The post you are reporting:
.. the reporters working for local papers were rooted in their community and worked in their local area for decades.
But no longer and that knowledge and experience is lost.
Two stories in today's Dover Express demonstrate this.
Terry Sutton, veteran Dover reporter, now retired and doing some freelance writing, writes an interesting article about the birth of Dover District Council. This was about a period around the time I first got involved in politics and before I myself became a member of DDC. I remember and knew the incidents and characters involved, among them Alec (not Alfred, Terry) Greenway-Stanley, Peter Bean and the great Ray Norley who was in many ways a bit of a mentor to me in those days. Memory lane....
Imagine, one day that local knowledge will be lost completely. I cannot imagine any of our current local reporters being around in Dover to write articles like that in 30 years time, assuming we even have a local paper or on-line equivalent. We will all be a lot poorer as a result.
The second article itself demonstrates how the rot has set in. There was a time when a editor, sub-editor or reporter will remember some interesting local detail that would add colour to a report. Not now.
On page 15 there is an article about my old mate David Gledhill who has received a honorary doctorate. Dave moved to Felixstowe many years ago and is currently the Chief Exec of a Port operating company. What the reporter and sub-editors did not know was that Dave was a member of DDC. He was elected alongside me for the old Barton Ward in 1983. In 1984 Dave was elected Deputy Mayor and, in Dover Town Hall, at the very moment the chain of office was placed around his neck there was a massive loud thunderclap....It was like an omen. Dave never did see out his year of office and moved to Felixstowe for personal and business reasons.... In the old days reports would have remembered that and could have made something out of it adding interest to a report.
Yes, we have certainly lost something. They do not even have an office here any more let alone true local knowledge.