Monday, March 3, 2014

Coventry News (Alternative newspaper c 1979 - 84)

COVENTRY NEWS - Introduction
c 1978 or 1979, I attended a meeting at The Wedge (Cooperative bookshop / Cafe) 13, The High Street.  Arol from Broadgate Gnome and Diggers Hole Artist Collective back in 1970, was there along with members of the Wedge.  I'd been involved in Hobo - Coventry's Music and Arts Magazine in the mid 70's and thought i might get involved but didn't, owing to commitments, however I buy copies, some of which are on here.
Coventry. The purpose was to discuss the creation of an Alternative Newspaper for Coventry.


THE AIMS OF COVENTRY NEWS
"Coventry News was a monthly paper produced by a group of people living and working in and around
Coventry. It's aim was to cover news which is either ignored or distorted by the local commercial press. There was no one editor and editorial decisions were made by the group as a whole. There were many shade of opinion in the group and articles in the paper reflect the overall attitude - they were not determined by any one particular political line. They supported individuals and groups in their day to day struggles to improve housing, social amenities, working conditions etc. They aimed also to defend the interests of minority and oppressed groups.

ORGANISATION OF COVENTRY NEWS
Coventry News was dependent on the support of the Coventry public who would help in news-gathering, writing articles, production and in particular - distribution of the paper or make a financial contribution. The contact point was Ray Mason.

Coventry News also carried a good Whatz On section - bands, folk, disco, classical, theatre etc.

The Urge were featured in the Whatz On of an early edition of  Coventry News.

Urge - Revolving Boy - Live TV

Coventry News began in the  Newspaper format but later changed to an A4 magazine format.








Note - PDF versions of a few Coventry News Issues will be available on here soon.


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