We’ll stand up and fight your corner
THIS week is Local Newspaper Week. It is a celebration of titles like the Rochdale Observer.
The event is to show to everyone across the country the importance of having a locally-accountable, vibrant and dynamic local media.
Of course, your Observer is not just about the newspaper – we also have a huge online presence which is growing fast.
As well as keeping you informed of what’s going on in this great region, our other passion is fighting your corner. We stand up for what you tell us is important in your lives. We right the wrongs. We campaign. We investigate. We’re here to make a difference.
In recent times the Observer has comprehensively covered the Knowl View child abuse scandal, broken news of a proposed swearing ban in the town centre, and stood up for local services in the face of continued government cuts.
In this fast-changing globalised world, the Observer aims to be the constant in your busy lives, rooted in your communities.
We go back a long way together – to 1856 in fact. The Observer has helped generations of Rochdalians by keeping them informed, entertained and in the forefront of the minds of those in power. It may be a digital world now, but all that still holds true. A rigorous framework of regulation ensures you can trust what you read in the Observer:
We operate under The Editors’ Code of Practice, enforced by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. It covers a wide range of standards, including accuracy, the protection of children, privacy, harassment and public interest
We are subject to laws, including libel and contempt of court
All our journalists are fully trained in all aspects of the profession – including the right of reply. The editors’ code and ethics underpin all they do
Before we publish a word – online or in print – articles go through a rigorous checking process
We live in the communities we serve and deal with the same people time and again. We would be nothing without their trust
We are fair, accurate and impartial – we have no axe to grind. We are here to inform, investigate and to entertain
Editor in Chief of MEN Media Rob Irvine said: “We are passionate about making a difference to the lives of the people in Greater Manchester by informing, entertaining and – most importantly of all – standing up for them. We’ll ask questions when people in authority would rather we didn’t; we’ll carry on digging when others may give up. We have a track record of investigative journalism which goes back into history and it is our duty to keep that torch burning.
“We may not get everything right and we will hold our hands up if that’s the case. But we believe the people of Greater Manchester know we will always take their side.”
Craig Nayman, chairman of Local Media Works, which is running Local Newspaper Week, said: “By holding authority to account on events that might otherwise remain hidden, local journalism helps shape the communities for the better and Local Newspaper Week is a celebration of that important democratic function.”