Is manufacturing the key to the region’s future? 20/10/2016

A local businessman came to me with this story idea many months before the paper changed style. The then editor told me not to proceed as we were not doing features of this type and it was not “hard news”.

Great Southern Weekender, October 20, 2016, pp 8 and 9.

Great Southern Weekender, October 20, 2016, pp 8 and 9.

After a change of management we were required to produce a two-page feature in every edition, and suddenly this story became newsworthy.X20ALB_008-9P

As a journalist it is important to be able to tailor your writing to a publication’s subject matter. There is no merit in producing work that does not get published.

NB: I did not write the side panel.

 

Sporting tax thwarted 1/12/2016

It is tricky to explain the workings of a local council to newspaper readers when the issue is complex and councillors are deciding how to vote.

From The Great Southern Weekender, Thursday, December 1, 2016 p1 and 2.

From The Great Southern Weekender, Thursday, December 1, 2016 p1 and 2.

I think I was able to pull it off this time.X01ALB_002P

However this was not the end of the matter. One councillor decided to table a motion at the next meeting to reverse the decision, which is having an effect on the conduct of the current State Election. I will post the story when time permits.