THE EDITOR’S BLOG

with Martin Walker

Well, it’s been a hectic first few days, but we’re almost into our third week since our launch on Tuesday January 24, and the feedback we’re getting is excellent.

A lot of people may be thinking, why Aycliffe Today?!

It’s an idea I’ve harboured for some time. Newton Aycliffe, as everyone knows, is a town which continues to grow and develop.

With a population approaching 30,000, and the second-largest industrial estate in the North-East (and with the eagerly-awaited Hitachi plant coming soon), I’ve long felt the need for a more comprehensive source of news and information about the town.

The Newton News is what it is. It has its place firmly in our local community and that’s something I’d never wish or attempt to challenge.

But it isn’t a comprehensive source of news and has never, in its 60-plus years existence, employed a professional journalist.

In my opinion, it doesn’t do the town justice. There’s more to Aycliffe than town councillors’ ‘letters to the editor’ and complaints from residents about dog fouling.

There’s real news out there. There’s a proactive neighbourhood policing team in the town and we have a magistrates court on our doorstep, for example.

We’re not frightened to report real news.

Aycliffe Today is the FIRST Aycliffe-based media outlet to employ not just one professional journalist, but a team of qualified and published writers which will enable us to deliver a comprehensive range of news, features, blogs and exclusive interviews about our town.

A special thanks to Glen Robertson, Paul McGeary and Brodie Millichap for their input up to now.

I approached the Newton News about developing a new website – a live source of news and information – which could work hand-in-hand with the community newspaper, and actually complement one another.

Unfortunately, my repeated requests for meetings were fruitless. “We’re dubious” said one email. A leading public figure in the town had already predicted this response to me previously, citing their “very insular and protective outlook”.

Needless to say, I felt passionately about Aycliffe Today and pressed on with the concept.

Our launch nearly a fortnight ago prompted a barrage of emails from Newton Press – several threatening legal action – followed by a knee-jerk redesign of their website!

But they were “dubious” about the idea…

I believe there’s a place in our community for Aycliffe Today – just as there is for the Newton News – it’s just a shame some people either can’t or won’t embrace modern media.

I look forward to bringing our visitors an unrivalled source of news and features specifically for Newton Aycliffe over the months and years to come.

We hope you’ve enjoyed us up to now.

Martin