Ascension : A lack of news is big news apparently.
Submitted by The Islander (Raymond Ellick) 21.09.2006 (Article Archived on 05.10.2006)

It seems that the lack of news in The Islander issue 1806, Thursday 24th August 2006,

has been noticed by the world’s media, well in the UK at least.

In that issue, our editors Baz and Kaz were faced with a problem that most editors dread: No news; no-one had sent any news articles into the Islander for publication.  There were notices, sports results, restaurant adverts etc. but no news or as the front cover summed it up:

“Well the news is that there is no news.

No births, no deaths (fortunately), no big events, no big fish, no high power visitors, no visiting ships.
Well, none reported anyway.

Good job it’s a holiday on Monday for us to get over all this excitement.”

Baz and Kaz’s honesty and wit didn’t go unnoticed; here is an excerpt from The Guardian, Thursday September 14, 2006, in the Diary section by Jon Henley:

“How very pleasing, amid all the hurtful criticism meted out to our much maligned profession, to be able to inaugurate an Award for Truthful Journalism.  It goes, deservedly, to the Islander, the estimable weekly newspaper of Ascension Island in the middle of the south Atlantic. No manufactured news or fabricated outrage here, just plain, honest reporting: "The news," says issue number 1,811 {sic} of August 24, "is that there is no news. Well, none reported anyway. No births, no deaths. No big events, no big fish, no high-powered visitors, no visiting ships. Good job it's a holiday on Monday for us to get over all the excitement." Wasn't there a new angle on the Diana story that they could have covered? “

So there you go it’s official:

“An award for truthful journalism” and “plain, honest reporting”

Following on from this we started to receive calls from Nic and Helen from the team at Chris Evans’ radio show, BBC radio2, which led to me being interviewed by Chris Evans on his “Drivetime” show. We briefly discussed the fact that we had no news, but seeing as it’s difficult to talk about no news we moved on to Ascension Island where I tried to extol the virtues of Ascension Island, however in the short time I think that I mostly mentioned, Royal Mail and big fish.

It may have done some good, you never know; I guess there are now a few million more potential readers of this acclaimed publication (The Islander in case you were wondering).
Also, if you have any news stories, please send them in.

    Paul Knowles