Finn Valley News!:rolleyes

Maybe you mean 'The Finn Vally Voice' ?:rolleyes:

P.:cool:

K-9

Paddy20 wrote:

Seanies32 wrote:

Well it is the Finn Valley Post and their competition will be the Finn Valley News!:rolleyes

Maybe you mean 'The Finn Vally Voice' ?:rolleyes:

P.:cool:

I know news and the Finn Valley in one title.

donegalboy

Hi all,
I am a journo and totally agree the market is totally saturated wit papers.. ps Paddy's claim about journalists stories being repeated in other local papers is total nonsense!!

muffler

donegalboy wrote:

ps Paddy's claim about journalists stories being repeated in other local papers is total nonsense!!

Paddy may not be right about a lot of things but he has a point about the stories being repeated in different papers. I have seen this on numerous occasions myself. We all know that Donegal Peoples Press/Democrat are one and the same and will carry the same stories but I cant understand how the Donegal News carries the same stories word for word.

Im not referring to "news as it happens" but more along the lines of stories relating to court cases.

Mint Sauce

dont live in donegal any more, lived in letterkenny for bout 5 years, but still buy the donegal news most weeks, usally on sale in sligo on the saturday on sunday, get the demo ocasioally

Paddy20

irish-stew wrote:

dont live in donegal any more, lived in letterkenny for bout 5 years, but still buy the donegal news most weeks, usally on sale in sligo on the saturday on sunday, get the demo ocasioally

I am surprised, to see this thread being raised from the dead. However, as it has been reurrected, I will admit that the ever increasing number of newspaper title's which also seem to be linked to Radio Station's with journalists that I respect obviously involved in the sea change. Something interesting is happening. I honestly think eventually this will prove to be in the best interest of both readers and radio listeners in the North- West.

P.:cool:

muffler

Paddy20 wrote:

I am surprised, to see this thread being raised from the dead. However, as it has been reurrected, I will admit that the ever increasing number of newspaper title's which also seem to be linked to Radio Station's with journalists that I respect obviously involved in the sea change. Something interesting is happening. I honestly think eventually this will prove to be in the best interest of both readers and radio listeners in the North- West.

P.:cool:

I dont really understand what you are saying Paddy - can you elaborate and give us an example.

Paddy20

muffler wrote:

I dont really understand what you are saying Paddy - can you elaborate and give us an example.

I think Chris Ashmore the Journalist with The Letterkeny Post, and now the Editor of The Finn Valley Post, who also broadcasts on sporting events in particular on so many Radio Stations that I have lost track, could answer exactly what is happening with our N.W. Media war.

Why not ask him, as he is directly involved and is known for his honesty .

P. :cool: