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Is Henley-on-Thames the dull news capital of the UK?
Home of the Regatta. A town that has boasted both Michael Heseltine and Boris Johnson as its MP. And quite possibly some of the dullest local news in the history of the world. For this we have the Henley Standard to thank, an increasingly rare example of an independent local newspaper that continues to keep…
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BREAKING: Council locked out of meeting room, decide to hold meeting outside
Local council meetings are all action affairs that deal with the nitty-gritty of our lives. Where else will you hear arguments about the quality of the tinned coffee at the scout hut, and whether the grass near the war memorial needs three cuts a year instead of four? And on the Isle of Wight it’s…
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Woman finds perfectly round egg, sells it on Ebay
To be honest, if I found a perfectly round egg, by first impulse would be to rush to the local papers and then get an Ebay listing on the go pretty sharpish. So, well done Lesley and your surprised-looking chicken. Liverpool Echo: Surprised-looking chicken lays perfectly round egg She will get about a million pounds for…
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Crisp factory worker collects crisps for a hobby
My world today was rocked – rocked – by the discovery of the biggest Hula Hoop I have ever seen in my 51 years on this Earth. If fact, it became a minor celebrity on Twitter after it was retweeted by some …err… minor celebrities. FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS. It was delicious. But then…
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Teenager’s birthday balloon defies the odds
Local newspapers have – in most case – 32 pages to fill, and rarely 32 pages worth of news. That’s why some stories rarely cross the threshold of what you might actually call news. But dull news shifts papers, because people are, essentially, dull. Kent Online: Teenager’s helium balloon survives 18 long, long years Yeah, I…
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Pointing and dull news – together at last!
You know we love a picture of somebody pointing at the thing that made them angry. But we also like stories that have somehow made it to the page although they are supremely dull. So, how about a story featuring a man pointing at something dull? Why yes. Yes, we can do that. There. Still…
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Dull News in Local Newspapers
You edit a local title, you’ve got 32 editorial pages to fill, and literally nothing’s happening in town. What do you do? Answer: Your very best. Maidenhead Advertiser: Road workers can’t spell “bus” It’s a toughie to be honest. I had to look it up. (Spotter: Rob A) Essex Live: Man in bid to build shed…