Not many places get new newspapers nowadays – in fact the opposite is true with more than 300 newspapers closing across the UK in the past ten years.
But Wanstead has bucked the trend with the launch of a new free weekly newspaper – the Wanstead and Woodford Recorder. Issues are being handed out on Wanstead High Street and there will presumably be some door-to-door distribution.
It will come as an unwelcome development for the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian, but is good news for readers – nothing sharpens journalistic ambition like competition.
Wansteadium reader Clive Power has been incredibly quick off the blocks by comparing the rival editions and offers the following analysis.
| W&W Guardian | W&W Recorder | |
| Editions: Thurs 13 October 2016 | Total size of stories (not including headlines & pix) | |
| Wanstead & Woodford news | 10.68m² 52% | 11.99m² 52% |
| Other news: pan-Redbridge | 1.36m² 7% | 5.72m² 24% |
| Out of area news | 8.45m² 41% | 5.55m² 24% |
| (100%)
|
(100%) | |
| Wanstead & Woodford sport | 0.93m² 8% | 3.73m² 23% |
| Local sport, incl WHUFC, LOFC | 6.37m² 53% | 11.24m² 70% |
| Out of area sport | 4.67m² 39% | 1.07m² 7% |
| (100%) | (100%)
|
|
| Price | 65p | Free (80p where sold) |
| Pages | 80 | 56 |
He adds this note:
I measured the size of the news (including planning applications) and sports stories. I did not include headlines or photos or old stories reprinted. So I did not include the many Reception class photos in this week’s W&WG (although only 10 out of 61 of these were from W&W schools).
I did not include the letters as there hasn’t been time for W&WR letters yet (although it is likely to print the same letters as the Ilford Recorder). W&WG had 4 letters (all ‘out of area’) this week; W&WR had 6 (from the Ilford Recorder) plus social media points.
The W & W Guardian is increasingly including news of Epping, Waltham Abbey etc. which is of zero interest to W & W readers. Also, many instances of duplicated articles within the paper. Padded out with court reports, planning applications and adverts. I remember the ‘Woodford Times’ and ‘Express & Independent’ – both truly LOCAL papers. It will be interesting to see if Guardian and Recorder both survive, especially as the Recorder is free.
I hope it will be something like the old Wanstead “Bugle” a dedicated local paper.
can somebody please post me a copy if i send a stamped addressed envelope as i used to live in wanstead and would like to look at this paper many thanks
Casual Trees – the paper handed out in George Lane was the Woodford Recorder and this will doubtless be subsumed into the new title.
Alan – The Woodford Recorder (and the Ilford Recorder) publish(ed) an online edition a few days after the print version. It may well be that you will find future digital copies of the Woodford and Wanstead Recorder at the same place. http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/home/e-edition
Casual Trees – the paper handed out in George Lane was the Woodford Recorder and this will doubtless be subsumed into the new title.
Alan – The Woodford Recorder (and the Ilford Recorder) publish(ed) an online edition a few days after the print version. It may well be that you will find future digital copies of the Wanstead and Woodford Recorder at the same place. http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/home/e-edition