From The Founder: A New Editor For Saddleworth News
A bandsman walking through Uppermill on Whit Friday last year.
After the best part of six months as the editor of Saddleworth News, journalism student Sadaf Hussain from University Campus Oldham has now finished her final year project, so her stint on this site has come to an end.
I’d like to thank Sadaf for all her work since October. I know that she learned a lot of new skills during her time as the editor, and I hope everyone who reads this site enjoyed her articles.
The good news is that there’s a new editor for Saddleworth News on the way. An Uppermill resident and experienced journalist has approached me about taking over the site, and stories by him will start to appear here later this month.
The site will remain here at www.saddleworthnews.com, and the e-mail address for story ideas and other comments will still be editor@saddleworthnews.com
I’m been keeping myself busy lecturing in journalism in Leeds, and I’ve started doing work at the BBC’s new MediaCity site in Salford. But I’m looking forward to seeing this site continue to provide valuable local news and information for people in our area.
Thanks for reading,
Richard Jones
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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In the last six months this site went down to pan under the “editorship” of Sadaf “I is the new editor” Hussain.
Let’s hope it returns to being the great resource it used to be
Hi George,
Sadaf had a tough job because she was a student, and I agree she struggled with some aspects of it at times. But she also showed significant improvements during her time as editor as she developed her skills.
I don’t think it was realistic to expect the site to continue at the same level as before, after all I’m a trained journalist with a good amount of professional experience, and I also used to have some time on my hands because of my personal circumstances. But I also reckoned it would be pretty selfish to close the site down altogether, just because I’d put my daughter into nursery and started doing paid work elsewhere. I thought something would be better than nothing, and I still think that! Many people have expressed their unhappiness on here and to me personally, and I understand that. But there you go.
I know the new editor has a wealth of experience both as a local resident and as a journalist, and I know he’ll do a great job keeping this site as a valuable resource for people in Saddleworth.
Richard
The site did die after Richard left and im not sure it was sensible for someone from outside Saddleworth to get involved in it. However im sure Sadaf learnt from the experience and wish her well as she grows into the business.
Glad to see you back Richard if only for a short period. We will now perhaps get up to date news regarding the local Bras Bands which as been short in coming over the last few months. There has been some important contest etc regarding the local bands but nothing been said in the Saddleworth News and they have been informed. Perhaps she has learnt a little bit.
I also felt that the website, wasn’t as “focused ” as it should have been. I welcome a new editor and wish them well
It sounds like the new editor is better equipped to take the site forward, but I hope people will be more sympathetic if the site isn’t run in the way they would like.
I understand people are very protective of this site, but some of the comments aimed at Sadaf were unnecessarily negative.
We don’t pay for this site and we should be grateful to anyone who wants to put the time in, to write about the area.
Good news might consider advertising again.
I did this site voluntarily, alongside my university
studies, I learnt valuable skills, which I
would not have learned from the theoretical aspect
of the degree. I tried my best to stay informed and
learn about an area I once knew nothing about. I wish the new
editor all the best, it’s a great little project to get involved
with. Thank you to the readers who have been patient
with me, and supported me throughout the last six months.
Cheerio Sadaf!
It was always a pleasure when dealing with you.
As a student I would never have had the confidence to grow and learn in such a public forum so well done to you for taking on Saddleworth News.
All the best,
John
Yes, good luck Sadaf obviously the amount of time you had to devote to the project was limited by your university studies etc. If I were you I would ignore the negative comments or cheap jibes such as ‘… might consider advertising again.’ as I’m sure the Victor and Victoria Meldrews (of which Saddleworth has many by the way) and those who complain wouldn’t give up their free time to become editor. It’s always easy to snipe on the sidelines but I bet none of the moaners would offer their free time to be editor or even perhaps submit news stories/articles etc. Considering your youth, your time limitations and not being a Saddlewrth resident I think you did remarkably well.
Well Geoff I think you are right out of order, people were only telling the truth andf they have a right to comment about what they think. The Newspaper did go down when Richard left that is the truth. The Ssaddleworth News is for Saddleworth News and parts of it was not being done. Over the months she was doing it there were numerous Brass Band Contests with the bands of Saddleworth being there and some good results were made, but none of it was ever printed. There is no excuse for that because i informed her on numerous occasions about these contests and the reply was I do not no anything about Brass Bands. If you are doing a newspaper which covers Saddleworth you need to no theses types of items. I am not a moaner and I submitted items about Brass Bands and nothing was done. If you are running a newspaper you have to take the comments. I think you are out of order saying there a plenty of Victor Meldews in Saddleworth, with your comments I would think you are not a true Saddleworth person but you can correct me as I can take comments.
Hello Folks
I will be taking over as the new editor very soon and would just like to say that I am hoping to update the site at least three times a week. That may not sound a lot, but I work full time editing another magazine and running a business as well as freelance reporting.
Keeping even a small site like Saddleworth News up to date will require a lot of time and skill.
I can’t possibly know what every farmer or every brass band is going to be doing and that’s where you all fit in. A constant supply of email’s telling me what is happening and when is key.
Nobody is perfect and mistakes will be made, even the BBC website has spelling mistakes and errors and no doubt I will make them, so please be kind!
I do hope however to start putting up stories and news that is happening in Saddleworth, not Mossley, Ashton or Oldham, unless there is a strong link to the story of course and it affects Saddleworth residents.
I think there has been some unfair criticism of Sadaf, she has had a huge task trying to live up to what Richard achieved with this site and that said so will I, so please be kind.
Again I would ask you to please pass on any information about possible stories and I will do my best to cover them for you.
Regards
Stuart
Hi Michael: I’m sorry that you think I am ‘out of order’ by making comment of which you don’t agree – that’s the problem with free speech. I make no retraction about Victor and Victoria Meldrews in Saddleworth because I have met quite a few over the years, in any case the reference was made tongue-in-cheek rather than pejorative.
You are correct I am not a true Saddleworth person having lived here for only thirty-one years of my much longer life. However, I will address that by saying I have probably gained a broad experience of the world and its people by travelling and residing in various places. Indeed, by you saying that you think that I am not a true Saddleworth person explains much to me.
I was simply trying to counter some of the rather negative and at times unpleasant things posted about Sadaf. I’m sure some of these comments proved hurtful to her, given her age, but at least she’s probably now gained a thick skin which no doubt all budding editors must acquire. And with that thought in mind I wish you, Stuart, the very best of luck.
Good look with the website Stuart.
Some of that is fair comment Geoff and it is a hard job keeping up with a site like this. I fully understand about Sadaf but I past numerous items to her and tried to help but she kept replying I no nothing about Brass Bands, which you no if you have been in Saddleworth all those years this is a big item and followed by a very lot of people with there being so much competition with the local bands. Good luck with the website Stuart.
Thanks for you support