Brighton Argus: Contacting Advertisers

Michael Beard editor of the Brighton Argus, presumable not shoplifting


I have just been out shopping and was talking to 'an occassional' parishioner who has a few problems and one of my regular crack addicts came past, we chatted very briefly, he was obviously in a hurry, she was rather disgusted by him and said, 'I thought you hated people like that, he is disguting ....' I told her off of course and asked how she had formed that opinion of me, she had been reading the Brighton Argos.

I am so angry, they have really trashed my reputation, it hurts, and I am angry and it hurts my parishioners.

If you read the Argus' unscrupulous journalist Bill Gardner's twitter account he revels in his animus against me not I think because it is me nor because I am clergyman, 'a vicar', no, it is because I am a 'Catholic priest', it seems quite apparent this is an anti-Catholic thing, from his point of view at least. His stories, however, have been approved by his editor. Gardner informed me my blog was often discussed in the Argus Office.
Here is one extract from his Twitter account, I have copied it all of course, sorry it is difficult to read.:

1.      

1.     Bill Gardner‏@billgardner865 Sep

Are "lying" poor people sent by God to test us? This Catholic priest thinks so. By me: http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10656521.Poor_people_are__irritating___says_Brighton_priest/ …

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We are still waiting to hear from Mr Beard, the editor of the Brighton Argus, we suggested a face saving apology to go into the paper, no accusation or uncalled for breastbeating. The dreadful thing about Christians we actually believe even our enemies have a right to dignity, as messy as they are.. Yes, we want a small donation in reparation too our poor fund and Brighton Voices in Exile who use my house, they are struggling for money at the moment.

I don't know if this anti-Catholic thing is just associated with the Argus or if other publications owned by Newsquest delight in telling lies or misquoting and trashing the reputation of Catholic clergy, maybe some good readers might care to trawl their website. Possibly American readers could check our Gannett Company who own Newsquest. If you know any of the directors a quiet word would very welcome.

I have had a few sleepless nights, as you can imagine, one of my parishioner suggested that we should get a group of people together to ring around or write to the Argus' advertisers to tell them what their favourite local paper gets up to. I'll put out some feelers, there are certainly some good Catholics who own companies who advertise in the Argus.

As I am reasonably well know in the town it would be a very sensible to get a few people to ring around and find out the extent to which my reputation has been damaged by the work of Mr Gardner and Mr Beard, we might well need that type of information, the obvious people to ask are those who advertise in the rag. The next question is will be about their continuing to advertise and therefore support their defamatory newspaper.

I wonder if the actually know that the biggest faller amongst regional newspapers 'was the Newsquest-owned Brighton Argus, which fell 19.6 per cent year on year to 19,199 followed by the Norwich Evening News, which fell 19.3 per cent to 13,322', with it lack of ethical standards and low circulation, would any serious advertisers use the Argus.

I might publish a list of their more prominent advertisers, a few calls from Idaho or Nebraska or Budleigh Salterton Might be a useful lever. After the Leveson Enquiry even provincial newspapers have got to start cleaning up their act, they could start by employing staff who follow at least a minimal ethical Code.