Quality of the Sligo post

brianthebard · 30-11-2007 1:26pm #1

Anyone else feel that the quality of this paper is sliding every week? It was never great to begin with, but this week was pretty awful. The front page was a boast about how the post found out that seven people had been arrested re: Tom Ward's murder (and then they counted out nine, so they can't even count and don't have a very good proof reading section). The editorial was too short, far too simplistic and boiled down to "politicans-they're all the same" which is not what you'd hope for from an editor. Finally there was an article slating the protests outside the Dail last wednesday. These people gave up their time and made the trip to sligo to try and force the government to retain cancer services, and so far they have forced at least two junior ministers on board. That should be seen as a good thing but all the writer could do was bitch. I know its a free paper and all, but I've read the kildare post and the the quality was much higher. What do other people think?

gustavo · 30-11-2007 3:58pm

The guy who writes the column about Rovers needs to have it proof read before publishing.

Rozbeef · 30-11-2007 5:04pm

also photographing drunk people in pubs is not really journalism now is it? hardly a mention of the highly succesfull parade a couple of weeks ago.

sligobhoy67 · 30-11-2007 8:36pm

what annoys me is the lack of an updated on line version.

to give it its due it has the best on line edition on any paper I have seen - anywhere in the word - seriously!

but thats not much good if it only updates every couple of months

Xiney · 01-12-2007 12:30pm

The official story on the Sligo Post online eddition is that they are building a massive site to incorporate all 13 Rivermedia publications, thus the Sligo Post's website has not been updated.

brianthebard · 01-12-2007 5:05pm

Rozbeef wrote: »

also photographing drunk people in pubs is not really journalism now is it? hardly a mention of the highly succesfull parade a couple of weeks ago.

Agreed. It would be a much better paper if they halved the number of pages and just concentrated on getting it right, rather than having the fattest, but least readable paper in town.

Culchie · 01-12-2007 7:02pm

If they stopped cold calling businesses, selling advertising space it would be nice as well.

nicolaonfire · 06-12-2007 10:19pm

brianthebard wrote: »

Finally there was an article slating the protests outside the Dail last wednesday. These people gave up their time and made the trip to sligo to try and force the government to retain cancer services, and so far they have forced at least two junior ministers on board. That should be seen as a good thing but all the writer could do was bitch. I know its a free paper and all, but I've read the kildare post and the the quality was much higher. What do other people think?

OMG I am going to try and get a copy of it because I want to read that now!
That sounds really bad.
I'm not sure that all of the people writing articles in that paper are actual journalists, like certified and all or maybe they are? But it doesn't look like it!

Gillie · 06-12-2007 10:56pm

Define Journalist!

There are a lot bigger papers in Ireland with questionable material so I don't think the Sligo post is doing too bad!

sligobhoy67 · 07-12-2007 1:23am

Culchie wrote: »

If they stopped cold calling businesses, selling advertising space it would be nice as well.

get a grip - they are a business - they are trying to get new clients - of course they should phone business around the town to let them know about their service.

Xiney · 07-12-2007 7:45am

Culchie wrote: »

If they stopped cold calling businesses, selling advertising space it would be nice as well.

Just try to remember that it's the higher ups dictating they do that. The ones doing it simply need a job - and are probably looking for something else.

smashey · 07-12-2007 10:02am

You should all be happy that a Donegal company has considered Sligo important enough to give you a new paper.

Gillie · 07-12-2007 10:29am

smashey wrote: »

You should all be happy that a Donegal company has considered Sligo important enough to give you a new paper.

Careful now!!!:D

brianthebard · 08-12-2007 2:13pm

nicolaonfire wrote: »

OMG I am going to try and get a copy of it because I want to read that now!
That sounds really bad.
I'm not sure that all of the people writing articles in that paper are actual journalists, like certified and all or maybe they are? But it doesn't look like it!

You don't have to be a journalist to be a journalist if you follow, but there are plenty of writers out there who never went to college and are far better than what gets published in the post.

Tbh gillie just because other papers aren't good either doesn't make the post better!

Gillie · 08-12-2007 6:15pm

brianthebard wrote: »

Tbh gillie just because other papers aren't good either doesn't make the post better!

True enough!

Culchie · 09-12-2007 3:56am

sligobhoy67 wrote: »

get a grip - they are a business - they are trying to get new clients - of course they should phone business around the town to let them know about their service.

No problem with that. What is irritating is when you get several phonecalls on the same day from different people selling you advertising space in different 'features'.
Telemarketing/Telesales is fine for all concerned when it's properly done as a co-ordinated and targeted campaign.... when it's not, it's just as bad as email spam.

'Get a Grip' ? .... little OTT isn't it?

fillefatale · 15-12-2007 12:49pm

Its more of a tabloid than a newspaper..

SligoBrewer · 17-12-2007 10:02pm

i think its more like the buy and sell than a proper newspaper

il gatto · 19-12-2007 4:59am

I just don't get it unless something grabs my attention. The Weekender has turned into a bit of a rag of late too. Also wedged with advertising. I find the Champion the best quality, even if I frequently disagree with the views or tone therein. We're well served in that such a small place has three newspapers, however. I suppose we have a choice, of sorts.

Mint Sauce · 19-12-2007 8:28pm

To be honest i think theres some good material in there..granted there are alot of ads, being a freesheet the revenue obviously runs the paper the balance is pretty good. Had a look at that dail story and it seems objective to me,and when you see they only have three journalists and an editor they do a good job compared to their competitors...see they broke the selling of another sligo paper this morning-they're on the ball:D

SligoBrewer · 19-12-2007 8:53pm

il gatto wrote: »

The Weekender has turned into a bit of a rag of late.

It's crusade with the hospital is p****** me off. Right, the government are wrong but its not their job to do what there doing.

brianthebard · 22-12-2007 4:39pm

Who's is it then? The Independant runs campaigns like that a lot in England and I think its a good idea. People have a habit of forgetting about these things if they aren't reminded regularly, and with the dail taking a xmas break this issue could go off the boil quite quickly, and the cancer services taken from under us without a fight.

Mint Sauce · 18-02-2008 9:46pm

I just noticed this topic again and its been ages since the Sligo Post has been the centre of attention..what does everyone think of the editorial content? I for one think its come on leaps and bounds recently. Some of the scoops in it that havent been in the other sligo papers, like the fella down in finglas who had his hand chopped off being an ex rovers player and they have given some great coverage to some breaking stories. Plus theres some good human interest stories that dont get a look in in our other publications in sligeach

TequilaMockingBird · 18-02-2008 10:10pm

I can never get it.

The Sligo Post I mean, before someone has a smart comment.

muffler · 19-02-2008 12:25am

sueme wrote: »

I can never get it.

The Sligo Post I mean, before someone had a smart comment.

Do you want me to sticky this

TequilaMockingBird · 19-02-2008 12:44am

muffler wrote: »

Do you want me to sticky this

Gillie? Gillie...COME BACK...

muffler · 19-02-2008 12:48am

sueme wrote: »

Gillie? Gillie...COME BACK...

Oh the innuendoes

TequilaMockingBird · 19-02-2008 12:50am

Back on topic please.

GILLIIIEEEEEE:eek:

Xiney · 19-02-2008 10:58am

irish-stew wrote: »

I just noticed this topic again and its been ages since the Sligo Post has been the centre of attention..what does everyone think of the editorial content? I for one think its come on leaps and bounds recently. Some of the scoops in it that havent been in the other sligo papers, like the fella down in finglas who had his hand chopped off being an ex rovers player and they have given some great coverage to some breaking stories. Plus theres some good human interest stories that dont get a look in in our other publications in sligeach

And yet, I draw your attention to the pile of tripe on page 3 last week. The captions for the photos really made it:

[stock photo of woman nearlyeatingstrawberry] "LEFT INSET: Stawberry Passion"
[stock photo of nearly nude couple reclining with champagne, nearly kissing] "MAIN PHOTO - THE FIRST KISS: Two lovers Turn up the temperature."

Then the article starts with translations of 'I love you' in five languages, "There are many ways to say I love you" Honestly? You mean different languages have different ways of saying "I love you"?! I would never have guessed, Thank You Oh Wise Sligo Post.

Next paragraph is three yawningly pedestrian ways of celebrating valentine's day: flowers/chocolate, strawberries/champagne, sexy lingerie/fluffy pink handcuffs. I hope to the diety of your choice that the author has more creativity in his own love life.

The rest of the "article" (which is probably only 50 words total) has a three or four more cliches, but includes at one gramatical error per sentence.

All this on page 3, "News".

I mean. Really. I hope it was last minute filler when a story fell through, knocked together in 10 minutes. Because I can think of no other reason to include something so ridiculous on page 3. Probably only topped by that time the Post's front page headline was "SCUM!!!!!"

</rant>

brianthebard · 20-02-2008 3:42pm

I don't know about the editorials, they are way to short and not a lot is said in them. From the looks of the paper theres a lot of filler articles, surely the editor should be able to flesh out his piece, if only to take up a bit more room?
Also this weeks front page is just daft, its even less connected to sligo than the guy who got stabbed in Dublin. A woman from New York, who has probably never been to Sligo, was killed, and happens to have a family connection to the county. Surprise surprise, about 3 million Irish people in NY and someone comes from sligo. Its just such a non story , surely they can find something to write about thats actually related to the county?? All they look for is a way of getting a sensationalist headline on the front page and they are happy.

Radharc na Sleibhte · 20-02-2008 5:01pm

The Sligo post is cack.
I only ever pick it up for my doggies litter tray now.

However, I do enjoy a quick looksy through the centre photos to see do I know anyone.
Apart from that it's cack.
Even including that.

Did anyone ever read the column from some young one a few months ago about how sending someone funny e-mails in work can lead to sexual harassment? Stupidest/funniest/most ridiculous thing printed ever.

Quality of the Sligo post

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