Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey People
Came through my door this morning. How much does it cost to produce this glossy full-colour magazine and why are the council still publishing it while cutting day centres and other essential services? An paying someone to deliver it house to house.
If they must publish something, Hackney council produce a smaller newspaper-style one, presumably cheaper, which actually has a lot more local community information in it and not just council good news propaganda.
Tags for Forum Posts: haringey people
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Finsbury Park Ranger on
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Printing anything you don't have to can't be that cost effective. Also the top down nature of media publishing is not desirable even by a benevolent God if people can't legitimately comment afterwards and share ideas. Far better to have a networked thriving online community with essential news print outs sent by snail mail for those that need them.
If Haringey doesn't do it soon borough wide, Murdoch will.
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Permalink Reply by KP on
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I agree Clive. If they are going to keep it at least give residents the chance to opt-in/out. I actually can't see that many people wanting it but at least that would be their choice. All the other print supplements I know of have gone online to save costs I don't see why this should be any different
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Permalink Reply by Abi on
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I suspect this is the problem. Nobody would opt in to it, and the powers that be are well aware of this.
I don't hate everything that goes into HP - I just don't like paying for stuff that I don't want or need. A PDF would be fine.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Thanks to Clive for the link to Eddie Finnegan's very funny 2008 piece kicking-off a discussion about the Haringey People magazine.
But it stopped being quite so funny when Hugh posted that he'd received a private message - he never said from whom - "complaining that this post [was] political and requesting that [he] remove it".
Subsequently, Hugh said that the same person wrote to him twice more to justify their view.
I'm assuming that whoever wrote from the shadows trying to suppress discussion on this website, has ceased to be a politician in public life. However, the baton of censorship has been passed on. The culture of intolerance of dissent continues - more strongly and more powerful than before.
In the 2008 discussion thread Liz Ixer pointed out that: "in Westminster many politicians are delighted to be the subject of political cartoons and often get copies of them to display. What did Oscar Wilde say? 'The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about'." In that spirit , Liz suggested that those satirised by Eddie's piece should: "Print it out and hang it on the wall".
Maybe they took her advice? Although I could hardly see that happening with the humourless, self-important political nonentities now "leading" Haringey Council.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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It's [Haringey People magazine is] not entirely crap.
Alan in all fairness, I have to agree. It has been estimated that between 1% to 10% is not crap; independent research verifies that the percentage varies between issues.
On Eddie's Comedic Masterpiece
I agree with you that whoever tried to suppress it on deeply spurious grounds of race (and shielding those with learning difficulties), is humourless and dishonest to boot. I also agree with Liz, that if I'd been featured in that way, I'd be hanging it on the wall, printing, distributing etc.
I should say that – although for me Eddie's 2008 Masterpiece stands out head and shoulders in the history of HOL as the best ever – you yourself set a very high average in terms of consistent humour. Seriously.
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Clive, how dare you suggest that anything I write is intended to be humour. It is always factual, accurate and comprehensively evidenced. I have left a secret message for Hugh Flouch in the usual hollow tree in Finsbury Park, making entirely reasonable and non-negotiable demands.
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I have left a secret message for Hugh Flouch in the usual hollow tree in Finsbury Park
Hugh had better retrieve your secret message soon.
Despite the usual tree being subject to the Tree Preservation Order you arranged, I hear that the Hollow Tree is scheduled for the chop in the New Year. Something about it being in the way of the Cabinet's enhanced Finsbury Park Concerts policies. Sounds to me like crossed wires.
Can I suggest that in future you leave your secret messages under the Recycling Bins by the Endymion Road gate, where they are likely to remain undisturbed for long periods.
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It there a PDF available ? I'm actually curious to read the thing now rather than very briefly flicking through it to confirm its still on par with pizza leaflets and taxi cards and binning it as is customary.
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FPR, a link to the current issue is here
and an archive of the last four years can be found here
I'm pleased to say that the number of photos of Councillors from the Majority Group* has been dramatically reduced as compared with previous issues. Perhaps this is a response to the Communities Secretary suggesting that publications like this amount to propaganda on the rates.
*it was almost always Majority Group Councillors who featured
in the published photo opportunities. I wonder why?
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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OK I've read it again online, as mine went in the recycling after a quick flick through. I prefer reading it online as I don't feel so irritated at the costly-looking production values and the fact that, at the end of the day, it is still waste paper. I liked the article on the community garden in Stanhope Gardens, but feel less interested in the rest.
The relentless positivity does wear thin, especially as many of the messages are about tackling the same problems that are (or will soon be) being exacerbated by cuts. Articles about trying to clean up the borough appear in almost every issue, and yet my garden has for twenty years been a receptacle for litter dropped in the street, and never seems to have improved much. And I note that 'street cleansing' is one of the areas slated for cuts in the next round.
I just think HP is an expense that could be cut, or cut back on (since a PDF version still requires photographers, writers, editors, layout artists, etc. ), rather than dismantling some of the most important support networks for vulnerable people. A question of priorities.
And I would very much like to hear an answer to the FOI request about exactly how much it does cost - I'm amazed we can't seem to find this out.
I don't for the moment think that the council will stop printing the magazine, though, as it paints them so thoroughly as a successful,dynamic and effective organisation.
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Also I didn't see any paid-for advertising. Although I'm not sure I'd like it to look like Haringey Council, sponsored by....
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Thanks FPR, for suggesting downloading ihe December/January edition of Haringey People Magazine - rather than taking the usual two steps outside the front door to the recycling bin.
I hadn't seen it. (Maybe deliveries haven't yet arrived here in the far east.) But there are indeed several intriguing aspects to the latest edition, which made me think rather more than a Pizza Leaflet. Although probably not thoughts which the Dear Leader might welcome.
But what are your views?
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