Interesting to read people's comments about the decline in accuracy and quality in the Courier. As most of you will be aware, there has been a seismic shift in the newspaper industry with the 'perfect storm' of economic downturn and the growth of digital media.
The Courier is part of Johnsons Press, formerly a small family-owned group of weekly newspapers but now a major player after agressive expansion. They have been working on huge profit margins. To mainitain these against the 'perfect storm' they are making more efficiencies ie. getting rid of people.
All the sub-editors at the Courier - the people who check copy for grammar and legal pitfalls and write headlines and generally keep the quailty bar as high as possible - have been told their jobs are now in Sheffield where the paper is now printed. None are going and they are taking severence pay. This coincides with the introduction of a new Atex system where reporters write their story straight onto the page. Therefore, no checking and a huge increase in howlers and potential legal problems.
If only the bosses realised that any money they save working this way will be lost by fewer people buying the paper and advertisers not advertising in the paper.

Can't blame the subbies, who would want to commute to Sheffield every day. But u are right Flea the Worrier will continue its decline.

Flea, in a post bemoaning others for a lack of accuracy and quality, it may have been worth getting the name of the parent company right.

It's Johnston Press, but yes, their takeover and gradual dismantling of what was a fine local institution is a spot-on demonstration of how money grabbing and 'efficiency' through merging facilities and paring staff to the bone have become the priorities of business these days, rather than create employment and subsequently wealth through ethical means.

But, it's 'us' who let them.

communist!

Exactly. Why has manufacturing declined? Because we import cheap crap. Why do we import cheap crap? Because we're greedy. Why is it cheap crap? Because foreign labour is cheaper. Why is it cheaper? Becasue we demanded more wages. Why did we demand more wages? Because we're greedy. What happened when we demanded more wages? Cost of goods went up. Cheaper to import. Import the crap. And the whole thing swirls around in a cess pool of greed.

It's all our fault - collectively as individuals.

They were doing a pretty god job online too, would anyone subscribe online to a premium account (for a minimal fee) ? The premium account being 'Up to date'
I get my hard copy delivered before lunch somedays, i can imagine the courier board room has some interesting discussions about its future. The old evening paper thing has gone.
It will always be there i reckon, but with what journalists we will see. Whatever we say though, they need to make money and times change.

You are David Cameron and I claim my £5

Just call me Rich.

My hair's grown back !! Yay !!

I thought Johnton Press had made hundreds of millions of pounds losses since the downturn in advertising revenue, cuts in costs have to be made somewhere.

I really enjoy the Couirier for their sports coverage - especially James Roberts -only reason we still buy it

Trying to keep up to date with sports news is hopeless on-line.Sports pages still showing thursday articles.

I'd pay to subscribe to Dave Fleming's stuff, comes up with some great memories.

You are James Roberts and I claim my £5