Steve Dyson on his blog reviewing regional newspapers, hosted by HoldtheFrontPage, takes a look at the London Evening Standard today and is impressed by its use of live, breaking news.
The story that grabbed Dyson's attention was the news that Wayne Bridge had refused to play alongside John Terry in the World Cup.
Dyson, who left the editorship of the Birmingham Mail after it switched to overnight printing, says: "The story that led nearly every national newspaper the following day was ours there and then."
He adds: "You could almost hear the ghosts of newspaper boys shouting: 'Read all about it, Bridge hits out at Terry.' I should probably just clean my rose-tinted spectacles, of course, as many 'evening' newspapers have abandoned this informative, exciting, breaking news role they were created for by switching to publishing the day before they go on sale.
"There are still a few other 'live' evenings, among them the Wolverhampton Express & Star, which as I arrived back at New Street Station I saw had splashed on the same Terry story."
Dyson notes that the Standard also had a picture of Kate Moss at that day's funeral of fashion designer Alexander McQueen and the Birmingham story of Angela Gordon being cleared of murder after starving Khyra Ishaq to death.
He adds: "This huge breaking story was also on page one of the Express & Star, whereas readers of the now overnight Birmingham Mail newspaper had to wait until Friday (although, in fairness, my old title then devoted six pages to cover every angle with quality backgrounds and follow-ups)."
His verdict on the Standard: "Despite its switch in ownership, the Evening Standard is currently still a great paper, an important part of London’s heritage and one the nation needs to shout much louder about wanting to keep at this level, (and, I would argue, for it to maintain live news)."
By the time the ES audience left their offices and saw the paper they already knew the story, because they read it online.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather see more of what the ES was doing this week: an in-depth look at poverty in London. Now that was real value-added content of the sort which will be a lifeline for newspapers.