Researching newspaper articles

To help me gain some more insight into what kind of articles are featured in local newspapers I am going to research the content of two newspapers.


The Halstead Gazette
On the Halstead Gazette website homepage the articles are summarised so the readers gain an insight as to what they're about, and are therefore more likely to read them. On the 'News' page, only the titles of stories are shown, which link to a page containing the story featuring the date and time when the article was published. There are a number of interactive options at the bottom of the page including 'have your say' which allows readers to register and leave comments following an article. Readers are also able to print the article, email it to a friend, share it and see what others have commented about it.

Some articles featured in the Halstead Gazette are:

Halstead: DIY shop closing after 50 years

A DIY shop which has stood in Halstead for 50 years is closing due to business rates and a one road way system.

Ray Burton, general manager of Mellons, said he is desperately sorry for all their loyal customers but after battling a drop in trade for five years they could no longer continue.

He said the one way restrictions, which mean traffic cannot come down Kings Road to Mellons, caused a big drop in trade that they never recovered from.

See this week's Gazette for the full story.

This story is short yet gives away the whole event letting the reader know what's happening. This could influence readers to read the stories on the website as they appear to be more brief. The title of the article is very obvious and lets the reader know exactly what the article is about in a blunt manner. As this article does not cover a larger area, it is not a fundamental story and is therefore not allocated a lot of text as not every reader will be interested. 

Halstead: Jubilee job for town celebrations

A job is being advertised co-ordinating Halstead’s celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

There will be a day of celebration in the Public Gardens on Sunday, June 3.

A provisional programme of events includes a Punch and Judy puppet theatre, line dancing, fancy dress and the town crier.

Halstead Town Council wants to employ someone to work two days a week in the run up to the event, and to co-ordinate and troubleshoot problems on the day.

The job advert reads: “We are looking for someone with good organisational skills to liaise with Town Council members and officers, and with outside groups and individuals to prepare a day of celebration.”

The closing date for applications is 10am on Monday, with interviews taking place on Wednesday.

This story is again rather short, summarising the information. It is a small local story and therefore does not have a vast amount of detail as it will not attract a huge amount of readers. The title attracts attention as it speaks about the looming Queen's Jubilee which everyone is excited about getting involved in, and the prospect of a job regarding this celebration. It is a good way to advertise the job to local residents, and provides information as to what is happening as well. 

Sudbury Mercury

The Sudbury Mercury is very similar to the Halstead Gazette offering similar options as the Halstead Gazette does. Some articles are briefly summarised, and each story has it's own page where the full story is then told. The articles are all categorised into 'news', 'sport' and 'entertainment'. On the home page different types of news is separated by blue lines. The first lot of articles are 'local news', the next 'local headlines', then 'top stories' followed by sports. 

Some articles featured in the Sudbury Mercury are:

Residents win battle against school traffic

By Emma BrennanWednesday, March 14, 2012
5:23 PM

 

RESIDENTS campaigning to resolve traffic problems around a west Suffolk primary school have secured a minor victory.

A Suffolk County Council engineer has confirmed the authority will install yellow lines at danger points on Badleys Close and Folly Road, close to Great Waldingfield Primary. But it could take six months for the measures to be put in place.

The school is set to grow to meet demand for places when it converts to the two-tier education system in September, as part of Suffolk County Council’s School Organisation Review.

However, residents bordering the school say at peak times, the roads are already dangerously congested with cars parked on both sides.

Badleys Close resident Paul Claridge has written to the county council several times during the past six months on behalf of worried villagers.

Now – following a meeting organised by county councillor Colin Spence between the highways department, the police, representatives from the school and parish/district councillors – the county has pledged funding for the yellow lines.

In a letter to Mr Claridge, county engineer Ross Corbyn said they intended to install double yellow lining at the junctions, and single yellow lines along Folly Road, with the associated signing.

However, he said the legal process could take up to six months because traffic regulation orders allowing the police to enforce the new measures would have to go through a public consultation process. The proposed changes would be advertised within the next six weeks, he said, to give people a chance to object.

Mr Spence said the problem had been ongoing and had caused a lot of “anxiety” to residents. He welcomed the proposal, adding: “One problem has been that the police have been unable to monitor the situation because there were no yellow lines there.

“Putting them in will not be popular with everyone, but we have to get the balance right between the residents who are struggling to get their cars in and out of their driveways at peak times, the parents who are dropping their children off and other road users.

“This problem is not unique to Waldingfield, and as the schools grow over the next year or so, it is going to crop up all over the county.”

District councillor for Waldingfield, Frank Lawrenson said: “In the long term, it would be useful to have extra parking at the school but that’s a question of resources and finding the necessary space.

“In the meantime, anything that can be done is good news and I am absolutely thrilled to hear that they have agreed to put in the yellow lines, because the problem is a huge concern to local residents.”

If no objections are received, the lining could be in place before the school summer holiday.

This story is a lot longer than any found in the Halstead Gazette, and features quotes from an interview providing different perspectives and points of view. The title of this article 'Residents win battle against school traffic' would perhaps appeal to parents with children at school, particularly any local schools, as the article may affect them. The clear title helps readers to decide whether this article would be of interest to them. 

Acton: Shop couple moving on after 35 years of ‘open all hours’

By Emma BrennanMonday, March 12, 2012
8:51 AM

 

SINCE Bob and Gill Hodgson set up shop in Acton 35 years ago, they have seen three other stores in the village close.

But not only has the couple’s enterprise survived, it has weathered two periods of recession and flourished despite challenging personal circumstances.

Now, due to health problems, the Hodgsons have reluctantly decided to sell their shop and three-bedroom house, so they can move closer to medical facilities in Bury St Edmunds.

Bob’s Stores, on Acton High Street, near Sudbury, which sells everything from food, sweets and newspapers to plants, vegetables, shoelaces and animal feed, has provided a living for three families since it opened 86 years ago.

Mr Hodgson, 64, said: “We are quite proud of the shop and the fact that it is still here after all these years. We feel that Mr Jacobs, who had the shop built in 1926, would also be really chuffed that it is still going strong.”

They credit their ongoing success to long hours, hard work, the variety of items they stock and the support of the villagers. They are keen to get someone to take on the shop as a going concern, so it can continue to serve the local community.

Mrs Hodgson said: “We feel there are still a lot of prospects for the shop and there are a several opportunities we can see being developed by new owners. For instance, we started offering newspapers a few years ago, so opening on a Sunday for the papers could increase trade. New owners could also apply for a liquor licence.

“There is a good chance for someone to make a living from the shop and we would be exploring all those avenues ourselves if we were able to continue here.”

Mr Hodgson, who suffers with the arthritic condition, ankylosing spondylitis, has had one hip replacement and is awaiting a second. He feels it is time to retire and move closer to West Suffolk Hospital, where he has regular appointments.

Before settling in Suffolk, during the 1960s, the couple spent four years in Australia. They moved to Acton in the 1970s with their daughter Sarah, and their twin girls Sam and Jen were born in the village. Tragically, they lost Sam five years ago, aged just 26, when she suffered a pulmonary embolism resulting from a deep-vein thrombosis. Mrs Hodgson said: “The main reason for us moving here was because we thought it would be a lovely place to raise a family, and that has certainly been the case. The village community has been very supportive and we have been here so long now that we are serving people who we saw as children, who now bring their own children into the shop.

“One woman told us recently that she doesn’t know how she’ll cope when we move away, and that’s very touching. We will certainly miss everyone.”

The shop and house are currently on the market.

Similar to the previous article from the Sudbury Mercury, this story is very detailed and includes quotes. Understanding the people who feature in the article is portrayed through the quotes, providing an insight as to how they feel about moving, allowing the reader to sympathize. The title of this article begins with the area of which it primarily concerns, then goes on to use a reference to the popular show 'Open All Hours', which is fairly old, therefore implying that the older generations may be more interested in this article, as some younger people may not even understand the word play used in the title.