ScillyOnLine

[Sandman]

Are Scilly news actually based on the islands. They seem to be reporting everything that's going on at the moment, but with glaring inaccuracies. They've even picked up on it at the webcam. Who do we contact to try and get things put straight and is it anything to do with Radio Scilly?

If not, I hope Radioscilly puts them out of business!!!!!

[John Poulson]

Where do ScillyNews get their information from??????

Probably the same place everybody else does.

Being a little harsh here aren't we. I heard about the accident with the "rib" on Sunday night and I was told it was a rib. I was also told that the Police incident was at the disco. I guess it’s a question of getting the stories up quickly with available information at that point.

Everything is updated as more information becomes available, probably been done already.

As far as I know the person who does ScillyNews is away at the moment, given that I think they do a damn good job.

As for the Webcam the only pulse that most of their guest book contributors have their finger on is a lentil.

Someone does this in their own time and doesn't get paid. God knows the BBC get it wrong enough times, and look at their resources.

If this is you’re your first post, I look forward to the rest.

I now very happily withdraw the para in italics.

[Sandman]

Sorry. I was not trying to be vindictive (if I wanted to do that I would have used bold type) I was just trying to express my frustration at inaccurate reporting. If you are suggesting that "everybody else" gets their information from rumour and local stories, surely the press should be better than that and obtain facts before reporting. I too heard about the "rib", but after a couple of hours, and after talking to some people close to the incident, I found out what is now proven to be the facts. Having it published on a news website inaccurately can send the wrong message around the world and could worry anyone who knows someone with a rib!!!!!!!

And as for the BBC, they apologise when they get things wrong, SN didn't when they inaccurately reported a young mans name, in a recent tragic article..........

I would love Scillynews to continue as long as they can get the facts right rather than basing it on rumour.

As my second post, I hope it lives up to your expectations

[shah_boy]

I wouldn't include ScillyNews with "The Press", I suppose they are but as I am a reporter for them, I think I have written two articles, and I don't get anything. You can hardly consider it to be a media outlet!

[Bymore Mutton]

I heard about the drowning on Sunday night, I asked three people all of whom told me it was a rib. I also called the Police, obviously there was no answer. I called Beth who I think is the only current reporter for ScillyNews and told her what I knew. She asked if I was sure it was a rib, I said that I had asked 3 people, who should have known. I had some names which were right but Beth wouldn't put them up without official confirmation, names really matter. It doesn't really matter if the make of boat is right, but it can be upsetting to read that you have just died. She then put the story up, after me assuring her again that to the best of my knowledge it was a rib.

Sometimes you have to go with the information you have or not put anything up. There’s a comment on the web cam about research, well often at first there is nothing to research and no official source, and all you can go with is what you hear. The headline was Woman feared drowned in RIB accident. Everyone knew there had been a death, but that’s something Beth wouldn’t post without definite facts.

So I guess it's my fault, but how many people do you need to ask before you go with it. Bearing in mind this was Sunday before a bank holiday and there are no official sources.


Regarding the police thing, I was told both the club and the disco, the BBC went with "a nightclub". The assumption was wrongly made that it was the Disco, who thinks of the Scillonian as a night club, but again there was no available official source.

As for Robert's name, I just looked and it is wrong, but that's the first I knew about it. An extremely easy mistake to make, and surely the least of the poor lad's family's worries.

[Scillynews]

So sorry about these inaccuracies.

The nightclub was an assumption - as far as I know, there is only one nightclub on the Islands.

As for Robert - I got the name from VERY reputable sources on the internet whom it would never occur to me not to trust.

The rib - I was assured over and over again that it was accurate by a contact on the Islands.

Since I hold two full-time jobs on the mainland, clearly trying to keep SN updated with accurate info is not working so I am going to call it a day next week.

Having tried to keep it up in any spare 5 mins I have from work for the last year and a bit is allowing crucial errors to slip in, for which I profusely apologise.

[Bav]

That's very sad, I hope that you don't feel that you have been hounded out by a few harsh criticisms. Let's not forget that the so called professional media make far worse errors, and some of the time can't be bothered to check their facts.
Whether you give up or not (hopefully), then thanks for all the hard work, a lot of people really appreciate it.

[muffin]

Hello Scilly News. Just to say I think you've done a difficult job extremely well for a good while now, particuarly considering the distance involved.Anyone who puts their head above the parapet of a small community is inevitably going to get shot at at their slightest mistake.I wonder if one of your critics will be willing to single-handedly take over this responsible, purely voluntary job ? Or maybe they are rather tied up soaking kidney beans.I shall await developments with baited breath......

[shoestrung]

I am still floating around keeping an eye on things and I feel it is a shame that SN feels the need to stop providing the Service they have done up to this point. I am always very aware that strong views can provoke an equally strong reaction, but in this instance, I don't think anyone has actually been insulting, just vented their spleen, had I edited a post or two I could have been accused of censorship.

One possibly sensible comment from our new found friend "The Sand Man" is about Radio Scilly. Rather than fold altogether, could SN work something out WITH Radio Scilly. With people on the ground and reporters on each island, they could combine forces with SN's experience and IT know How and create something new for the web and for SN's followers and at the same time, give Radio Scilly another outlet.

Just a thought!

[Scillynews]

I think I have given some of you the wrong impression. I'm not packing in because of the comments. I simply have too many commitments and I can't give ScillyNews the attention it deserves.

All news services make mistakes, I don't like it when they happen but it’s inevitable that they will. There is always the trade off between getting the story up fast and accuracy. I don’t mind at all when gaffes get pointed out, in fact I‘d rather they were. Of course I’d rather errors were highlighted constructively rather than destructively, but that’s life.

Thank you very much for all the kind comments posted here and on the SWC, it’s nice to know that you are not always writing in a vacuum.

[Tigger]

It would be such a shame if you (Scilly News) gave up. It is the only way us mainlanders can keep up with whats happening on the Islands. Is there no way anyone else can help you out? I undersand your're busy, can no one help you out or take over?
Anyway, thanks for all you've done thus far. You have put a lot of time and comitment in to SN and it has been appreciated.

[UNCLEJOHN]

Sorry to hear that you're giving it up!
Scilly News gives us landlubbers an unbiased view as to what's going on.
Is there no-one who can help?