THE founder of the pro-independence blogs Newsnet Scotland and indyref2.scot said yesterday that he had written his final article.
GA Ponsonby founded Newsnet Scotland (NS) as a news blog eight years ago and edited it until after the 2014 independence referendum. In December, 2014, NS merged with the Bateman Broadcasting podcast service and was relaunched as newsnet.scot.
Ponsonby then set up the towardsindyref2 project and has continued to blog on its website. Yesterday on the indyref2.scot website, Ponsonby penned a valedictory article, including some advice to The National on how to prosper – noted, thanks.
Though he would not give specifics on why he is retiring, Ponsonby stated: “Don’t worry. I’m not stressed, depressed or exhausted. It’s just that I’m now turning my attention to areas, and more importantly people, I’ve neglected during this period.”
He added: “When I created the Newsnet Scotland blog eight years ago it was with the specific intention of exposing the pro-Union bias of our mainstream media. The 2009 micro-blog covered newspaper articles and BBC news. The blog supplemented an online newsletter of the same name.
“The blog eventually begat a fully fledged news/opinion online site also called Newsnet Scotland. Newsnet was the first alternative outlet to emerge from the micro-blog swamp and stand upright on its own dot com legs.
“There was nothing quite like it. Newsnet Scotland grew rapidly. Articles attracted comments by the hundreds. People promoted the site using banners. Volunteers wanted to help. Looking back, Scotland’s pro-independence alternative media was born that day on March 2010. Will the rest ever acknowledge it? I doubt it.
“The success of Newsnet was down to the people involved. Ordinary people with no agendas, save that they desired an independent Scotland. Paul Kavanagh, Lynda Williamson and myself were at its core.
“On the periphery were scores of others, some who I cannot name. All were dedicated and talented. Ordinary folk – and that was the key – doing extraordinary things.”
From the outset, Ponsonby particularly targeted the BBC for criticism and alleged it was biased. He also wrote a book, London Calling, How The BBC Stole The Referendum.
He did it again in his final article writing that the BBC “remains not only the biggest obstacle to independence but the biggest problem for Scottish democracy. The corporation north of the Border is defined by its news and current affairs output. Even its most ardent defenders admit there are serious issues that have to be addressed.”
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