View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
October 14, 2009

“Forget your Facebook and toss your Twitter,” Chelmsford editor gets out his soapbox

By Gary Neale

Essex Chronicle editor Alan Geere has boosted his paper’s local profile without creating a Facebook group, or spending all his time twittering.

Instead he has gone back to the ’20s and taken a soapbox to the high street to let the public shout about their news, sans editing.

Geere said from his soapbox: “Forget your Facebook and toss your Twitter, now is the chance for everyone to talk directly to your audience.”

The two-hour session in Chelmsford High Street let people talk about everything from the war in Afghanistan to the development of Stansted, and Geere was astonished that people just stood and listened.

He said: “Some heckled, some tried to argue but most simply listened in a respectful and admiring silence. All were grateful for the opportunity afforded simply to be part of our democratic exercise. ”

Geere now plans to try and make the soapbox a regular fixture in Chelmsford and is talking to the council.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network