(edit title) This site is a f**king joke! Swedish news? Options

[Gjeebes]

Really? Plenty of websites on both the left and right that air the dirty laundry.

Such as?

[Grahamsmjöl]

I am not going to say too much about the news and its articles for obvious reasons.But should your anger really be aimed at the organisation or those who pay to see such artic ... (show full quote)

I am not going to say too much about the news and its articles for obvious reasons.
But should your anger really be aimed at the organisation or those who pay to see such articles printed. Its no secret that the local receives payments to print articles that "debunk" or help promote certain ideological opinions. Just as RT has now become the voice of the Russian government and Russian interests in recent years. But for anyone who wants to get a better understanding of why such articles exists, you need to look at the source that is bankrolling such content to be printed. Has anyone tried to read the international (English) version of sverigeradio lately? Yes, this so called independent and tax funded news portal also offers many articles and stories to help promote a certain perspective or interest.

The real truth is Sweden is in a more precarious position that previous years.
Then realise that English has become the defacto language used to speak to the world, but is still considered a non recognised minority language in Sweden.

But until anyone wishes to try and translate Swedish news stories into English themselves, and be pre warned that doing so would be considered as a act against national interests with consequences fpr anyone who dare tries to air Swedens dirty laundry. ... (hide full quote)

So why not call yourselves what you really are? An advertising agency? Click bait site?

As for the last paragraph, that is the most ludicrous statement I have read from you, and that is after the tripe you wrote about Brexit, i can only conclude that you are attempting dry humour. As other's have said, there are other websites who do this already, one is even owned by the state. Radio Sweden!

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

In defense of TheLocal, if people do not like it's content, they are free to go elsewhere...If you are running a business there are always those that do not want your product...

Obviously there are many readers that are happy here or don't think TheLocal's standards are beneath them...

Some are not...It's just the way it is...

[yet another brit]

Such as?

newsvoice.se [alt-left bollocks]
nyheteridag.se [alt-right bollocks]

in both cases, as well as others of the ilk, you may actually prefer the editorial stance of the Local.

[LLHope]

The only difference is the local is privately owned and managed, and the material printed on the local is not written by foreign copywriters who often have a poor grasp of English.

Best laugh I have had so far this week, Thanks

[Gjeebes]

This "The Local" is "English "news"". I fail to understand how comparisons to online Swedish language "news" "sources" make for any comparison.

Anyway, what is interesting, is how the Swedish version of TL seems to be quite lacking in comparison with other editions. Seems like there "can be" less lefty-nutter bubble-gum trash in certain other versions.

Maybe just down to the quality of country? Let's face it, once we've left Meatballia, whom will truly give it a second thought?

And anyway, we all know what Sweden looks like with the lights off. Whom in their right minds would come to TL Sweden for any other reason than to have a laugh on this forum?! I know I rarely read the crap here, except for a word count in the titles, for these gems: Sweden, Swedes, Stockholm, and did I mention Sweden, and Swedes?

It's like they know it is so bad, written at such a low level as to make Readers Digest seem Shakespearean even if only written at the Grade 4 level, that only morons go there to read "news", where they feel required to remind us which edition we are on, in each and every title (almost).

The pointlessness of it is truly entertaining, as is the nearly constant sponsoring by "American Express".

[Grahamsmjöl]

If anyone really thinks they can do a better job than the local, feel free to try.I can assure you its not as simple as it seems, and you will find that airing Sweden's di ... (show full quote)

If anyone really thinks they can do a better job than the local, feel free to try.
I can assure you its not as simple as it seems, and you will find that airing Sweden's dirty laundry by translating news not designed to be translated for non Swedish people to read will face a backlash by both locals and non locals. Swedes will quickly believe that such actions are a specific campaign by the daily mail, sputnik etc as a way to spread hate and propaganda. And immigrants who are set up here will quickly see translated news as being a way to swede bash.

So the local has found a perfect medium, a way to mix news, paid news, pr, advertising and 3rd party interests. Without putting itself in a position that would see it self shut down if it simply translated news.
. ... (hide full quote)

I completely disagree with you and would suggest that you don't know Swedes at all! I mix with a large amount of Swedes and migrant Swedes who would welcome a news site that reports actual news from Sweden and not PR puff.

Besides that, I am talking about Swedish news in English for people living in Sweden. Newly arrived people want and need to know what is going on to help integrate.

Next, it IS as easy as it sounds! And if I didn't already have a day job I would do it myself! Four years ago I had a project where I ran a 'nättidning' for people in the infamous Fas3 and we very successfully did it for 2 years for 0 profit, 0 adverts (we were not paid, yes, I was one of them).

As for articles are not designed to be translated. You do come out with some horse sh*t sometimes!

I know, maybe 4 other people capable of translating articles. I am well able to create a news website using Wordpress, as I mentioned I did it before. I'd use a very good theme called Newspaper7.

The them costs £39, website and domain name I can get for £10 so I can be up and running within a week.

If anyone reading this is interested in translating some articles, all website profits go to charity and I'll pay for the start up costs.

If anyone is interested to see how it would look here's the theme site:
http://demo.tagdiv.com/newspaper/

[Hisingen]

In today's Daily Mail - Mailonline - there is this article regarding those gropies in Gbg. during the Gothia Cup.

You can see from the article one of the sources of their information.

Read about the Gothia groping

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

It's another attempt to poach TheLocal's customers!!!

Surely a true sign if success...

[Hisingen]

The Local is quoted again in the DM.

About a female bikini-clad cop making an arrrest

Whom is working with whom?? Or is the local getting paid for its 'news'.

[Bsmith]

The Local masquerades as a news site, but we know it's really not. But it can be entertaining at times and that is why some of us are here.

[andy_fin]

to mix news, paid news, pr, advertising and 3rd party interests

What would you say the ratios of the above 5 are? And is 'news' a big enough component?
In my mind i imagine the core policy of TL should be simple and obvious and written in HUGE letters on the walls of the office.
Sweden's news in English
But thats not really the company aim is it? we can all see it in the production.
'News' is the 'Click bait' bait.

Click bait as you call it, is an outdated model that the local does not try to appeal to.

Yes your site most definitely is hosting click bait.
Most of the taboola links are "Learn this Stockholm housewife's simple trick to lose 30kg in just 3 weeks"
Taboola: The internet firm at the forefront of 'click-bait'

What we're all saying is that this is a product / service that many people want to see and to see such glaring problems with it is disappointing. Sorry i'll re-phrase that because while it's problems to the user it's because of mis-aligned priorities.
We want to view the news with some general Sweden fluff every now and then.
You appear to want to generate revenue through advertisements. With 'news' being the 'hook'

I'm mostly here for the forums (i'm not sure why, but it's sometimes good to hear from people with similar experiences and the trolls give me a chuckle). The front page is something i skip past on the way here but if the content were better and the sections better organised i'd spend much more time there.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Poachers never win!!!

[*Kaho*]

Say what you want about clickbait. It exists for a reason and as long as people keep clicking the links, the model will continue.

A much bigger problem is how TL has become a mouthpiece for Swedish interests, publishing articles that are 'sponsored' (read 'paid for') by universities, tourist boards and government agencies.

It's a great way for Sweden to exercise soft power and these organisations are only too happy to pay for articles that look like news but have actually been crafted with their interests front and center. Readers, who might not spot that the sponsored articles have an agenda, are always the ones who lose out.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Some people call it public relations...