Malcolm Coles on Newspaper websites and RSS feeds/Twitter

Re-posted on Journalism.co.uk, Malcolm Cole has a post on why newspapers should turn off their RSS feeds.

An extract:

'...only 3 of the 9 national newspapers have an RSS feed with more than 10,000 subscribers in Google Reader.

And most newspaper RSS feeds have readerships in the 00s, if that.

Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips has just 11 subscribers to her RSS feed (maybe there's hope for the UK population yet ...).

Despite having virtually no users, the Mail churns out 160 RSS feeds and the Mirror 280. All so a couple of thousand people can look at them in total...'

I'm not too well versed in the technical elements, but surely a news organisation would need to balance the amount of time and effort that goes into creating and maintaining RSS feeds - which may be very little once you've got them ingrained into the fabric of your site - with the number of readers using them. If maintenance is low, then perhaps that could offset the fact that, as Coles found out, a small proportion of readers are using them.

I've personally used Google Reader, and Bloglines beforehand, for a couple of years. I've become irritated when I come across a blog or site I like to find it's without RSS feeds, and I'll be unlikely to visit it again, if only because I don't utilise my 'Favourites'.

RSS feeds are from perfect, and it's good to see the Online Journalism Blog supporting a 'BBC Free' campaign to try and persuade the organisation to publish full RSS feeds (i.e. with the entire article, pictures and video), rather than simply the title and summary. There seems, on the face of it, no reason not to include full posts on an RSS feed.

However, there is a potential problem for newspapers and revenue-generating sites. Although it is possible to advertise on feeds, very few sites do: I can only think of a handful from over 150 feeds I have that do. On occasion, it can cluter the post to the extent of putting the user off.

But, if full posts are included in an RSS feed, there is no reason for the user to click through - and thus, they don't see or interact with any adverts. Therefore, the site generates no revenue from those users viewing that post. Obviously this isn't a problem for the BBC, but it RSS feeds were used even more widely then it potentially could be, or would at least have the effect of forcing more advertising on feeds.

Coles suggests newspapers should use their Twitter feeds instead of RSS feeds, giving the following reasons:

• Wheat vs chaff As a reader, you can see which stories other people are RTing and are therefore popular.
• Context There's space in 140 characters for newspapers to give some background to stories as well as the headline (well, there is for those that don't just stick the first few words of the standfirst after the headline).
• Promotion Followers can RT newspaper stories, promoting the paper - they can't do this with elements of an RSS feed.
• Tracking Stories' development can be tracked on Twitter - you can't usually tell what's changed in an RSS feed.
• Conversation You can take part in a conversation on Twitter. People only talk to their RSS feed when they swear at it. The journalists behind the story can tweet, too.

From a personal perspective, I prefer to keep the two separate. If a Twitter page simply repeats links to blog posts, I see no reason to subscribe to it if it's already in my feed reader. Take, for example, Andrew Sullivan's 'Daily Dish' (@dailydish): probably my favourite blog, which I read daily. Subscribe to the feed, but the Twitter page simply reproduces the blog posts. I see no reason to clutter up an already busy field of posts with little more than a mini RSS feed. I prefer to subscribe to individuals, or some organisations. If I had to follow all the newspapers, commentators or websites I've got my RSS feed on Twitter, I'd probably more than double the number of Twitter feeds I'm following. It can be hard enough to wade through it at the moment.

Coles mentions promotion: although I admit that it's not in the same class as it's not public, but Google Reader has a very easy share or email features on every post, allowing the user to instantly promote it.

However, I think the most important reason for using RSS feeds rather than Twitter for newspaper and website articles is one I already mentioned - clicking through. Few stories can be told in 140 characters, and therefore a link is provided to the site. In the case of what we could call 'complete' RSS feeds, the full post already appears. Therefore the full text, subheadings and multimedia is in front of the user, not necessitating a click through. This removes an additional barrier between the user and the material.

Matt Wardman, writing at The Wardman Wire, has fisked Coles' post, here's just some points:

8 - If newspapers want to turn off their feeds as part of a “circling the wagons” strategy to try and guard their revenue model than they are simply taking a blind leap 10 years backwards and will vanish down a deeper black hole than the one they are already in. In one way, as a news and politics blogger, I’d be delighted if some of the competition went away. If they must restrict the content, then let them move to Excerpt or Headline feeds.

9 - One point you haven’t addressed - RSS is archiveable, and I can read it offline if I use a suitable reader.

As Matt also notes, there is no reason not to use both. I don't expect newspapers to be that interactive with their RSS feeds, and I'm not sure I'd want their Twitter feeds to be as Coles recommends. Twitter works because of it's ability to act as a platform for a conversation, for recommendations and refutations. RSS feeds work because they offer a complete picture and a simply means of keeping track of your favourite sites. I'm happy keeping them separate for the sake of usability.

Sheffield Online - Where to look and 'Sheffield Made Us'

Where are the best places to go for information, news and opinions about Sheffield as a student?

A city with two universities, a massive student population and a revived, thriving cultural scene. So what are the best websites, blogs and twitter feeds to follow for Sheffield?

An exhaustive list would be pushing anyone's abilities, so I'll highlight the best I know - but please let me know of any other suggestions!

Sheffield Blog, of course, deserves a mention. With fairly regular updates it should be the online starting point for anyone coming to the city, including students. Be it bands, events or flash mobs, Sheffield Blog manages to cover most major events. It may not tell you all the latest news or about the politics of the city, but it offers interesting pieces on the past and particularly on music. Also has a useful map of free wi-fi hot spots in the city.

Most importantly, Sheffield Blog also has a considerable list of Sheffield Tweets, be they bars, university departments or local government.

For my part on Twitter with regards to Sheffield, I follow:
@FUSE_forgeradio (student radio)
@sheffielduni
@unsheffield (which was a creative and digitial industries conference which took place earlier in June)
@clicketyclicks (a student-run photography company)
@shftelegraph
@Forge_Media (student website and paper, the feed for which I helped set up)
@filmunit (student film society which presents films at the union for a very reasonable price)
@sheffieldunion
@sheffieldblog
@nick_clegg (who is also MP for Sheffield Hallam)

Obviously Facebook remains the primary organising tool for students in the city, as with any UK university. A brief history: facebook first hit Sheffield in 2006, when I was in my first year in halls. I joined in around March, and within a year it's coverage was pretty much complete. I get the impression it grew into an essential in Sheffield much faster than other unis.

Now, students are on facebook years before they come to University. Student-wise, I could name one person I know who isn't on it.

It's become essential for organising committees, events and for anyone running in student elections.

Having said this, that doesn't mean there aren't other useful sites for Sheffield. The Sheffield Union site highlights all the goings on, be they the latest campaign or club night.

With any luck, the Forge Today website, which was revamped this year, will become the focal point for student news in the city. Its potential is massive but it will require real commitment to be successful.

I've also found Sheffield Daily Photo an interesting take on the city. Barely a month old, it posts a photo a day from the city, sometimes taken with little more than a camera phone on the way to work. But the author manages to show unusual angles of the city and gives some history about buildings that you wouldn't give a second look to. You can follow them at @sheffieldphoto.

I'll confess to another reason for this post. It's a build up to a project I'm hoping to do. The University is running a competition, called 'Sheffield Made Us'. You can see a video about it through the link. It's a competition to make a video about the following:

How has the University of Sheffield helped you to Discover and Understand? Record a film showing us how your experiences at the University of Sheffield shaped you and you might walk away with £3000 - roughly equivalent to a year's tuition fees!

'To Discover and Understand' originates from the University motto Rerum Cognoscere Causas or, 'To Discover the Causes of Things' from Virgil's Georgics II, 490.

I've got the skills, I've got the software, and my have I got some ideas about this video. It's a maximum of three minutes long. How can I tell you about the city and the University in that time? Wait and see.

-For more of my photos of Sheffield, I've got a set of them on Flickr:

Politics, Democracy and Passion

This is a piece I decided to write given recent events, and is as much a personal exploration of my political history as my opinions on democracy, voting and passion.

I have now voted in all the British elections it is possible to do so. General, local, and European. I’m proud of this, and I do it as much out of a sense of civic duty as I do my passion for politics. Yet I have never walked to the ballot box and ticked a box with anything close to a sense of passion, or political vigour.

I remember answering a question about politics in an assembly in primary school during the 1997 election, and some of my friends looking at me oddly afterwards. Such a sense of confusion still prevails now, but to a lesser extent. Being at a university exposes you to more people who are politically informed: but I’m confident I know more people who didn’t vote than did last week.

We live in a non-political age, where the convergence of political parties round a vital centre ground and the removal of politics from multiple spheres, be it through privatisation or an ‘end of history’, means there is less debate. There simply doesn’t need to be if the major ideological arguments are finished. Friends will often remain quiet or complain when politics is discussed, as if it is not a topic for them or one worthy of attention. For many in my generation, politics seems distant, irrelevant and boring. And I can hardly blame them.

I don’t consider myself artificially superior in some warped fashion simply for being interested in politics. Many simply don’t find it interested or engaging. Nor is there some line between those interested in politics and those not: individuals have single issues they care about and political enthusiasm ebbs and flows with each personal context. In addition, I don’t believe there was some ‘golden age’ of political engagement. I want to make this completely clear: caring about politics does not make anyone a better person. Part of living in a democracy is the entitlement not to care about its workings, and if you truly don’t, that’s fine.

But despite what I consider to be my unusual passion for politics, I still feel uninspired by the politics of my country. Harking back again, I remember the excitement I felt even at the 1997 election: indeed for me, it was the start of my political awareness and the beginning point for my political history. But I’ve never felt the passion I know I potentially could.

I suspect this is simply growing up in the time I have. My liberal-left leaning self, notions born from my parents above all but also literature I’ve read and my time at University, has always broadly supported Labour. Like most of my generation I struggled with the Iraq War, and recall having furious arguments with friends about it when I was 14. Later on, I nearly attended one of the anti-war marches in London. But I was wary of contributing, even minutely, to the fall of a government I broadly supported. I could never vote Conservative, and in my mind they were the alternatives: thus I unpassionatley backed the government.

Had I been politically aware at a time of right-wing domination, I have no doubt my opinions and actions would have been different. I would have been fiercer in my opposition to the government as a whole, and to a context that would provide me with figureheads I could truly rail against.

Instead, much of my arguments and debates in recent years have not been against the right but those further left than myself. Their hypocrisy, blind opposition and misplaced priorities led me to try and tackle their arguments with the same level of partisan disdain as I would have the right-wing. Events have enhanced this view: I recall the sheer fury I felt at the 2005 attacks in London, disgusted that British citizens could carry out such an atrocity. I considered, and still do, myself to be a liberal – all be it a moderate one.

But even debating with those further left than myself does not get the heart thumping as hard as it could through the pursuit of politics. This is no exaggeration incidentally: there is a feeling of pure passion, anticipation and often hope ones get when engaging in political activities of any sort. But it’s not a feeling I come across frequently now, but recent events have brought me to write this post and explain why.

Firstly was the election of two BNP candidates to the European Parliament, the detailed views of which I posted about previously. What shocked me was less their election but how angry I felt at it. Given the wider victories of the centre-right across Europe and the almost certainty that the Conservatives will win the next general election, I’ve begun to wonder whether this will be what my generation has to deal with next: a centre-right domination of politics. Will I be able to oppose this with a greater passion than I can half support the current government – and indeed, why is it that I could do this, a form of negative politics, much more easily than I could a positive politics in the form of the liberal-left?

So I turn elsewhere: if I can’t be passionate and positive about politics here, can anyone globally? Or are we now destined to always be fighting against the powers and policies we fear?

In the UK, be it for whatever reason – the existence of two centre-left parties, the middle age dullness of our politicians or the parties similarity – I am unenthused. But I look at America and last years Presidential election, and wish I’d been there. Firstly, Obama’s victory was, in at least some degree, positive politics.

Secondly it seems (and I’m aware of this presumption and the enormous variation in American politics) much simpler. Either you’re Democrat or Republican: two broad churches one of whom you can happily identify with. I know I’d be a Democrat: here, I can barely muster support for one of two left-wing parties. I satisfied myself with organising an election night at Bar One: I sat there exhausted watching the results come in, unable to exit my seat for the number of people crammed in around me. I’ve never seen so many people I know as excited about politics as they were that night: during the election of a foreign politician whose victory none of us had a say in.

But there that is not the pinnacle of what could be democratic passion. Rather, the elections just gone in Lebanon, or those on Friday in Iran would be the crux. To drive through the streets of Beirut waving March 14th flags would be like nothing this country has experienced in years. To fight for democracy against violence, and against extremism – and again, I know I am over simplifying complex matters – that is an environment one could truly commit to. Perhaps it’s only on the edge of free politics where we can really feel passion: when we know our way of life, not just our rate of income tax, is under threat.

So, selfishly, I long for an election with a clear choice where I could fall down on one side. A referendum on EU membership would also do the trick. I realise that all the above is largely the result of my own perceptions of politics, and others will find it foolish, confusing and downright restrictive. I make no apology for explaining my own personal political history, and though it is something I’ve tried to avoid, I find it is occasionally necessary. Blogs can sometimes be about looking inward, and provide a good excuse to explore one views and feelings in written form.

To finish, given the Iranian election on Friday, I’ve posted the below video. You know, politics is meant to be debated, discussed, refuted, criticised and questioned. It’s what makes those involved accountable and how political discourse should work. This often leads to cynicism, and I acknowledge that nothing in politics can go by unchecked. So I found this video quite inspiring, and others won’t. You may not even agree about the merits of democracy. But for those that do, I have nothing but admiration and hope.

BNP Victory in Yorkshire and European Elections

With 9.8% of the vote (120,139 votes) the BNP got a seat in the European Parliament election, now held by Andrew Brons, in the Yorkshire and Humber. This was shortly followed by party leader Nick Griffin winning a seat in the North West. So where do we go from here?

Firstly, some perspective of turnout. Yorkshire and the Humber has a population of approximately 5.142 million. Of those who could vote, only 32.3% did - less than one third.
Of the full population in Yorkshire and Humber, only 2.51% voted for the BNP. This an actual vote increase of less than 3,000 compared to their 2004 result. As Nick Robinsonhas figured, the BNP's success across the country has less to with their wider support than the decline in Labour's vote, with the BNP's vote total in the North West actually declining.

As a result, the BNP now receive EU funding for staff and offices. As a friend pointed out however, it also legitimises their views. Even though they only have two MEPs, those who voted for them - and considered doing so - now may begin to see them as a legitimate, bona-fide and serious political force. They remain a dangerous, fascist and for now at least, unprofessional party. Griffin continued to be surrounded by the stern thugs that protect him and for someone who wants to challenge the establishment, sounded oddly like a professional politician when failing to answer challenging questions on the BBC.

I stayed up, along with housemates, until around 1:15am, personally waiting for the West Midlands declaration. I was just checking the trends on Twitter all night, including when it was announced that Andrew Brons had won a seat. There were many crying that Nick Griffin and Brons were being given too much attention by the BBC and that they shouldn't be given a platform.

Today, the UAF is already organising protests against the BNP in Liverpool and Sheffield. I have a lot of admiration for those who campaign against the far-right. However, like those stating that the BBC shouldn't even have Griffin on the screen, I don't feel they go about it the right way.

The BNP's victories are undoubtedly a news story and therefore the media, in the interest of telling the full story and balanced reporting, has a right if not an editorial duty to interview the BNP on election night and beyond. We don't want an independent BBC making decisions of which parties are omitted from a story.

Are the BNP exceptional and the issues of their voters

This leads onto a further question as to whether the BNP are 'exceptional', that is, so far from the mainstream of the British politic that they should be treated in a unique way. To do so, for example, would be to bar them from speaking at certain events, making membership a punishable offence in some sectors and sidelining them and their voters from the debate. This, of course, is the current case: the BNP are treated as a unique case that deserves special, exceptional treatment: police officers can't be members and all too often their voters are dismissed as uninformed racists.

But this tactic isn't working, and although protesting against them will undoubtedly have a net impact, it still misses the salient point. Placards, leaflets and hand-in-your-face refusals to engage may instigate some people not to vote BNP and rile up the opposition. What they clearly, categorically fail to do however is address the issues of those voting for the BNP. The responsibility for this falls even greater on the major parties.

As I wrote in my Forge Press piece, the white working class often feels abandoned. In our current political climate, where in general elections at least you win through the support of the centre-ground occupying middle class, it is of little surprise. At the best this means they don't turn out.

At worst it makes them turn to a party talking about issues of importance to them: jobs, immigration and local matters. And explaining how the BNP are racist and they shouldn't vote for them (because 'we' know better) does not, as a net result, produce any votes against the far-right party: because there are no alternatives being offered that tackle the issues.

I'm not saying that to tackle the BNP the mainstream parties should adopt the same angle on immigration etc. as Griffin's lot do. But they should at least have some clear cut policies that address some of the concerns in the North's and Midlands most deprived areas. We know economic depression benefits extremist parties, and the longer the government and opposition fails to help these people due to their apparent limited electoral benefit, the more likely it is that the BNP will continue their success.

Related stories:
Forge Press Article on the BNP, European Elections and the Union
University of Sheffield Journalism Department: Production Week Article on East Ecclesfield by-election

Electoral Reform in the UK

Bringing back the politics student in me, I though a post on the ever riveting topics of the House of Lords and electoral reform were long overdue. I can't talk about the media all the time anyway.

In the wake of the ongoing expenses scandal, there have been calls for wider reform of the Parliamentary system, whether it's simplification of the whole Parliament, an elected upper chamber, petitions to remove M.Ps and so on. Personally, I think that a focus on the M.P's expenses is simply wrongfooted. In the grand schemes of things it's simply not that important. The media however, loves the hard, gritty stories it can write mentioning everyday items with a new level of fascination and intrigue. The Telegraph, proud owners of the story, have even got expenses picture galleries. The BBC broadcast images comparing expense claims with constituency majorities. We like the detail: the choclate bars, duck ponds and kitchen repairs that allow us to put a clearer picture through which to voice our righteous indignation.

But in the grand scheme, the politicians are right: it is distracting away from policy. Having said this, I think the question of electoral reform is a question of policy, and if the expenses claims mean we can open up a debate on it, so be it.

Electoral reform

The Catch 22 situation being of course, that those in power, or have a serious potential of being in power, don't want to reform the system as it currently benefits them. Thus, Labour and the Conservatives have no real wish to intiate any significant reform, and Labour has failed to hold a referendum on the Jenkins report proposals despite a manifesto promise to do so.

Cameron seems to have antipathy towards any form of proportional representation (PR), Clegg favours Single Transferable Vote (STV) and Brown might have mumbled something about Alternative Vote (AV).

Simply put, in STV the candidates are ranked, in order of preference in mutli-member constituencies, which would be larger than those we currently had. Say if we had 3 members per constituency, once all the 1st preferences were counted, if any of them had a pre-determined level - i.e. 1/3 - they would be elected. Then the second preferences of all votes would be re-distributed, and we'd see if another candidate had a third of all votes. This would continue until all of them had been elected. At least, this is my understanding of what is a fairly complex system, but is used in Ireland among other places.

AV however, is much simpler. Constituencies would remain the same, with one representative. The candidates would be ranked, in order of preference, and the first preferences counted. If no-one candidate has 50% of the vote, the candidate with the least number of first preferences votes is knocked out and their second preferences re-distributed. If this still isn't the case, the next candidate is knocked out. This happens until one candidate has 50% of the vote.

Personally, I'm leaning towards AV. Although STV does make it more likely that you'll get someone you want representing you, the possibility for competing claims of local representation are high. Would the candidate ranked with 60% of the vote have considerably more legitimacy than the two elected with 20%, and if not, why not? A local representative can hardly claim a mandate for an area's support for their policy if the were elected alongside two other parties.

AV however, would keep the single constituency link, but there would be a better chance of a wider range of the voters having someone they want voted in. It would be slightly more complex, but I'm sure it could be understood over quite a short amount of time. It would seem, to me, an entirely positive compromise that who knows, the parties might be able to agree on.

Forge Press Article on the BNP, European Elections and the Union

In what will almost certainly be my last article for the Forge Press, the paper at Sheffield Union of Students (it's the last issue of this academic year), I've spoken about about the European elections, the threat of the BNP and whether the Union should be involved.

This article was originally published on Friday 22nd May.

It's published below, in full:

This year, we are spared – some of the more keen types might say unfortunately so – the local election fight in Sheffield. The usual electioneering, which is often minimal anyway in a city safely in Lib Dem hands, has been absent so far.

However, we do all have the opportunity, probably for the first time in most of our lives, to vote in the upcoming European elections on June 4.

So far, I’ve only had two pieces of literature through the letterbox.

They were from the current leading party on Sheffield City Council, the Liberal Democrats, and from UKIP. To the untrained eye it’s easy to confuse them, if only because they both seem so fond of the colour yellow.

I’m especially fond of the UKIP leaflet proudly displaying Winston Churchill, two-fingered symbol and all, next to slogans calling for us to leave the EU. I’m sure they are well aware of his calls for a ‘United States of Europe’ in the post-war period.

The Lib Dems meanwhile seem insistent on telling me how every other party has no chance of winning in Sheffield. Which seems strange to me, considering they have only one out of six European MEPs for Yorkshire and Humber.

One more leaflet has been put through my letterbox by what I expect is now a politically well-informed postie. It was from the Sheffield UAF (Unite Against Fascism), urging me to vote against the BNP.

Let’s make no qualms or mistakes about it: the BNP are a real threat to the politics, diversity and peaceful nature of our country. Their policies are absurd as they are frightening.

They only need a tiny increase to gain an MEP in our region, and given the debacle over MP’s expenses and the public anger at politicians, this is perfectly possible.

Of course we’ve had our own version of elected officials’ expenses at the Union this year. It’s good to see would-be-politicians getting into the right mindset so early.

It’s worth asking how European elections, of all political events, possibly relate to students. Well the Union, through the prism of voting against the BNP, certainly believe that it does. They’ve held an event and released a statement on the very issue.

It’s even part of a team objective for the Union Officers. Given that a member of the BNP turned up on Union Council, a fact that would have possibly lain undiscovered were it not for a leaked membership list, you could understand the Union’s actions.

But does the Union (and the NUS, who have been even more virulent in their campaigning) have the right to recommend who students vote for? It does have an anti-racism policy, and it’s not as if such campaigns are anything new in student union politics. It’s highly unlikely that we’d accept the Union making similar statements about other political parties however.

I have enough faith in the student body to believe most wouldn’t vote BNP. If the party do get elected to the European Parliament, it won’t be through the votes of those attending university, but those unengaged populations shunned by major political parties.

If the mentality behind the Union’s actions is to increase student turnout against the BNP they should consider doing so without recommending how those they represent vote.

Doing so could be counter-productive. As a student, choosing who to vote for is confusing enough without being told who not to vote for.

To beat Nick Griffin and his cronies and ensure they stay in electoral oblivion, anti-fascists should concentrate on those who might actually vote for them: the recently unemployed and a white working-class that, rightly or wrongly, feels abandoned.

A fellow Journalism student on shorthand, the industry and business models

Not me, but Rich Parsons, a postgrad print student at the University of Sheffield. It's good to vent every now and then:

On shorthand:

"The common argument is that its easier than electronic recording. Bollocks. We're not in the 90's anymore, recording audio onto a cd or a casette with only a fast forward and rewind function. Modern technology is valued by its UI, and as such, recording audio in digital format is a piece of cake. Recording devices will subdivide audio into tracks and subfolders, you can paste it onto a laptop and organise it on any number of programs. Also, recorders are much smaller than a notebook and easier to take with you. You also don't have to worry about losing your pen or it running out of ink. For goodness sake, the technology is so prevalent that most mobile phones can record a decent-ish amount of audio themselves"

I know there are counter arguments: namely that people are more put off by being recorded, that batteries can run out, that recorders can't be used everywhere. But I sympathise with the sentiments. Rich also wrote about the dying print industry (for a more detailed look, see the recent Economist article):

"It frustrates me beyond belief that the business models for journalism are so stuck in the past. Editors think they're screwed now, wait till mobile browsing really takes off and kindles become affordable to everyone. Then lets see people justify cutting down 70,000 trees for a week's production of the New York Times."

I couldn't speak for a generation of journalism students anymore than Rich can, but I think it's likely his frustrations (I hope he doesn't mind me calling them that, or highlighting his whole post!) are shared by many. I'm off to go and complete a survey about journalism education... Rich's post has certainly given me some comments to mull over.

Forge Press Article on proposed Tesco in Crookes, Sheffield

I've got an article on a proposed Tesco at the bottom of my road in the Forge Press. It's nice to be able to write about something really local and relevant to my area.

An extract here:

"As in most of these cases, the real opposition is based on local factors. As a resident of Springvale Road, I’ve got two Co-ops, a Nice, a Netto, numerous newsagents and independent grocers and off-licences within a five minute walk.

If I could be bothered, I’d be able to spend a good hour walking back home, buying some apples there, some wine here and some pasta over there. I don’t, because even with the selection of shops I can’t be arsed to spend that long in them, but I’m hardly spoilt for that pinnacle of the high street, ‘consumer choice’. Adding a Tesco would just give me another option I don’t really need.

As a cyclist – not a haughty, superior one mind, but still a cyclist – I’d rather not have to weave round articulated Tesco delivery trucks in addition to those absurdly green double-decker school buses every morning on an already busy junction."

The picture below, from Google Street View, shows the brown field site where they want to build it:

It's not much to look at. The problem is however, that it's a very busy junction, with a couple of roads converging onto Springvale, which often has cars on both sides of the roads. It's a route up to several primary schools so parents and double-decker schools buses are also prominent during the rush hour.

As you'll see from the article, I'm not wholeheartedly supporting the campaign to stop the Tesco, though simply due to the traffic problems it would cause I'm inclined to.

There is a Facebook group opposing the Tesco site.

TNTJ Post on advice and questions for young journalists

I've got a post on TNTJ (Tomorrow's News, Tomorrow's Journalists), part of Journalism.co.uk, on advice I'd ask other journalists - and continuing a wider theme on the future for journalism students.

An extract:

"My advice, much as it’s worth? There’s still a lot of journalism students with a minimal online presence, so maximise yours. But don’t forget that whatever tools you can use, web pages you can re-design or exam marks you can achieve, content is still king - keep writing.

In addition, continue to make as many contacts as you can: it’s one of the reasons I’m going along to the Media 140 conference on May 20th.

Ill-qualified as I am to give advice to others graduating this year, the more we talk to each other, the better chance we have of navigating this scarce job market."

See the TNTJ post on the topic, and Dave Lee's post on his advice to journalism students: 'J-students must stick around and clear up the mess'.

Related posts
TNTJ post and the future for journalism students

Deepti Bharthur on technology, complacency and new media

University of Sheffield Journalism Department: Production Week Article on East Ecclesfield by-election

During production week, I wrote a piece for the paper (which also went on the website of course!) on the East Ecclesfield by-election. Here it is in full.

Even with over a third of the electorate voting, we’d be unwise to read too much into one by-election. When an area is flooded by overly keen activists desperate for your vote, but without the media hype that accompanies a national ballot, a reflective result we can discern trends from shouldn’t be expected.

In the event, the Liberal Democrats easily held onto their seat and continue their dominance of Sheffield City Council. One insider said it would be ‘very bad’ if Paul Scriven’s party had lost the seat to Labour, or any of the other contenders for that matter.

All eyes though were on the BNP vote, who despite only campaigning in parts of the ward (those parts demographically favourable to them), managed to beat the Conservatives to third place and polled more than the Tories and Greens put together.

However, they already beat the non-too popular Sheffield Conservatives into third place last year in the ward. In all the, result was remarkably similar to 2008. I’m afraid the ground didn’t shake for any of the candidates in East Ecclesfield yesterday evening, with no seismic political shift being noticeable.

The temptation to predict a result is often too strong to ignore though, especially with the upcoming European elections on June 4^th. With 11% of the vote in the Yorkshire and Humber constituency, which would only be a 3% rise of their 2004 result, a member of the BNP would be representing us all in the European Parliament.

With a declining UKIP vote the far-right will be hoping to capitalise on growing unemployment, the ‘British jobs for British workers’ mantra and, as ever, dissatisfied Labour voters to give them a seat in Europe. Mind you, sending them packing to Brussels, with its funny food and different languages, could even be a punishment for them.

Away from the unpleasantries of the BNP and the continuing effort of the mainstream parties to hold them at bay however, remains the essence of a democratic society. Cynical as we can be in an age of M.P’s bickering over expenses, yesterday’s by-election is still an admirable exercise, as will be those on June 4^th.

Nothing binds a society together like complaining about those in charge, be it pot holes, dog muck or expensive public art. So whether voting for a party you love or against a group you hate, we’ll only be able to keep having a go by casting our ballot like those in East Ecclesfield did last night.

For full results of the by-election see the the Sheffield City Council website.