THERE’S always a danger of over-reacting when a national newspaper journalist sticks the knife into the North-East.

I have, therefore, so far resisted joining in the public outpourings of grief over an article published by Andy Beckett in The Guardian a little more than a week ago.

The piece drew parallels between the North-East and the bankrupt US city of Detroit but was criticised for overlooking the many positives the region has to offer.

No one should pretend that the North-East doesn’t have its problems. But those of us who live here know it is a great region.

Mr Beckett is, though, allowed his opinion and we shouldn’t howl him down just because we don’t like what he has to say. In fact, we should use the article as an “how others see us” exercise and learn from what he has to say.

For example, while there are many successes that Mr Beckett has overlooked – such as Nissan, Hitachi, or how Redcar became the first steelworks in British industrial history to return to production after mothballing – we also know, in our hearts, that there are corners of the region which regeneration has disappointingly bypassed.

Mr Beckett’s biggest crime, apart from a few factual inaccuracies about Darlington station, was not to paint the full picture. But that is because it shows how poorly the national media covers the North as a whole, let alone the North-East.

In a thoughtful piece on the furore, The Guardian’s Northern editor Helen Pidd wrote: “The sad truth is that, as the last staff reporter the Guardian has left in the North of England, there is no way I can do the region justice by myself... with so much to cover on my doorstep in Manchester and over the Pennines in Yorkshire, my ventures into Tyneside and Teesside and beyond are all too rare.”

She puts that into context by adding that neither the Telegraph nor the Times have Northern correspondents anymore, while the Independent has one journalist working outside London.

And that’s why the article felt like it had been written by a foreign correspondent with instructions to get a snapshot of life in this strange, faraway place called the North- East.

All of which leads me – surprise, surprise – to bang the drum for local papers.

I don’t know a newspaper which isn’t facing challenges over its resources and having to make difficult decisions. But if you want the full picture of life in the North-East, from writers still covering local patches in more depth than any other news organisation, a local paper remains your best bet.

ANYONE who has ever had to install a new computer system in any business will know that it usually comes with teething problems and The Northern Echo has been no exception in the past couple of weeks. I apologise sincerely for any confusion and inconvenience these gremlins have caused, not least the story which mysteriously appeared in Latin on Wednesday. We are doing our best to iron out the problems and I am grateful for readers’ feedback and patience.

CONGRATULATIONS to BBC Tees which has been named station of the year in the national Radio Academy Awards.

The Northern Echo:
Banging the drum for Hitachi

I’m delighted that the Headline Challenge, played out between myself and presenter Ali Brownlee on the breakfast show, was part of the winning entry.

They put forward the memorable exchanges we had regarding a story about an advertising hoarding for a kettle that had a look of Hitler.

“Hitler has only got one boil,” took the honours that day.

THE Headline Challenge features in the 2014 Samaritans Big Fat Lots of Fun Quiz at Darlington College at 6.30pm on May 28. Proceeds go to Darlington and District Samaritans and entry costs £10 per person or £50 for a team of six. Tickets are available from Gloria Wilson on 07803 581746. Echo journalists will form a team. They have no chance – I’m the quizmaster.