18 August 2006

Dear Canberra Times, could we have some local news please?

| johnboy
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I know that re-publishing Robert Fisk is a sacred and serious calling. Examining weighty matters of State is also fun, and more importantly you can hang out with the cool kids from the big papers and regurgitate their ideas when you don’t have any of your own.

But as the only people who read the Canberra Times have at least an interest in Canberra, is it asking too much to cover a bit of local news on your website? We’re flattered here at RiotACT that you think we’re covering local news so well that we don’t need your help. But really, it’d be nice to have some company for those days when we don’t have any ideas of our own too.

I mean if the Yass Tribune can find some local news to put online you’d think there’d be something in Canberra worthy of your consideration wouldn’t you?

That is all.

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I bought it today (dead tree version) – the only good thing I can say is that I’m through it in approx 10 mins flat (cover to cover)…which leaves me time to get on with the more important things in life. Like reading RA.

Canberra Times website is crap. Not worth reading most of the time. I wonder.. do they think it bumps up the circ. numbers by keeping the website so uniformative? Because I think it has the opposite effect- it certainly puts me off buying the CT- I’d rather read the SMH or Australian anyday.

I was quite surprised a couple of times last week that local stories got into double figures – assuming 2 is a double figure – musta been slow news days.

I read the cartoon and letters to the editor online.
At the moment local issues are more likely to be investigated/exposed/refuted etc via the letters page than by any in depth articles in the paper itself.

I use media portal @ work – its my job 🙂

Oh, you’re not that old; you’ve only got three years over me. 😉

My God Thumper, how old are you???? 🙂

Britney Spears hardly rates a mention in the CT that’s why I don’t buy it.

Maybe they need to have a Page 3 Girl each day to improve their ratings?

I do both those things Capt Spock…

James-T-Kirk11:55 am 18 Aug 06

But if we were *truly* a local town, Then I would know the postmans name, and be able to run a tab at the pub.

barking toad11:52 am 18 Aug 06

Maybe it’s something of a Canberra thing – being the “Nation’s Capital” an’ all, feeling the power.

The CT thinks it must present as a national tribune, international even. Local matters just don’t, well, matter.

A bit like the local mayor and his delusions of grandeur and a desire to be a world statesman.

The local mayor and local paper doing what local mayors and local papers do in country towns – wouldn’t that be good!

James-T-Kirk11:46 am 18 Aug 06

What’s this Canberra Times people are talking about.

I use CNN, the Internet, and My co-workers to get info on current events.

🙂

Well, actually, I largely ignore CNN.

If I want local news, I’d go for the freebie chronicle. If i want news outside of canberra region I buy anything but the CT.

I fail to see the relevance of the CT given its competition (by and large).

Isn’t that about where the local news belongs?

Today’s dead tree version didn’t even have any local news until page four.

Sounds like a job for City News…

JB, P’raps you should offer to run the CT’s site on contract.

why would anyone buy the CT when it simply repeats The Australian or SMH…

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