Norfolk Hub - newspaper

I read on the radio station where this paper is celebrating its first anniversary of print. Has anyone read this "paper" laterly? It has gone downhill since the spring.I asked someone about it the other day and they stated that Dave & Monica let go their reporter, editor and office manager/proof reader - all of which from reading this "paper" they truly need to have.

There haven't been any stories to speak of really and the layout is hard on the eyes. The stories that they have had truly need a proof reader as the spelling & grammar errors are awful!

I'm with you on how the HUB has gone down hill! Very disappointed in it and now just glance through it when it comes as there is nothing to read anymore.

I can't even call it a paper.

I don't really care what's going on in the Scott family - which it seems to write about constantly!

I do enjoy the Project Courage articles, but those are written by Cindy of the Silver Parrot. It upsets me and alot of folks that they won't have any stories on people who have died of cancer. Sorry .. but don't tell me that these people didn't have any courage! I would prefer to just buy the book if and when it gets published so that I can read EVERY story that Cindy wrote about.

After reading PC ... I throw it away! What a waste of trees, ink, and my time!

I couldn't agree more with you farmersdaughter!! Thanks for saying what I should have said.

When it first came out it was at least interesting.. and reasonably well written.. now its just a pile of (if you will forgive the expression) ..doggy doo doo

Yes I agree with all of you. I did post a comment on the radio station website but it didn't make it on. What I said was that it was poorly laid out and confusing to read. I wondered why the last line of every paragraph is centred, which makes it hard to follow. And what other newspaper uses the word "I" so much?

Dave and Monica are really great people, but I feel their enthusiasm and compassion for youth could be better utilized elsewhere.

Dave and Monica DO provide great services for kids in the Norfolk area...after-school and before school programs, summer camp, daycare, etc. The Alternative Learning centre for teens is upstairs as well as some Grand Erie courses such as the PSW course. They have hearts of gold and a lot of energy.
They are not experienced publishers.

Re. the Hub... Different papers have different functions. For ex., the Lakeshore Shopper. Some people wait for it to hit the mailbox; I toss it without even unfolding all the ads. It is not of interest to me. It's strictly advertising.

The Bulldog joke page found at coffeeshops is primarily jokes and advertising. Some of the jokes are sexual, racist; some funny, some offensive. That "paper" is not of much interest to me.

The Hub has a specific focus...the NYCA. It's their advertising vehicle and their "voice" re. programs and activities. Some people appreciate the good news and the positive focus. (No crimes are reported; no international news; no war reports; no blood and guts.)

Dave happens to be their main columnist. He can do whatever he likes. It's his paper. He seems to retain reliable sponsors and advertisers.

Dave has a "style" that is his alone. It is a "flow of consciousness" style which does not depend on grammar or punctuation. He writes as he speaks. He could correct it if he wanted to or needed to. But this is Dave's paper. If you don't like it, don't read it. A bit like Don Cherry. To some he is offensive; yet, he DOES have a huge following in spite of his gruff and outspoken manner.

As for the page set-up, it's an easy way to form these wide columns--by centring each line. And yes, I agree, it's distracting....but it's what they have chosen to do. They are doing the set-up themselves now and that's what they have decided is best for their free paper. It's not like we are paying for it.

Yes, I too find the punctuation errors irritating...and the grammar mistakes off-putting. Because I was/am a teacher. And I want to get out my red correcting pen right away!!

I write a column, Grandma' s House, every two weeks for The Hub. A lot of people like it, cut it out, save it, pass it on to others. They stop me on the street and comment on it.

However, I am sure that there are many who do not like it. Those who feel it is silly and irrelevant to them. Who cares? Read it or don't. It's totally volunteer, so it matters not.

If it's not to your liking, then use it on the bottom of your bird cage...just don't put MY PHOTO on top!!

With spelling, grammer and punctuation not getting the focus it should in schools these days ... sadly, youth read publications with various errors and think it's acceptable.

I used to get it free in my mailbox all the time, then it started coming sometimes and now it doesn't come at all. My kids used to bring it home from school all the time, then sometimes, now, not at all.

What a great paper! It starts my campfire everytime

foxhall:"sadly, youth read publications with various errors and think it's acceptable."

I agree. With the spelling of Crazy Frys and everything that is LITE from beer to yogourt, and the Maple Leafs (Leaves?)...kids see the misspellings sometimes more often than the correct spellings!

Spelling is an inborn, natural ability...or not. Right brain/left brain...all that.
So good exemplars ARE important for those who struggle and even for those who don't.

I believe this "paper" is going to the literacy council for their clients. How does this help them if Dave can't spell or write a proper sentence? I can only imagine his English teachers rolling in their graves on this.

And you are absolutely right that they do great things for the NYCA ... so perhaps they should stick with child care and leave newspaper publications to those who know what they are doing and do it right.

Dave is their only columnist because they let go their reporter whom he "stole" from the Reformer.. then let her go. They did the same for the Editor and Proof Reader. So much for good news!! No one in their right minds would leave jobs that they have had for years only to be dumped on the side of the street like trash and told "sorry, we don't have the funds to pay your wages anymore."

Yet they keep wasting newsprint for this garbage?

What a waste!

Did you used to work for them?

You have to admit there isn't anything in that paper to read.

And no I don't, but I know the one girl that did and what happened to the staff is disgusting!

farmersdaughter wrote:

You have to admit there isn't anything in that paper to read.

And no I don't, but I know the one girl that did and what happened to the staff is disgusting!

So without naming names or stuff...what happened to the staff at the Hub?

I understood exactly what it was when it came out and it has remained that, good news only, mainly press releases and NYCA stuff. Nice pics from SP studio folks and another advertising media for business. Some people expected more I guess.

I've been watching this topic for the last couple of days and have actually found myself astounded at how critical some of the views are. I personally use to read articles from the Hub every week.....not all of them were of interest to me, but usually there was something that caught my eye. Also, I noticed as soon as we stopped receiving it in our mail...which has been for a little over a month now - still not sure why?

Batman is right on about the content. It IS mainly NYCA articles, with the addition of charitable community events and some personal life stories. I never thought it was going to be the next Globe and Mail but it seems to serve its purpose. As far as the spelling/grammer goes.....I honestly don't pay that much attention, although I understand how cking would immediately notice these things! While I agree that it is important to proof read items before publishing them I'm certainly not about to crucify someone for their mistakes. I fully admit that I'm not a literary genius by any means, and often my style, grammar, etc differs greatly between my speech, my internet conversations and my personal writing ( resumes, letters, applications -things of a more professional manner).

I guess overall, I'm just surprised at how harsh some of the comments have been...and it makes me glad that I don't work for any of the local papers....eek


*****And yes, I am fully aware that my above message may indeed have spelling and grammar/punctuation errors....however, I've got bigger fish to fry!! lol

Well, I have been forwarding these postings to The Hub. I think it's important that someone read topics of which they are so specifically the theme.

Monica says they are accustomed to both good and bad feedback in all that they do. (They DO gets lots of good feedback as well...as do I re. my Grandma's column.)

Just because the trend here was toward the negative doesn't mean that is the majority.

They see it all as a "learning experience." They do what they think they should do/can do... and, for the most part, they are doing the community a huge service. You can't please everyone all the time. Those who like this paper seek it out. And those who don't...well, they use it to start the fire in the woodstove.

When you do something different in a community, there will always be the naysayers and the critics. We are so used to the Simcoe Reformer and the local papers that we mistrust anything new. And jump quickly on it to criticize any shortcomings. (I do it myself!)

Publishing a paper is not a huge moneymaking undertaking. It can't be. It relies only on advertisers and even that is not going to make huge profits.

I enjoy the photos; many elderly people really love this paper because it has coloured photos of nature and kids. It has "human interest" stories and successes. It doesn't really advertise products; rather the focus is on charitable events and activities. I think it serves a specific purpose.

As to "stealing" an employee from another position...I don't agree that people are "stolen." People make unfortunate decisions.

My son made the decision to change employers with dire results as well. He decided to take a new job and when he got there, the manager who interviewed him was moved to Mississauga and was no longer there when he arrived for his first week of work. The new manager knew nothing of his hiring and did not honour the previous manager's decision as he "did not follow proper head office hiring protocol." A huge disaster. But such things happen. Bite the bullet.

cking wrote:

My son made the decision to change employers with dire results as well. He decided to take a new job and when he got there, the manager who interviewed him was moved to Mississauga and was no longer there when he arrived for his first week of work. The new manager knew nothing of his hiring and did not honour the previous manager's decision as he "did not follow proper head office hiring protocol." A huge disaster. But such things happen. Bite the bullet.

Okay, I'm off topic here but this above statement is absolute poppycock! The company should have to honour it's managers decision to hire someone.

They "stole" them from the Reformer? Where the people in question slaves? No one steals anyone from any company. If I'm not mistaken this is a free country and if you decide to leave a job and go to another that's your choice.

My question would be...WHY would someone quit a job with a DAILY newspaper, the Simcoe Reformer, to work on a free WEEKLY advertising paper?

It is fairly obvious that it might not be very stable financially when there is no income from subscriptions or delivery.

Would somebody please tell me how a business like this can get taxpayers money to start, and then ends up laying off its staff less than six months later? Six months! Who approved this business plan? When does their money run out? Who cares if its nonprofit, it just cost us more money because now we have to pay EI for people who are now out of work. I know one of the people who were let go and they were devastated. They went their because of all kinds of promises made and then look what's happened now. Shame.

Normie hit the nail on the head. When I said "stole" I meant that they were promised things .. that didn't happen. He has a way of telling you what he thinks he needs to tell you in order to bend ... this way of telling this, that and the other .. and then can't produce what he promises. Typical Dave.

Just because its Dave the Y guy people think he doesn't/can't do anything wrong. Boy has he got everyone fooled! Alot of people live for the day when the ivory tower comes crumbling down. He must have 3rd degree burns from the sun shining out of his a$$.

What I can't figure out is this ...

Why are the advertisers staying if there is virtually no distribution, and those who get it .. chuck it in the garbage. WHY WASTE YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLARS???

You can tell the people who haven't had the pleasure of being screwed over by these folks. Your turn will come!