The debate about what to put in and leave out, whether a story should go online straight away, and where in the newspaper it should run, can be quite fascinating. And, given most journalists are straightforward people, it can also be pretty robust.
You’ll notice this morning I’ve chosen to run a pretty offensive photo of dog poo. I canvassed a few opinions about using this and we had a bit of a debate about the pros and cons, given it is quite disgusting and some of you will be munching through your cornflakes as you read this.In the end? Well, here it is. I thought the sign attached to the offending motion was very funny and that was what made it newsworthy — without it, it would just have been a yuk image and probably not worth publishing.
Anyway, do you have a view on whether we should have run this photo? Let me know what you think. I deliberately decided not to make it the main image in the column, for obvious reasons.
The photo was taken by Jesse Beard, who writes: "You are not the only one annoyed by the dog crap on the streets of Dunedin. My wife and I enjoy walking as a means of helping the middle-age spread to stop spreading.
"What it said made my day, and I had to take a photo of it. I hope its message puts a smile on faces."
More on doggy droppings tomorrow. But I need to boast that, after nearly 30 years as a journalist, I feel I’ve finally made it, having sparked an international response on dog poo.
James Hall, of our online team, seemed overly keen to pass on a tweet from @PooPrintsUK saying: "Dog poo is not just a British problem! Dunedin, New Zealand has (is) also getting irritated by it. At least Kiwis have a dog-licence regime; easier to add on dog DNA registration!".
Great to see people on the other side of the world are reading the column and hearing about the big issues facing our city.
Poet’s corner
Here’s a contribution from Tom Landreth of Cromwell, entitled Life’s a Pisa Cake Up Here
He lived and worked in Dunedinfor quite a lengthy time.
Retirement came, he smartly moved
to Cromwell’s sunny clime.
He thought he’d blend in right away
this optimistic geezer
but blew his cover, sad to say
by talking of Mount Peeza.
We have no leaning tower here
nor wait to see it fall
though we have concerns about the state
of our Memorial Hall.
Time moves on, our hero now
is older and far wiser
and glibly says "In winter
we get heaps of snow on Pieza".
Unsolicited emails
This one arrived on Friday and its random bizarreness made me chuckle.
"Dear Manager, Hope you are well! This’s Lily, a lovely girl from B&R umbrella factory in South of CN (China). We are umbrellas manufacturer for many year.
"Our product range including mini umbrellas — straight umbrellas, golf umbrellas, fashion umbrellas, clear umbrellas, beach umbrellas and promotional one.
"If you allow me to sent you an E-catalog, I’m glad to sent one soon. Looking forward to yr reply.
"Yours, Lily"
TV memories
This email struck a chord. I recall the writer’s subject clearly and the message it sent when I was a teenager that it was, finally, time to go to bed.
"Connie Masters from Balclutha here. The best programme on TV used to come on around midnight every evening.
"The little kiwi used to put out his milk bottle, climb the stairs, tuck himself in."
This wonderful piece of New Zealand television history — the "Goodnight Kiwi" on TV2 — was created by animator Sam Harvey, who died in 2014. It played for the last time on October 19, 1994.
I always remember the cheeky look on the cat’s face as he/she peers into the camera, just before the kiwi turns out the lights.
Gavin Dann, of Alexandra, says his earliest memory of TV in New Zealand is one of "great disappointment".
"With TV about to be introduced to the four main centres, my father said he would be among the first to purchase a TV set.
"As a boy I had no idea what a TV set looked like, so imagine my delight and excitement on dad’s birthday in the early 1960s when he unwrapped his rather large present with a screen that I thought was rather small for a family to comfortably sit around and watch.
"The screen was about three inches by three inches and the lack of dials surprised me.
"Turned out to be a new-fangled type of bathroom scale. How disappointing was that!"
Guess you had to watch your weight instead, Gavin... .
Comments
No excuse for not picking up your dog's poo and not doing so gives the rest of dog owners a bad name. In a place like Dunedin which is already anti-dog, that isn't helpful. Where the DCC have put litter bins (eg on Portobello Road) it is now unusual to see dog poo laying in wait for your feet. Either those walking their dogs in this area are more responsible or the fact that there is somewhere to put the droppings makes a difference. Maybe the people of Highgate should ask for (extra) bins.