The Hampstead & Highgate Express has published a 24-page supplement written entirely by readers.
Editor Geoff Martin said he was so inundated with contributions that he is looking to produce more reader-generated publications.
According to Martin, the Readers’ Edition, which included comment pieces, analysis, cartoons and crosswords, could have stretched to 48 pages.
‘Most of it was of a very high standard,’said Martin. ‘There was some very strong criticism of local politicians and councillors that went through the normal editing process.
“There was one complex piece that we had to have legal discussions about. We are still looking at it; it concerns a doctor who is coming up against the General Medical Council for a hearing. One contributor came up strongly to his defence and there was an element of sub-judice about the whole thing that we weren’t comfortable with. We are still speaking to the author about publishing it at a later date.
‘One thing did surprise me about the readers. People are very critical of journalists, but we had some quite high-maintenance contributors: people who wanted to see proofs of their copy and wanted to know what headline would be with it.”
Martin says he has been contacted by other editors and executives showing an interest in the venture and asking for copies of the paper.
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