tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62322474716857026382024-03-05T14:46:40.575-08:00CityLife magazineCitylife Magazine - Breathing Life Into Your City!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232247471685702638.post-20425445834665338802014-02-22T06:18:00.000-08:002014-02-22T06:18:14.952-08:00Tory floods soundbite rebounds on Cameron<b><i>Report by Dave Sewell</i></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Floods in Somerset (Pic: Guy Smallman)</i></span></span><br />
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<b>Fierce storms with winds of over 100 miles an hour killed three people last week and left around one million without power.
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Britain’s soil was already saturated with water from the wettest winter in centuries. The additional rain was enough to keep large parts of the Thames Valley, the Somerset Levels and other regions flooded.
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David Cameron tried to put an end to embarrassing in-fighting by pledging that “money is no object” in the government’s response to floods.
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<b>In admitting that Britain is a “rich country” Cameron exposed the lies that he and all the main political parties have used to justify years of austerity.
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But unfortunately his promise to splash the cash evaporated within 24 hours.
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Tory transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin clarified that, “I don’t think it’s a blank cheque”.
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Then Downing Street said any money would have to come out of existing budgets—no new funding was being made available.
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Loans
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So, the £31 million to rebuild rail lines in south west England was already promised last year.
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And up to £750 million of the “help” for flood victims will take the form of loans from RBS, Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC, Santander and Nationwide.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_S9zIjJhBkvQ-QfGm6wZ7_d8I6pQaXXedd3OwIIpt8zwOApQq_FdLjPEQasoyC0vgNhUUxzAawEvou37jJLRVMfJuWyJqTdg2W7NfZox5-Fq4D_9-DDFb5da6H51AxrrCM7RFxKa85sl/s1600/DWglasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_S9zIjJhBkvQ-QfGm6wZ7_d8I6pQaXXedd3OwIIpt8zwOApQq_FdLjPEQasoyC0vgNhUUxzAawEvou37jJLRVMfJuWyJqTdg2W7NfZox5-Fq4D_9-DDFb5da6H51AxrrCM7RFxKa85sl/s1600/DWglasses.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><b>Residents of flood-hit areas were furious. “All these politicians who’ve been going round welly-clad to spout their opinions, it’s all just talk,” said Duncan Williams (pictured left) from Chertsey, Surrey.</b></div>
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The reality is that the Tories slashed funding for food defences by almost £100 million a year.</div>
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Hundreds of projects that were planned after the Pitt review that followed the 2007 floods were cancelled.
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These include ones that would have protected Burrowbridge in Somerset and Yalding in Kent where Cameron was keen to be photographed.
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New Tory guidelines meant that flood defence projects had to guarantee they would prevent an average £8 of damage for every £1 they cost to build.
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The figure was previously £5.
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<b>That effectively ruled out the river-dredging on the Somerset Levels that the Tories are now keen to champion.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGBeFw6VMKUIhXKY88mq9wSPwJuvdUuzjDlqwo2GbzyPQBXxrKxmUvOnst_XpDRGrsjH9djE_Qj52sVcY5cSbH7SN6A0dbFTsV7tD8I5HlZp84wzbxF0Ep5OZk3mkjsflTIzK9wzJ8_2F/s1600/cameron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGBeFw6VMKUIhXKY88mq9wSPwJuvdUuzjDlqwo2GbzyPQBXxrKxmUvOnst_XpDRGrsjH9djE_Qj52sVcY5cSbH7SN6A0dbFTsV7tD8I5HlZp84wzbxF0Ep5OZk3mkjsflTIzK9wzJ8_2F/s1600/cameron.jpg" height="155" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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It means that many homes are seen as not worth saving.
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Cameron (pictured right) claimed that more has been spent on floods under the current four year period than in the previous four years. This sleight of hand only works if non-government funding is counted.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Y7JH6ayNp01PWPcJ6Jr2a6AvnGdqpgcUU94s641M6oSRJ-mzb9KibKa1GUNI8r6kklnG8l_QtJFM7NaPVAePIGRYunrrzkBaycXi-DGpStTTsDmp_QetavNh_PdVz5ZXCM2RldPrsfkN/s1600/p4_backstory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Y7JH6ayNp01PWPcJ6Jr2a6AvnGdqpgcUU94s641M6oSRJ-mzb9KibKa1GUNI8r6kklnG8l_QtJFM7NaPVAePIGRYunrrzkBaycXi-DGpStTTsDmp_QetavNh_PdVz5ZXCM2RldPrsfkN/s1600/p4_backstory.jpg" height="200" width="185" /></a>And he has refused to rule out planned job cuts at the Environment Agency.
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<b>Parliament’s committee for climate change warned that £500 million more is needed to make up the shortfall.
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<b>The real cost could be much higher.
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It’s still a tiny fraction of what is wasted on bankers’ bonuses or Trident nuclear weapons.
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<b>But these are the Tories’ priorities, not the environment.</b></div>
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<b>---------------------------------------------------------------</b></div>
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<i>Article first published in Socialist Worker - 22nd Feb, 2014 --</i></div>
<br />Digital Content Editor http://www.blogger.com/profile/05109968093306815474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232247471685702638.post-54557982546777555042014-01-31T03:56:00.000-08:002014-01-31T03:56:05.458-08:00Constructing her own learning curve<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">When Claire Cooper left school aged 17 she was sure of
only one thing. She had no idea what job she wanted to do but she wanted to be
really, really good at it.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #222222;">Claire is a project surveyor at Harsco
Infrastructure UK Ltd having risen through the ranks alongside gaining two
degrees from the University
of Portsmouth – one at
foundation level and the other a Master’s.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #222222;">A passion for construction and for seeing buildings rise
from the ground has driven her since her first day working at Harsco, which is
a global provider of construction and industrial maintenance services, nine
years ago.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6ecLwPg6CPRrP0DIVG5hsKdPvpGhKYNBNHt40top6vrzL5tsNynYh1scUE3ur5xeeqRgDPpNEvIHRvliyBiMfcOtU_vVPe4rmPtVBfzi4FRIVZVDJlwmP3ICTTAPYzda-xic_BwmYX2n/s1600/Claire+Cooper+-+USE+THIS+ONE+IN+MEDIA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6ecLwPg6CPRrP0DIVG5hsKdPvpGhKYNBNHt40top6vrzL5tsNynYh1scUE3ur5xeeqRgDPpNEvIHRvliyBiMfcOtU_vVPe4rmPtVBfzi4FRIVZVDJlwmP3ICTTAPYzda-xic_BwmYX2n/s1600/Claire+Cooper+-+USE+THIS+ONE+IN+MEDIA.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Working hard, studying hard:
Claire Cooper</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222;">She said: I have always been fascinated by
construction and engineering. Seeing the transitions of a project from a
drawing on an A2 sheet of paper to an actual building site is very rewarding
and I enjoy my part in that process.”</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Claire
graduated from the University
of Portsmouth last summer
with an MSc Project Management with distinction. She had studied part-time for
three years while working full-time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Before
studying for her Master’s she had studied at Itchen
College, in collaboration with University of Portsmouth, for a Foundation Degree in
Business and Management, which also took three years part-time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">She said:
“I have always been very enthusiastic about learning, but w</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">hen I left
school, I had little idea of what I wanted to do, except that I wanted to do
well for myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“As a result, I simply took up every opportunity
and challenge that presented itself. If you do that then you’ll find something
you enjoy doing.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Claire
self-funded her study for the Foundation Degree because she wanted a
business-qualification and to widen her knowledge of operations, marketing and
finance.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“Harsco
saw my commitment to studying and its benefits to my work so they
offered to pay for me to study for my Master’s.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Claire
learned about different project management styles and best practice, and how to
use project management tools and techniques. Her employer could see the
benefits almost immediately and she was promoted twice.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">She said:
“I love working in construction. I love seeing projects run from start to
finish and projects are so much more than just bricks and mortar. This passion
has definitely developed because of the combination of working and studying in
this field.”</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i>Duncan Williams </i></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<br />Digital Content Editor http://www.blogger.com/profile/05109968093306815474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232247471685702638.post-8411603225576028562013-10-25T11:15:00.000-07:002013-10-25T11:15:03.959-07:00NumberTel : Give your business a boost!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08n2qvF_5bCV0oeXfmdlQIxQldCSBFFHe6CNextD3n8Q5xdZAnD4zcDq-M6H7MVqFIr0g42Fjyh2ACUD2XmpkS4ZOwwNAir9rtIPv49EC3rxUOonzY1cPwklzse3yJjM5Gf0VneMy4HAg/s1600/Numbertel-advert.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08n2qvF_5bCV0oeXfmdlQIxQldCSBFFHe6CNextD3n8Q5xdZAnD4zcDq-M6H7MVqFIr0g42Fjyh2ACUD2XmpkS4ZOwwNAir9rtIPv49EC3rxUOonzY1cPwklzse3yJjM5Gf0VneMy4HAg/s320/Numbertel-advert.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Digital Content Editor http://www.blogger.com/profile/05109968093306815474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232247471685702638.post-70712652839286358022011-09-07T17:30:00.000-07:002017-03-13T13:43:41.881-07:00Why Positive News Is Good For Us All<div class="article-header normal" data-role="header" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px 30px 25px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="article-title-wrap" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h1 class="article-title" style="border: 0px; color: #0c7ead; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px 0px 0.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: small;">...And Press Ethics Are No Bad Thing</span></h1>
<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="article-meta article-meta-top" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Independent News Ltd. buys previously loss making newspapers and turns them into profit making entities that improve communications with local communities.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="article-content sc" data-role="content" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px; margin: 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.2em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
This is all done with the power of positive news. Positive news sells. Companies would much rather have their product or service advertised alongside an uplifting article that puts the reader in a good mood than an article about doom and gloom.<br />
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Duncan Williams of Independent News Ltd</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Positive Stories</span><br />
What kind of stories do you like to read in the news?</div>
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Stories about success and celebration? Or stories about tragedy and the misfortune of others?</div>
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Most people would surely prefer to read uplifting stories that are well written and that aim to educate and inspire.</div>
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But unfortunately, when you take a look at your daily newspaper each morning, you may notice that the main headlines all focus on negativity.</div>
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Nowadays, column inches seem to be packed full of the woes of celebrities, the failures of politicians, the depressing overview of the economic climate. Even worse, these stories of gloom are often reported with an amount of glee on behalf of the journalist. The articles are often poorly written and do not educate nor inspire positive change in the life of the reader or society in general.</div>
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But wouldn’t it be nice to be greeted with an uplifting story about achievement, about something to celebrate, about something optimistic to get you in a good mood as you take on the day?</div>
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This is exactly what Duncan Williams, a Director on the board of Independent News Ltd., aims to achieve. He really does believe in the power of a good story.</div>
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“A good story does as it says on the tin; It reports a truthful, inspiring message. Maybe sheds a little light on some gloom… or draws attention to somebody or something worthwhile. The story’s power lies in the fact that through its reporting it seeks to encourages more of the same” said Williams.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Improving Society With Positive Media</span></div>
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Duncan Williams hopes to increase the well-being of society with positive media.</div>
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“Marginalised elements of society often find it hard to access or express views in the mainstream media. Broadly speaking there is a trade in sensationalism and death. A tragic killing gets a mass of column inches and airtime, whereas the celebration of a human life gets far less. A birthday of a 100 year old citizen deserves as much, if not more attention, than the gleeful reporting of yet more doom and gloom. Coverage should always aim to be personal and real. Profiles of people should aim to help readers identify and feel a part of the story rather than apart from it. Ten years of revised media attitudes could have a remarkably beneficial effect upon society.”</div>
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A good story does not necessarily have to be an uplifting story of celebration. A tragic story can also be a good story.</div>
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In the reporting of a tragic story the reader demands that there be a point and a purpose to the way the story is told. From a tragedy people can still learn something that will help them in life. A tragedy often brings out the best in people and highlights the inner strength of human beings, with communities pulling together during times of adversity.</div>
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Whether it be about a tragedy or a success, a good story is always about the celebration of human life.</div>
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“It’s human nature to want a good motive to override a bad one; it’s what best assists group survival” states Williams.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Good Stories Sell</span><br />
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A good story is also advantageous from a business perspective. <span class="goog_qs-tidbit goog_qs-tidbit-0" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Good stories sell.</span></div>
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<span class="goog_qs-tidbit goog_qs-tidbit-0" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With Independent News Ltd., Duncan Williams has found</span> a winning business formula of purchasing previously loss making regional newspapers and fast tracking them into profit. By doing this he has built up a portfolio of titles launched specifically at improving communication within local communities.</div>
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Independent News Ltd. uses what is known as value advertising to turn the newspapers into profitable entities.</div>
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The concept of value advertising is to increase the number of positive and uplifting stories in newspapers to make it more appealing for companies to want to purchase advertising space alongside such articles.</div>
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Duncan Williams believes that advertisers would much rather have an ad for their product displayed next to a positive story than alongside a story full of gloom and negativity. An uplifting story will shed the product in a more positive light. The reader will also be in a more positive mood as a result of the story and thus more receptive to advertisements on the page.</div>
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“If you were a newspaper advertiser would you want to promote your product or service next to an article about something dark and negative or positive and uplifting? Positive wins through.” he said.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Creating A More Positive Society</span></div>
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Independent News Ltd. is about more than just profiting from uplifting stories. Duncan Williams believes that by offering more positive media, we can build a more positive society.</div>
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“When all focus is placed relentlessly upon the negative, true vision, faith and hope all get eroded. A new pair of glasses can remind people that the world can still be a very beautiful place even in the most difficult of times. Modern media can be that powerful.” he states.</div>
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Duncan Williams wants to see more stories about the celebration of human life. Stories that help readers identify and feel part of the story rather than apart from it. He believes that ten years of revised media attitudes could have a remarkably beneficial effect upon society.</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Future Of Positive Media</span></div>
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As Independent News Ltd. continue to turn around the fortunes of magazines and newspapers, the amount of quality content in the media is only going to increase.</div>
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In 10 years’ time you may well get to take a look at your morning newspaper and read a good story that not only informs you, but educates you, and inspires you, and enriches your life. Wouldn’t that make a nice change?</div>
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Digital Content Editor http://www.blogger.com/profile/05109968093306815474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232247471685702638.post-24670177209489851002002-09-04T12:26:00.000-07:002013-09-04T12:27:04.925-07:00Welcome to City Life!Digital Content Editor http://www.blogger.com/profile/05109968093306815474noreply@blogger.com0