Caledonian Mercury, billing itself as Scotland's first online newspaper, is now available to be viewed and presumably off and running.The Politics section seems to be manned chiefly by Hamish MacDonnell and contains some excellent articles already.
Stewart Kirkpatrick, editor of the online publication, is clearly enthusiastic and passionate about this business adventure and I can only hope it sees a baptism of fire as people click in and stay tuned for the long term.
I strongly suspect I will be.
(NOTE: It has been suggested by ocicat_bengals in self-confessed pedantry that newspapers can only ever be newspapers in hard copy. I suspect that those who choose to dwell on such possible technicalities, much like the time jump in Austin Powers 3, will merely miss out on the fun. And as I suggested to the Tweeter, what are newspapers but a parhcment of our imagination. Some more than others, of course)
7 comments:
"It's got everything a good newspaper needs...."
...except for news. Sorry, but it's really just a blog. A bit like The Independent. All opinion and essays and people who all talk to each other and think ordinary people want to hear what they think talking to each other, but no news stories, which is what I want.
The acid test is whether it will be readable and interesting a week from now. Most of it will, which is why it's not news.
Ah but Myra there is news.
http://health.caledonianmercury.com/2010/01/24/sturgeon-cuts-will-make-nhs-better/0063
http://health.caledonianmercury.com/2010/01/24/public-servants-should-publish-all-expenses-information-commissioner/0040
And there will be more in the morning. We've held off publishing some stories until our print brethren have gone to bed.
'Moffat faces deselection after police called to club rebellion’
East Lothian MP Anne Moffat is facing deselection by her local party after a rebellion which saw police called to Prestonpans Labour Club on Friday night.
Lothian and Borders Police confirmed officers had moved on 20 to 25 people from outside the club.
Inside, party members voted 25 to five to reopen the selection process to find a candidate for the general election.
Elected in 2001, Ms Moffat has been a controversial figure. Activists tried to have her deselected in 2007 but their attempt was defeated by union block votes. The following year a motion of no confidence passed by the local party was ruled unconstitutional by Labour headquarters.
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Moffat-faces-deselection-after-police.6010307.jp
Was Iain Gray one of the 25? I think we ought to know.
Haven't the unionists got enough of a stranglehold on Scotland's media without running this as well?
A neutral or better still nationalist online newspaper would really have been a breath of fresh air.
Let's face it, if Hamish MacDonell is involved, we pretty much know what to expect.
Anonymous @ 3:42pm,
I have had a look at it, and it doesn't seem to be quite what you think it should be.
I think Hamish MacDonnell is a fine journalist and was very pleased to see he is the main contributor to political stories.
I do worry if the publication will struggle with a strength in depth though given that the often insufferable Rab McNeill is number 2 in the pecking order...
(I was also going to wryly comment how long it would take before a 'Cybernat' dismissed the Cal Merc as a unionist rag. It seems I've been usurped already!)
you said cybernat Jeff!
Most excellent. It reminds me of an episode of Father Ted. I feel I should be walking past your house and shouting over the garden wall,"I hear you're a unionist now!"
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