A good Local Newspaper has to be independent. Completely independent from manipulation and dictates of advertisers.For most of it's existence, the Ealing Gazette and it's sister titles were exactly that. Editorial was free to report, expose and highlight whatever went on in it's patch, good, bad, Murky or bright.Sadly changes of ownership and total reliance on advertising and revenue from local authorities have brought the editorial content to nothing more than a legal obligation for a registered newspaper.To be fair, whilst the recent brace of owners of the Gazette and it's sisters have destroyed the papers further than they ought, most damage has come from the public at large.They simply don't read local papers and barely read any newspapers.It's only when they are gone that things start to be noticed.Much has migrated to the internet, but the problem with the web and an increasing one at that, is people only read what they want to read and are fed what cookies and data says they ought to read.Worse still is the totally unreliable sources of information and poorly researched material which makes the internet far less than it should and ought to be.In my view a strong independent local paper is still a key part of a democratic free society and it's diminished presence contributes to the many liberties taken by those in power who see opportunities in the lack of any sort of watchdog and a lack of a single cohesive communication to the local people.This website is an example. The forum contributors are more or less the same small number of people, the editorial limited and as mentioned Get West London a really messy and difficult site good for sport but lacking in editorial and journalistic prowess.A sad loss which can only be sorted by people picking up those Ealing Gazettes and supporting it. I fear it's too late to turn it around as it won't suit the management.
Mark Kehoe ● 3149d