COUNCIL Chief Executive Steven Broomhead's final column for 2018

WHEN I came to work here in the mid 1990s there were only a few ways of learning about local news – the Warrington Guardian and a couple of other print newspapers.

Our local radio station came a little later.

The only way to comment on the news was via the popular opinion section which acted as a barometer of the public’s response to the key issues of the week.

How times have changed with the advent and incessant growth of social media.

We are now in a 24/7/365 news bubble.

There are now so many ways to receive and comment on the news as it is becoming increasingly more sophisticated.

It has also brought with it the challenge of what is fact and what is just opinion.

There has also been a rise globally and nationally in mis-information or fake news, which I know as a key local media producer the Warrington Guardian works very hard to try to combat.

To make it more challenging audiences are becoming increasingly more sceptical about what they read, hear and see.

In these circumstances it’s really important we continue to trust in the media and we need to ensure the proper and fair scrutiny of all organisations, public and private, in our town.

It’s vital to ensure that democracy is always called to account not just by the ballot box.

As Mark Twain once commented,‘A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself’.

I hope my column over the past year has helped a little in these regards.

On occasion I have felt some of the online comments difficult to understand together with the personalisation but I always respect the person’s opinion as the Guardian is about stimulating debate and conversations about local issues.

Perhaps some of our keyboard warriors will drop their anonymity and meet face to face.

I am always ready for informed discussions.

This is my final column of 2018 and I wish you all the best for Christmas and the 2019 New Year – our town has its challenges but overall it’s a great place to live and work.