It is always a tricky decision for a political group to decide to question the media.You run the risk of waking the angry bear and suffering from ongoing reporting.
However, we have to grasp the nettle if no one else will and trust that the media involved will still treat us fairly in future.
Recent months have seen a regular full page “in my view "article by the Leader of the Council in both The Forest Review and The Forester.
Progressive Independents have asked relevant questions and been told that the Council plays no part in the creation of the articles, nor does it pay for the submission of these articles.
It has also been agreed that future articles should make clear that the articles are personal opinions and NOT FODDC views.
However, this week's article in today's Forester ,written by the Deputy Leader and Parliamentary Candidate Chris MacFarling is clearly a political posting, a campaign leaflet by any other name.
He even declares his candidacy for the yet to be called General Election.
Nationally , media groups and newspapers often favour a party. It would appear as if the publishers of both the Forester and the Forest Review are supportive of the Green Party's politics.
Certainly that would account for what many consider to be the "easy ride" or " something of an easy time of things " that The Green Cabinet have been given since their election success compared to previous administrations.
Overhyping of certain issues and non reporting of many others, would indeed be explained by the publishers of our two local papers having Green Party leanings and thats fine.
But when you consider these articles only started when a Green Leader was in place, when you compare the space given to the Green article compared to the Forest of Dean MP, and unless the Green Party , and the press officer they send to every meeting is influencing or paying for what is being put in our local media, it must simply be assumed that the Publishers of both Forester and The Forest Review are indeed of Green persuasion .
That's their prerogative, it happens throughout the world of media. They will gain support and readership from some quarters and no doubt lose some from others.
We actually hope the Green Party does pay for the article, but want to assure everyone the views they convey are NOT the views of the FODDC in its entirety,
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