A few words of advice, Andrew.

I imagine this article has been written as an indirect response to those people who have been posting on the various threads on the Star website about articles they don’t feel to be newsworthy, such as an ex-Star employee’s new life in Canada, ‘sightings’ of UFOs, whether in Shropshire or not, etc.

Can I suggest that you try to understand your role in this a little better and not get on your high horse when anyone has the temerity to criticise what they perceive to be a decline or lack of journalistic standards?

By posting stories such as those I mentioned on the Star’s website it is inevitable that you will attract responses, both positive and negative. After all, most stories are followed by the ‘Post a Comment’ fields, so why give people a chance to respond with their views if you don’t want to read them? With this being the case, if people are negative about some of the ‘stories’ (& I feel similarly to many others about keeping up with Ms Lawrence’s Canadian exploits, amongst others), then why not simply acknowledge in a private and professional way what people have said and do what you advise others to do with things they don’t want to read, i.e. ignore them.

It doesn’t do the your own or the Star’s journalistic integrity any good to engage in responding publicly to criticism, and you insult the readers of the newspaper and website at your own peril. After all, I think I am correct in saying that, in common with all newspapers, the Star is facing difficult times as people change the ways in which they get their information. Perhaps some of those people are making a valid point about what they see the role of their local newspaper to be? Alienate them and the future of the Shropshire Star may be even more challenging…

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I would like to complain about this letter. As soon as I have had time to think about it I will write a proper complaint listing all its faults.
Clearly the writer must be from Shrewsbury.
And what kind of name is ‘Andrew’ anyway?
And as for ‘Dick’!? Is that a joke or were you being serious?

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I was going to reply at length to this, but thankfully Dick and Winja said all I needed to say. Thanks Gents…

Marco, it seems from your response that you may not have appreciated that Andrew is the Star’s web editor…

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