WHY I AM WARY OF BECOMING TOO WOKE - 😳

As a former tabloid journalist and now editor of Pulman's Weekly News, I have always been mindful of the impact my words and actions might have on others. However, in today's "woke" culture, it sometimes feels like the goalposts are constantly shifting, and it can be hard to know what is considered acceptable.

One potential risk is the phenomenon of "cancel culture," where individuals are publicly shamed and ostracised for expressing views or engaging in behaviours deemed offensive or harmful by certain groups. While I believe it's important to call out genuine instances of harm or discrimination, cancel culture can also be a blunt instrument that shuts down debate and stifles free expression.

So how might I find myself on the wrong side of woke culture? It could be as simple as expressing a controversial opinion on social media, or using humour or irony that is misinterpreted by some as offensive. It could be participating in an event or organisation that others deem problematic, or even associating with individuals who have been "cancelled" themselves.

Of course, the tricky thing about cancel culture is that it often operates in a highly subjective and unpredictable way. What one person considers a harmless joke, another might see as deeply offensive. What one group deems a legitimate expression of free speech, another might label as hate speech.

All of this can be daunting, but I believe the key is to stay true to one's own values and principles, while also being receptive to feedback and willing to learn from others. It's important to engage in thoughtful dialogue and debate, rather than simply writing off anyone who disagrees with us.

At the end of the day, we all have a responsibility to be mindful of the impact our words and actions have on others, and to strive for a more inclusive and just society. But we also need to be careful not to let cancel culture become a form of censorship that shuts down important conversations and stifles the diversity of viewpoints that are essential to a healthy democracy.

Report by Duncan Williams @PulmansWeekly

Free Media Studies Courses

PULMAN’S WEEKLY NEWS & ADVERTISER SERIES is an award winning media group founded in 1857 by West Country publisher George Philip Rigney Pulman.

In keeping with our founder's original aim to best serve the people, businesses and communities of Devon, Dorset & Somerset, we are please to be able to offer our readers and employees a wide range of free online learning opportunities.

In recent years, digital publishing and news outreach has proved highly successful for all our titles.

Pulman's has always been amongst the first to move with publishing innovations.

We feel confident that an online platform, such as this, which provides access to career enhancing education and skills training - both for our own staff and our readers - is a progressive step forward for a newspaper industry that long ago abandoned its confines to paper only outreach.

After all, news has always sought to enlighten and communicate facts. So too does good education and learning.

Find out more here : https://alison.com/free-lms/pulmans-weekly-news

Pulman's Award sponsors online learning

We have always been so much more than just a community media brand... During the age of the internet, particularly during covid lock-downs, we have been delighted to introduce more people to online learning.

GEORGE PULMAN - VICTORIAN MEDIA MAN

- Remembering a rural publishing pioneer who was also a committed Christian.

Many West Country communities know the name George Pulman well. He is considered something of a Victorian media mogul who founded Pulman's Weekly News way back in 1857.

His media brands continued to be a prolific news source for over 150 years throughout the prime agricultural counties of Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

Pulman's news was always renowned for its reliability and trustworthiness. What was published by Pulman's journalists could be considered as being true.

What people may not know is that George Pulman was also a lifelong committed Christian who worshipped regularly at his local town church in Axminster, Devon.

To help rouse local attendance, George would enthusiastically play the church organ on a Sunday morning. There he went on to meet and marry his young wife, who was likewise drawn to become a regular member of the same Axminster congregation.

Throughout his life he believed in the importance of building community: through Church, rural life and local news. He always upheld values of truth and helped give voice to many West Country causes and concerns that might otherwise have been cast aside and forgotten.

Journalism was a task that required the utmost responsibility and was a profession treated with great respect.

So in today's era of fake news and political propaganda, perhaps it is time to remember the values of one of the news media's earliest pioneers.

A man of faith who built a regional media empire in the wake of the industrial revolution which lasted through multiple generations.

The 'Pulman's Award' and bursary continues to uphold the same values of George Pulman and is open for nominations throughout the year.

George Philip Rigney Pulman: 1819 - 1880

Publisher liable for money owed to journalists still plans to reopen weeklies

Report by David Sharman for HoldTheFrontPage

A publisher at the centre of a row over a series of local newspapers which ceased publication in January has reiterated his determination to reopen them over time.

Duncan Williams, left, bought the View From titles, which cover areas of Dorset, Devon and Somerset, in January following their closure by previous owner, Sunday Independent publisher Peter Masters.

A court has since ruled Mr Williams is liable for money owed to a group of 28 former View From employees who were made redundant when the titles ceased publication.

But he has restated his intention to appeal the decision and says he is still working to get the eight View From titles as well as Axminster-based Pulman’s Weekly News reopened, although he accepts this will not happen in one go.

As part of the relaunch plan, he has set up a video news channel entitled View News which also aims to offer a PR service to local businesses, converting press releases into videos which would then be carried on the newspapers’ social media channels and websites.

The View From titles served towns and villages including Beaminster, Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, Seaton, Honiton and South Somerset, while Pulman’s Weekly News covered Axminster.

Said Duncan: “The titles will all be brought back incrementally. As they have been traditionally free, budgets need to be securely in place first off before relaunching the entire portfolio in one fell swoop.

“Revenues from video advertising and social media are designed to enable this.”

Duncan added: “Despite the recent controversy surrounding their acquisition, I remain very happy indeed with the Pulman’s Weekly News brand.

“Their founder George Pulman was an influential Christian publisher of the Victorian era whose vision I much admire and whose community values are certainly part of what makes local media so vital to regions.

“Likewise, I remain delighted with the View News series, which I know have suffered from sharply declining advertising revenues, repeat closures, rumpuses and relaunches. However, the technology upgrades I have personally invested in are hoping to remedy this.

“To be clear to all of my investors, banks and advertising agencies: I have no intention whatsoever of going bankrupt. The employment tribunal decision will be appealed.”