From memory, I have written about five letters to The Resident over the years, only one of which was printed. No complaint there – Editor’s privilege and all that, but it would be more understandable if, like a large UK paper, you regularly received more letters than could be printed each week. On the contrary, very often there is not a single one.
I wonder if you would be interested in the comments of several long-term readers? They think not, but their views can be summed up thus. If a letter contains the slightest criticism of the magazine, its advertisers or any of its regular contributors – forget it. It won’t be printed.
I think that has been true in my case, although, to be fair, on a couple of occasions you have passed on my letter to someone referred to in it. Your magazine is not perfect, its contents cannot always meet with the approval of all its readers and the personal views and opinions of your regular contributors sometimes need to be challenged. And, with respect, the place to do that is in the pages of The Resident, not by private correspondence.
Ron Lavery
Messines
Editor replies: I quite agree that it is a shame that we have not printed a letters’ page for some time now. The simple reason is that we have not received any letters! However, thanks to you, and the other readers on this page who have taken the opportunity to express their views, we can now officially reinstate ‘Dear Editor’. I hope that this will inspire more of you to take the time to share your views – after all, this is your page. SH
