Local Newspaper Week - Making a Difference

When it comes to representing the communities they serve local newspapers can really have an impact and make a difference.
Tom HerbertTom Herbert
Tom Herbert

For years the Kirkintilloch, Bishopbriggs and Springburn Herald has been at the forefront of many community-led campaigns.

This week (May 12-18) is Local Newspaper Week. It’s an annual event and this year the theme is Making a Difference.

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In recent years the way people access their news and information has changed dramatically, with more and more use of the internet.

Herald readers will be well aware that, as well as the newspaper, we also have a very popular website (www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk) and Facebook and Twitter pages.

Looking back over the years, it’s fair to say the Herald has developed strong links with communities throughout East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and North Glasgow.

A quick flick through our files shows that we have been at the forefront of many local campaigns.

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But perhaps the most noteable in recent times was the Save Stobhill campaign, when 43,000 people signed the Herald’s petition to the Scottish Parliament and hundreds of people attended public meetings, rallies and marches organised by the Herald.

Tom Herbert was a key member of the Save Stobhill campaign and has been a Kirkintilloch Herald reader since moving to the area 50 years ago.

Tom said: “I moved to this area in the 60s and I’ve got the Herald every week.

“The paper has a strong reputation for campaigning and taking up the cause for important issues in the community. The Herald played a major part in the Save Stobhill campaign of a few years back.

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“Now we have another fight on our hands to get chemotherapy services delivered from the new Stobhill ACAD, and once againg the Herald has been magnificent in keepingn that campaign in the public domain by running regular stories based on real-life cases.

“We have a situation here where people from this area have to travel to the Beatson for chemo.

“The service at the Beatson is excellent, but why can’t we have the service at the new Stobhill ACAD? Chemo is delivered at the new Victoria ACAD, so why not Stobhill? When these new hospitals were created they were supposed to be mirror images of each other.

“Hopefully with the support of the Herald we can have this vital service at Stobhill.”

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Here are some facts and figures about the local media industry:

*There are 1,100 local newspapers and 1,700 associated websites in the UK.

* The local press is the UK’s most popular print medium, read by 30 million people a week.

* Local media websites attract 79 million unique users each month.

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* Over 60 per cent of people act on the ads in local newspapers.

*Seventy per cent of people spend half or more of their money within five miles of home.

*85 per cent of people spend half or more of their time within five miles of home.

To mark Local Newspaper Week the Kirkintilloch Herald Series will be launching a Young Writers Competition aimed at children in Primary Seven classes across the district.

The theme will be ‘Making a Difference’ and will focus on what young people can do to improve their local community.