Regional journalism, like horology, is a dying craft

The dictionary definition of a Horologist is a person who maintains, designs and repairs clocks and watches. What the dictionary doesn’t say is that Horology is a craft that is on a downward trajectory to oblivion only matched by traditional regional journalism.  

And here’s the ‘for why and for instance.’

Last week I took our much-loved old chiming family heirloom clock for maintenance to a wonderfully archaic repair shop in my local town.

It’s a two-man timepiece and jewellery design shop that has not changed in almost half a century.

And my timing could not have been better.

“Just as well you brought it in today,” said Mr Butler, the horologist.

“We are closing at 4 o’clock. For good.”

What? But who will repair and maintain the old clocks of Monmouthshire from now on, I asked.

“I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone else. But it won’t be me. I am retiring.”

Epoch changing stuff. A dying craft being laid to rest in front of my very eyes - and clearly a big moment in the social and horological history of South Wales.

This I thought, has to be worth a story – for the local paper at least?

You’d think.

When I was a young reporter working in a northern town, this would indeed have been a story and there was most definitely a newsroom full of local reporters ready to tell it.

So, I dialled my local newsroom.

The ‘editorial’ line was defunct. I got the guy in advertising instead. He wasn’t interested. “No, we don’t have a newsroom anymore. They work from home. I’ll pass on your details.”

I heard what he said, but the way he said it made me think this Ad man was on the last page of frustration and he had much more to worry about than old clocks.

So, I tried the regional paper instead. This time, I did get through. “Oh yes please” was the delighted reply from the trainee who answered - only three months into the job. Once, the News desk was the domain of a grizzly old ‘heard it all before’ News Editor. Like the Desk Sergeant in Dixon of Dock Green. (Look it up).

“Thing is we don’t have any reporters or photographers we can send. I try to get out once a week. Or I’d like to. But there’s only three of us. Can you do it?”

Yes. Well. It’s been a few years. But the old man of time was ticking fast and the last of the horologists in this corner of Wales was about to put up the “Gone Fishing” sign.

So, yes. Of course I did it.

Pictures, words, with compliments.

But is ‘do-it-yourself- journalism really what the regional press depends on these days?

In a word. Yes. When they can get it.

Take a look at this graph published recently in the ‘UK Press Gazette’ – the industry bible.

Just look at that red line - the number of journalists who were working in the regional press in 2007. The reduction to today’s levels – in orange - is staggering.

Reach, Newsquest and National World dominate regional journalism. But with changing times, they have haemorrhaged staff to the point where newsrooms are now redundant – as are most of the people who worked in them – and what’s left hangs by a thread and a mobile phone from home.  

Ten years ago, journalism students at a highly respected University Media school referred to those who were choosing newspaper courses as ‘Printosauruses’ – heading for extinction.

And lo, it has come to pass.

But wait, all might not be lost.

Technology is the key. And it is making a dramatic difference. Recently, for the first time, news viewed online has overtaken TV news. And there might be some glimmer of hope for the regional press too.

Take a look at this graph…

Numbers like this would have boggled the minds of ye olde Editors of yesteryear. Millions of hits on the websites of regional publications that are far and away more, in most cases, than the population of the respective areas. (courtesy UK Press Gazette.)

This says that online might offering some hope for the regional press – even if a skeleton crew is sailing the ships.

How to monetise the hits has been the tricky question for some time. (Back to horology again).

Some are putting up paywalls. Others are flooding their sites with advertising, click bait and banners that have turned the reading experience into an obstacle course.

But hey, look. The numbers speak for themselves. Something must be working, right?

Could it be that there is still an appetite for local and regional news?

Well, yes. There is. Because curiosity is fundamental. People want to know about the World and their own backyard. I don’t care what anybody says. They just do. Mostly. When they have moved beyond the Xbox. But if it is to have a fighting chance at all, the regional Press must also find a way of resisting the all powerful aggregators that vacuum up local news and recycled it into their own news services.

This week, the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, met with leading member of the regional media and assured them that the government is listening.

Speaking at a parliamentary reception on Tuesday (29 October) held by the trade body the News Media Association she said the government believes it can use  to compel companies like Google, Facebook, Apple and others to play nicely. In future they will have to pay publishers for the news content that appears on their media platforms – forcing them to do business on “fair and reasonable terms”. They could be fined 10% of annual turnover if they fail to comply.

The Competition and Markets Authority is currently looking at which companies should be affected by the new law.

Back on the front line…of horology….and as if to prove my point that there is still an interest in local news the demise of a much loved local business made it into the top five of hits on the regional paper website. OK. So, it wasn’t a fast day, and I didn’t get a byline. But the old boys were happy and they won’t be forgotten.

Let’s hope there is still somewhere for stories like this to be told in future.