Those at city hall seem to be living in a world all their own. Communication between the residents of Wetaskiwin and City hall has been severed by city council’s decision to remove advertising from the Wetaskiwin Times because the council is offended by citizens comments. I don’t read the Pipestone Flyer because I don’t live in Millet. I read the TIMES cause it is Wetaskiwin’s newspaper …
– bill descalchuk, from Wetaskiwin Tomorrow Draft Plan feedback (Communication)
What do you think? Has communication been affected with the switch from the Times-Advertiser to the Pipestone Flyer?
(Thumbnail Photo Credit: “Newspaper” by just.Luc)
10 comments
wetaskiwintmrw says:
Apr 22, 2010
The issue made the National Post last week; here's the link:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=29…
pje says:
Apr 22, 2010
Wow. As the only former editorial employee of both papers (to date) I am officially impressed. Some reporters need to understand that you can have a good rapport with council and still have journalistic integrity. Treat council with respect and they will likely do the same to you. Give them a lump when they deserve it, but also remember a pat on the back goes a long way, too, no matter who you are.
lbd says:
May 4, 2010
I don't read either newspaper. I think we get too many flyers and newspapers and I'm sick of it. Can't we find another way to get information out there?
Diane says:
May 10, 2010
Personally, I don't even bother reading the Times anymore. It got very tiresome reading all the negativity and criticism toward City Council and the liquor bylaw. I read newspapers to gain a BALANCED picture about issues going on in the community – and I feel the Times clearly failed to present both perspectives on this issue.
I do read the Pipestone Flyer, and I support the City of Wetaskiwin's choice to move their advertising to the Pipestone Flyer, which is truly a LOCAL newspaper.
@buck75 says:
May 11, 2010
So if a new editor came to town would the City advertise with the paper again? This is nothing more than a political pissing match.
albert19 says:
May 22, 2010
The local newspaper is cancerous to the progress of this community! Some people are absolutely negative about everything and opposed with everything society does. The paper seems to find them and hire them.
This gets the whole community in a negative mode in spite of the positive things that are happening in our community. Have a great day!
RJM says:
Jun 1, 2010
I was going to submit a letter to the Times, but I choice not to, as there is no way it would be permitted in it, so Ill just post some points of my letter here:
1) Since the booze bylaw, the city has been quiet at night; no sirens are proof of that. (Beforehand, I could hear them once or twice a week.) Police have also released reports stating crime has dropped.
2) Since the bylaw, the city has recieved a lot of negative feedback for EVERYTHING it does from the editor at the times (personal agenda, perhaps? No, it IS.)
3) The mayor wasnt invited to the opening of a new business; why should he show up? The mayor has never in the past if he wasnt invited; so why is this now a problem that the Times felt like reporting?
4) As part of my previous note; why is the Times not there either?
5) The paper is junk, information wise, too. Half the time, the stories are incorrect, littered with spelling errors, and misquoted people.
6) It seems that the Times is allowing personal threats, slander, and 'poor' etiquette in general in the letters to the editor, so long as they too criticize the city and its actions.
7) The city council gets a lot of negative feedback when they suggest things to improve the city (such as redoing mainstreet, a new pool, etc), yet the times also criticizes them when they do nothing. What are they supposed to do?
In closing, the Times is a one sided newspaper, whos editor (I am not going to mention names, although Im sure we all know who Im talking about) is upset at the fact that the booze law was passed and that the city is a better place for it. On top of that, he is also incapable of managing the paper, as evident by the incorrect quotes, facts, and stories, as well as grammatical and spelling errors.
I have lived in a few different towns and cities, and Ive NEVER once seen the 'local' newspaper be so against everything; a newspaper is an unbiased form of information; something that the Times has failed to be since last fall.
RJ
RJM says:
Jun 1, 2010
I also forgot to mention about how lately the Times has been needing to 'show off' their amount of readers… That number is so high for one reason; its a free paper thats delivered to every home in Wetaskiwin as well as several businesses. I was asked a few days ago if I would like a copy of the paper from a local store (as they had a massive stack behind the counter).
I took it and used it mask for painting. I guess the Times isnt all bad!
RJM
Joe L says:
Jun 23, 2010
If the Edmonton Sun pissed of the City of Edmonton , would Edmonton start advertising in the Calgary sun ?
Pissing match is right
Cody says:
Jun 30, 2010
I just read the National Post article, which is full of humorous quotes such as:
"People thinking of moving to his city of about 12,000 people might see these stories and get turned off"
Really? Does city council really believe that the stories in the paper are what's going to dissuade people from moving here? They think that is what makes Wetaskiwin unattractive? Laughable. That being said however, The Times has more grammatical and spelling errors than anything I've ever seen published. I can't stand to read it for that reason.
So then perhaps both sides have a point.