Slow news days...

We hear plenty of talk about the decline of the local media industry as inefficient and undersubscribed newspapers fold under the pressure of the global downturn - which is completely understandable in my opinion. In the face of reduced disposable income and the prioritisation of spending, the first thing many Brits will refrain from is buying a weekly newspaper, saving them 30p a week or a massive £15.40 per year. Such funds could be prudently invested in building an underground flood shelter in your basement for when the polar caps disappear and the world explodes in a ball of fire and steam, that or in the RBS group.

Actually, I think the decline is possibly more to do with an increase in sensationalist journalism and news fabrication. Let me clear that last one up; I don't mean tired hacks making up stories at 3:29am, moments before copy deadline. No, I mean stories made from unsubstantiated rumours, from tenuous interpretations of statements and press releases, and from stories that just aren't news.

Allow me to furnish my comments with some examples:
http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/wire/4987
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Whitstable-mum-custard-shortage/article-845364-detail/article.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5540852/Mother-duck-stands-on-duckling.html

If you managed to get to through these without wetting yourself or storming off in disgust at the amount of ink/paper/carbon wasted in the circulation of these stories, then you may have made it to the comments sections at the bottom of each article. I hope the Chief Editors of each respective paper also got down to the comments - the British people have spoken.

So local newspapers, for decades the primary outlet of such pressing news items, may go out-of-print. No worry, there's still the internet (or Twitter) for posting all of their observances of natural and banal phenomena.

nolife @headuparse Just seen hedgehog escape unprovoked roadrage incident, eyewitness describes mood as prickly.
update 1s ago from iPhone (cock!)

So citizens of Britain, if you want to save your local media industries, go out and make some news happen! Any kind; scandals, slanderous accusations, treason whatever. I don't care, just don't try and buy custard in Whitstable.

Mikey