Fighting Fake News: Why facts matter to readers

Last week, we launched a campaign Fighting Fake News and highlighted the very real dangers of fabricated stories peddled across social media.

We highlighted the exemplary standards of training we invest in and the robust codes of conduct we are committed to in order to provide news that is wholly trusted.

It is a campaign that is being supported by local papers across the UK.

This week, residents said our quality journalism was essential in holding up the high standards we have all come to expect and keeping them fully informed of local decisions and information.

Dave Blacker, chairman of Talbot ward PACT (police and community together) and a youth worker for Blackpool Boys and Girls Club, said: “For organisations like ourselves, it is absolutely vital we get the message out locally about the work we are doing.

“One of our main tools for that is The Gazette.

“The Gazette gives the town a voice and will highlight an issue and throw it open to debate.

“But it doesn’t tell people what they should be thinking.”

Elaine Smith, chairman of the Friends of Stanley Park and Salisbury Woodland, said: “All kinds of things go out on Facebook and Twitter which aren’t true.

“But you know if something is in the Gazette, it is genuine local news.

“That certainly helps us when we want to publicise fund-raising or events such as the park’s 90th birthday celebrations this summer.”

Brian Coope, of South Shore Community Partnership, said: “There are very few media outlets that specifically report on Blackpool and Fylde local news issues.

“If we lost our local paper who would hold certain bodies to account?”

Here at the Gazette we are proud to provide a trusted news service that our readers can trust.