News for Cheshire

News for Cheshire is the blog of the campaign to get the BBC news website to provide dedicated news coverage of our county, which it doesn't do. Currently, users of the BBC's news website have to hunt on the pages for Merseyside, Manchester and Staffordshire if they want Cheshire news. Other contributors are welcome, just get in touch if you'd like to write for the campaign.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

BBC micro news - perhaps it's true?

I received an email from a yahoo group I belong to on a totally unrelated topic. There was a link in it so I went for a peep, and was utterly astonished to read this:

"As the BBC moves towards the digital switchover, Mr Thompson said they were also considering delivering even more localised news. In the future, there could be mini news programmes from smaller areas within Wales.
A scheme has already been piloted in the West Midlands.
"There would be 10 minutes of television news from areas like North Wales or Mid Wales, just like you can get on the BBC website," he said."

The link is here.

It does rather look as though the rumour I heard earlier (about the BBC moving towards micro news output) may well be true. But will it happen on the BBC news website?

I await developments with interest....

Thursday, November 16, 2006

James Bond and a rumour...

The BBC should be careful not to overdo it - they actually published a third Chester story this week!

Fans out for Bond's home premiere

There is a rumour afoot that the BBC intends to improve its micro news coverage. I heard this via a rather roundabout route involving several journalists. Apparently, local newspapers are getting worried that such a move might destroy whatever it is that makes their publications unique. In fact, newspaper editors are apparently so concerned that those who are members of the Newspaper Society are thinking of boycotting the BBC.

The answer to that, of course, is that local papers need to do more to engage their readership - improving their websites and allowing readers to comment directly on stories is one such option, rather than forcing them to write to the letters page, and letting them get directly involved in the reportage by providing eyewitness accounts, photos etc. And stop providing bland front-page splashes of fundraising events and zoo births, instead replacing them with hard news on hot local issues.

Yes, the BBC has far bigger resources (and wouldn't it be great to see some of them put into improving its Cheshire coverage?) but if local papers take up the baton, they have nothing to fear. Boycotting the BBC won't soothe their fears of losing readers to the Corporation. And besides, we are only asking for equality of coverage - ie, Cheshire stories on a BBC webpage for Cheshire. If that ever happens, it will still not compete with the local press, who will always have the space to cover more stories, in greater depth. It's not about being forced to choose between a local paper OR the BBC.

So it's possible that the recent flurry of Chester stories is the first wave of improved Cheshire coverage by the BBC. But it might just be a blip. And we still don't have a web page.

I'm going to try and find out more about this...

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Two Chester stories in a week!

Prepare to be stunned...

The BBC has reported TWO Chester stories within the space of three days this week.

It started on Saturday by reporting that the roof of a supermarket had blown away in high winds.

Then, on Sunday it covered the arrival of a new elephant calf at Chester Zoo. I actually emailed the BBC to complain about this one, because the original story gave the calf's weight as 7 stone, after listing the kilos. I took the opportunity at the same time to berate them for the lack of Cheshire coverage and point out that on the rare occasions when it does report Chester news, it's invariably zoo stories. The weight of the calf was duly corrected, but I still haven't heard anything back about the general lack of coverage.

I wonder if they will report on the regional premier of the new James Bond film in Chester tomorrow night?

Readers - do please add comments if you have spotted any Cheshire coverage elsewhere on the BBC news website.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Beeb reports on Cheshire

Finally a Cheshire story from the Beeb, as they report on the waste incinerator that was proposed for Helsby.

It's unbelievable though - this story has been running for months locally (covered regularly in the Chester Chronicle and receiving front-page coverage from the now sadly defunct North West Enquirer.

It's only now that permission to build has been refused that Aunty is taking notice, even though it's been one of Cheshire top stories for well over a year.