COMMENT: What now for journalism?

By Vaila Wishart

Back in the cold war days of the Soviet Union, a sailor from Russia or one of the Baltic states would occasionally jump ship and make a dash for freedom, often chased by fellow crewmen.

It made a good story which the Shetland stringer, Wishart, Lerwick, would phone down to the national press.

Sometimes the big boys from the daily papers would arrive to cover it for themselves. The Daily Express in particular loved an anti-reds story.

These reporters had a shorthand note of at least 100 words a minute. They could look up their notes
and have a story ready to phone to newsroom copytakers at breakneck speed to beat their rivals.

In those days, when they had sent in their stories, they would come to our house to meet up with Wishart, Lerwick, and spend the night drinking too much and telling tall tales of their exploits, which got taller as the night went on. I know this because I used to sit on the stairs and listen.

Some of those who survived their careers without liver damage became tutors for my generation of would-be reporters, who also understood why shorthand was important: speed and accuracy was the key to good quality reporting.

Times change. Shorthand is rarely used. Reporters carry recorders which makes writing a story take longer.

Drinking at lunchtime is frowned upon. The noisy clack of typewriters gave way long ago to the almost silent tapping on a keyboard.

Newsrooms became quieter.

Today news is no longer daily or weekly. It is instant and continuous. Social media rules, but is it accurate?

As the printed press declines, on at least one national newspaper reporters are expected to reach targets for the number of hits their stories get on their website.

Editorial policy based on clicks.

These days people don’t expect to pay for news. They get fed “news” on Facebook, Tiktok, Telegram, Instagram or whatever and as they scroll they can skim through all kinds of stories.

News? Not really. Clickbait? You bet.

Most in-depth reporting, higher quality journalism, in what’s left of the press is behind paywalls. The Times and Financial Times, for example, produce good quality content, but most folk don’t want to payfor it when they can get headlines free of charge. If you don’t pay for it, you get what you’re given rather than what you choose.

So national and local newspapers are dying and quality is not valued. Accountants have always looked on reporters as a bit of an unnecessary expense, and jobs are being shed up and down the country.

Even the BBC tends to pick up whatever is trending on social media, stories that would never have made five-minute radio bulletins previously, to keep the listener from straying elsewhere. They’re all covering the same things.

As author Ian Dunt has remarked, when journalism was made free it was the death-knell for serious reporting.

So with reporters up and down the land being made redundant, and newspaper circulation plummeting, the outlook is bleak.

There are already parts of the country which can be described as news deserts with no coverage of local councils, courts or other public services. Who provides unbiased reporting and holds those in power to
account? And how does anyone know how accurate the information they read is if they don’t know where it comes from?

I have previously ranted about the need for critical thinking to be on the school curriculum from an early age. We’ve already seen mobs targeting immigrants when misinformation was circulated after three children were brutally murdered in Southport. That scenario is highly likely to happen more often especially as our national politicians concentrate their populist campaigns on immigration.

Misinformation and downright lies travel fast.

We are fortunate in Shetland that there are still going to be reporters at the court and council and hopefully investigative journalism is not dead. Elsewhere the picture is bleaker.

I’m glad our little independent local newspaper, which carried good news as well as bad, has survived this long, and thank those who have kept it going as times became more economically difficult.

There’s no point in being nostalgic. The tough old hard-drinking daily reporter chasing a story in his dirty old mac would frighten the horses these days. But the guff and particularly the atrocious spelling on social media makes me wonder what’s in store for communities as people hunker down into their own little spheres of interest.

It’s ironic that as communication becomes easier and faster we tend to become more insular.

I fear this may be my last column. While I have never expected readers to agree with what I write, perhaps it has occasionally provided food for thought and discussion.

Especially when you disagree. Because if there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s intolerance.

• Vaila Wishart is a Straight Talking contributor for The Shetland Times

Half marathon challenge in memory of much-loved dad

Members of a Gulberwick family will this month run the Edinburgh half marathon in memory of a loved one who died from a “catastrophic” brain haemorrhage.

Kris Fraser died unexpectedly last September after taking seriously ill at work on board the North Sea rig where he worked.

The drilling and completion supervisor with Total E&P UK Ltd was immediately flown by medivac to Norway, but died a few days later with his loved ones by his bedside in a Bergen hospital.

His family, friends and work colleagues were devastated by the tragedy.

But now, his family want to turn their heartbreak into something positive.

They are running the Edinburgh half-marathon on 25th May for the charity Brain Tumour Research on what would have been Kris’s 52nd birthday.

Kris’s widow Louise, sons Kieran and Leighton and daughter Eve are all taking part in the challenge.

Kieran said: “Dad always wanted to help his family and friends whenever they needed, and so through this we hope he can do that one more time.”

Louise had an operation on a brain tumour in 2012 and further treatment in 2022.

In 2013 she ran in the Nike Run to the Beat half marathon in London with her sisters Clare Inkster and Katherine Nisbet, raising over £10,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

The Edinburgh half marathon will be the culmination of local fundraising. It will follow Sunday teas on 18th May in the Gulberwick hall, where Kris was a committee member.

The teas, organised by Clare, will include what is described as a “possibly Shetland’s biggest jigsaw sale”.

A raffle will also be held, with a travel voucher for two return Loganair tickets the star prize.

An online auction will also be held from 22nd to 25th May. It is being run by Kieran’s fiancée, Lori Bulter.

Among the donations are a return NorthLink trip for two.

The family would like to thank the many individuals and organisations for their support and contributions to their fundraising efforts.

Donations can be made through a Just Giving page.

Kris fraser, who died last September.

Motorist accused of multiple traffic offences near tourist centre

A motorist has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal after he was stopped by police in Market Cross, Lerwick on Saturday morning near the old Tourist Information centre.

The man is alleged to have committed multiple road traffic offences, including driving without a licence, having no insurance or valid MoT.

He is also alleged to have fraudulently altered a vehicle registration mark.

His vehicle was seized by officers under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Area commander Chris Sewell said: “Keeping Shetland’s roads safe is a priority for me as Area Commander. Driving without a licence, insurance or a valid MoT is unacceptable and puts other road users at risk. I am committed to taking robust enforcement action against those who show such disregard for the law.”

Isles visit from Liberation Convoy draws near

Events to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day are drawing near.

A flotilla of historic vessels are due to visit the isles this week, ahead of VE Day on Thursday.

The convoy is expected to arrive in Lerwick on Tuesday, and will be made open to the public on Wednesday.

The largest in the convoy is the 60-metre cargo ship S/S Hestmanden known as the “Norwegian War Sailor Museum”.  

On Wednesday evening crews from the vessels, veterans and guests will form a procession led by Lerwick Pipe Band.

They will walk from Lerwick harbour to the town hall, via Harbour Street and Fort Charlotte. 

Council convener Andrea Manson will then host an evening civic reception for invited guests. 

On Thursday, VE Day will be marked with public commemorative events in Lerwick and Scalloway. 

The Lord Lieutenant and convener will lead the laying of wreaths, with national anthems played by Lerwick Brass Band and musicians from the Norwegian Naval Band.

A memorial service in Lerwick will take place on Thursday morning at the County War Memorial.  In Scalloway, a memorial service will also take place in the afternoon at the Shetland Bus Memorial.

On Thursday evening musicians from the Norwegian Naval Band will perform at a concert in St Columba’s Kirk in Lerwick. 

Visiting vessels are expected to leave Lerwick harbour from Saturday, with some returning to Norway.

Others will make their way to other Shetland ports, including Scalloway and Baltasound.