Anyone with even a vague interest in the future of newspapers should pause for a moment and ponder the fate of two small newspapers in Kent – the Medway News and the East Kent Gazette.

The trouble with the Leveson inquiry – is that it is starting to create such a dust cloud that other respectable media stories are being obscured and seem almost boring by comparison.

There is another walking, breathing, potential solution to at least some of the problems of the local publishing industry and he is called Sir Ray Tindle. Tindle Newspapers, famously started after the war with Sir Ray’s £300 demob payment, has always seemed particular – one man’s vision.

… admit that he knew there was a culture of illegality in parts of News International but decided to do as little as possible about it. That way leads straight to the dock. The alternative is only marginally less unpleasant – admit to incompetence!

Raymond Snoddy says the game has just begun – it’s up to everyone in the newspaper and magazine industries to try to design the best possible mixture of carrots and sticks to ensure that self-regulation of the press survives…

Raymond Snoddy says the BBC has been clever to produce a series of cuts where nothing that is easily noticeable or even definable has been closed down…

Raymond Snoddy says those who believe in freedom of speech should be concentrating their efforts on defending and improving self-regulation rather than trying to appease judges by offering up statutory baubles…

Raymond Snoddy gives an insight from Tuesday night’s launch and accompanying debate of the near-instant book ‘Mirage In The Desert? Reporting the Arab Spring’ – a book which tracks who ‘won’ and who ‘lost’ the media battle…

Raymond Snoddy asks whether the mainstream media plays a crucial role in defining the agenda of social media – rather than the other way around?

Raymond Snoddy says there is one small worm in the bud when it comes to cable networks all over both Europe and the US; while revenues are holding up reasonably well – and even continuing to rise despite the recession – subscriber numbers are being hit… Almost everywhere competition to cable is becoming more intense!