Friday 29 March 2024
 7.3°C   SE Light Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Letters / Media standards

Where would we be without the media, particularly the Sun, to keep us informed about all the important stuff that is happening round about us?

In early April, five fishermen from Buckie registered fishing boat Onward had the crew of Oscar Charlie to thank for their lives after they were plucked from their life rafts with their boat blazing 50 miles north west of Stromness, Orkney. This rescue received scant coverage in the media.

On Christmas Day, in hurricane force winds Oscar Charlie was scrambled to pick up a critically ill person from the island of Yell. Wind conditions were so severe that the helicopter was flying backwards in some of the gusts of wind that a coastguard spokesman described as “beyond hurricane conditions” at times. Again this incident received scant coverage in the media.

Meanwhile, when a helicopter lands on a training run in a field in Stromness and is on the ground for around 80 seconds we all get to hear about it. What is the Sun for after all?

And we get rent a mouth politicians Tory MSP Mary Scanlon and Labour MSP Dave Stewart quoted at length speaking from a position of absolute ignorance.

If the helicopter crew does not train how are they to cope when the going gets tough and lives are at stake?

Time to support the pilot and crew, you never know when you might need them. There are discussion pages on Shetlink and Facebook where people are adding their support. There is an on-line petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-shetland-coastguards-pilots-job/ where you can sign up to support Oscar Charlie and the crew.

Brian Nugent
Burra

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.