Quotes of the Week

NUJ submission to OFT: "Intense profiteering by the four main groups – Trinity Mirror, Newsquest, Johnston Press and Northcliffe Newspapers -- and their lack of investment in journalism and new media, means they cannot continue to control the local press."

Local Media Aliance chairman Roger Parry on why the OFT should back relaxation of the merger rules: “This consolidation will support local efficiency and effectiveness to the benefit not only of the larger publishing organisations but also smaller publishers who will be able to grow their businesses through title acquisition or exchange that has previously been prevented.”

Free newspaper entrepreneur ChrisBullivant tells the OFT: "I believe the large publishers are advocating an exchange of assets between them to create greater local newspaper monopolies...Their zeal for mergers is no secret - indeed it has largely prompted this review and discussion document. But they have hidden their true motives behind a spurious argument that the current rules negates their ability to turn the threat of digital media to their print businesses into an opportunity."

Whitstable Times editor John Nurden defends his 'Whitstable Woman in Custard Shortage' page lead against critics claims that it was too trivial a tale to make a news story: "If it was our splash I would agree but I think it made a nice page four funny - and has attracted more comments than any other on our web site proving that custard shortages should be top of everyone's news menu."

US vice-president Joe Biden on why newspapers remain useful: "These are dark days for the newspaper business, but I hate it when people say that newspapers are obsolete. That's totally untrue, as I know from first-hand experience. I recently got a puppy, and you can't housebreak a puppy on the internet".

Nick Cohen gives the BBC a bashing in The Observer: "The BBC is so uninterested in content that it is sacking its content providers or journalists as we used to call them. The paradox of the BBC's strategy is that the more it spends on expanding into cyberspace the less it has to say."