Greenock Telegraph | News | Two things matter in the town...

Sunday, 27th July, 2008

Published: Friday, 9th May, 2008 16:30

Two things matter in the town...

By Wendy Metcalfe

Image related to story, see caption or article text

IN THE HOTSEAT: Greenock Telegraph editor Wendy Metcalfe wants you to let her know what you want to read in your local newspaper.

Pic by: George Munro

“THERE are two things that matter in this town,” a reader proclaimed to me on my first day in the Editor’s chair.

“Morton — and the Tele!”

So it’s fair to say from the moment I set foot inside the doors of the Greenock Telegraph I knew this paper had a special place – in readers’ hearts and Inverclyde itself.

Now, just weeks after having the privilege to take up the role of editor, I find myself addressing you, one of our many dedicated readers, as we celebrate Local Newspaper Week.

This week you’ve heard from people ranging from Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the paper boys and girls who bring the Tele to your door. And each has delivered the same message.

Local newspapers, across Inverclyde and beyond, have a vital part to play in the communities they serve.

Not only do we bring you the news that matters, we campaign for you, fight for your rights and strive to right the wrongs many of you look to us to rectify on your behalf.

Our top news team – from the reporters and sub editors to our photographers – ensure each day they have their finger on the pulse of what is happening in your community.

So what will the new editor be bringing to the Tele?

On a personal level, I will bring an unwavering passion for journalism and local newspapers. And an utmost respect for the role they play in communities.

Overall, I want to further ensure the Tele — and Inverclyde Extra — continue to tick all the right boxes for our thousands of readers and advertisers.

First off, I think we will all agree we cannot just deliver the good news every day. It is our duty to inform you about the negative news as well as the positive.

From crime to court appearances, we have the difficult job of reporting the tragic events that none of us want to happen in our neighbourhoods.

But when you open up your Tele I want there to be a balance to what you read.

I want the hard-hitting news to make you think, I want the light-hearted write-ups to entertain you and I want the positive stories to remind you about this beautiful place we call Inverclyde.

In short, I want the Tele to be the platform for all that’s good about this area – from celebrating your successes to promoting the major investments that have been made or are on the way.

I also want to project our area to the rest of Scotland and beyond as a place where good people live, good things happen and an even better future lies ahead.

I also want to make sure that, as a reader, you know we are listening.

I have met many of you in the last couple of months — whether it was during my stint on the panel at the St Stephen’s High School Question Time or at Tesco or a local newsagents as you queued to buy our paper — and I have taken your thoughts on board.

Many of you were gracious enough to compliment the hard-working team we have at the Tele, others told of their complete dedication for the paper they have read since childhood.

Some said they would like to see more positive stories and, as you will have seen in recent weeks, we are listening.

If you can’t get enough of our sports team’s Morton coverage, or are bowled over by our shipping page, as part of Local Newspaper Week I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to tell me about it.

Equally, if you have a club that has been fundraising and would like to see it in the Tele, let me know. Finally, if there’s something you would want to see in the pages of our paper that isn’t there, write, email or phone me.

During Local Newspaper Week, we have brought you a host of fantastic features about the people who work together to get the Tele to you, rain or shine.

Our team is made up of so many talented individuals who work very hard to make this paper what it is today — a highly-regarded, informative and responsible source of news.

It takes a vast team to produce a newspaper of this high standard. From our editorial, advertising, production, circulation, accounts, sales, front counter and IT departments, to our drivers and dedicated newsagents who make the Tele what it is.

Advertising manager David Connell perhaps summed it up best when he said: “Within Inverclyde, I am sure there are

not many people who have not been touched in some way by the Greenock Telegraph.

“Being the oldest evening newspaper in Great Britain, the Tele is more than just a local paper, we are part of the community, at the heart of what matters in Inverclyde.

“We know how important relationships are, building strong bonds with our clients, some over many years and many who have become friends with their advertising reps and with our front office team, who always offer a smile and fantastic customer service.

“If it’s a story, advertising, selling your unwanted goods, sending a message to a loved one, looking for what roads are being worked on, entering one of our fabulous competitions or just popping in for a chat...we plan to be here for another 150 years.”

And all of us here at the Tele hope you will be along for the ride.

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