I read with great pride the story from the Congleton Chronicle
(Press Gazette , 28 January) describing how the newspaper reunited a
mother with her son in the wake of the tsunami disaster.
Hats off to the Chronicle, which is not too far from my own stomping ground of Leek, for this fantastic story.
The
mother said she had tried to enlist the help of governments and
embassies to no avail, yet a 35p-newspaper managed what they could not.
If there was ever a reason for an independent newspaper industry free from government regulation then that is it.
I
became a journalist for altruistic reasons – it certainly wasn’t for
the pay, the holidays or the respect – and I feel proud when my
colleagues achieve what the Chronicle did.
Thumbs up to all my
fellow journalists who continue banging their stubbed fingers on the
keypad in an heroic effort to ‘make a difference.’
Whether the public recognise our good work or not all of you should feel pride in our great industry.
And on that note, dear editor, I believe my obligation is complete and I would like my “Trust me I’m a journalist”
lapel badge now please.
Shaun Lintern Your Leek Paper
(Editor’s note: Happy to oblige, Shaun)
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