‘Why do you never write any positive news?'

It’s a question I and my team are asked a lot. While I would say it is an inaccurate statement, there’s an element of truth to the claim.

It is true that the story often dominating the top of our website or leading the front page of the paper will be a negative one, but there are some very important reasons for this.

One, it is what people want to read. A newspaper that writes stories that people don’t want to read isn’t going to be around for too long.

And while people may insist upon what they do read, people’s viewing history can tell a different story.

But I don’t believe there is anything wrong in that. It does not make us all doomscrollers or miserable people for reading or writing such articles.

In our modern society, as a whole, we expect people to be decent, helpful and to go about their days without causing grief, pain or cheating other people.

So when this does happen, it is unusual for us. It is outside our modus operandi – it is therefore newsworthy.

It is also important to remember it is fundamental to our modern democracy that these ‘bad news stories’ are reported far and wide, to as many people as possible.

Because when these negative issues are highlighted, whether it is a fatal crash, the horrendous acts of a sex offender or funds being misappropriated at a charity, then there is pressure on society to make it right.

New road safety measures, better-safeguarding policies, thorough investigations into companies - all can stem from the authority or people in charge knowing the microscope is on them and they need to be getting a handle on things.

So the hope is, little by little, this pressure and focus on what we want improved where we live does just that and we gradually become a safer, happier society.

It all sounds quite grand, granted. But it does happen and it is why ‘the media’ is often called the fourth estate – one of the important arms checking that everyone else is doing what they are supposed to be doing.

However, all work and no play makes for a dull newspaper. There are plenty of positive things we shout about.

We routinely cover the heroic exploits of people doing something amazing for a charity close to their heart, boasting about the latest new shop or business to open in town and hailing the achievements of people winning national and regional awards.

But in the modern world full of algorithms, for those stories to get seen by a wider audience that they deserve, we need our readers to first read them and then shout about them.

So next time you might be perusing online or reading the paper – why not take a look at the positive news story, share it on Facebook, send it in a tweet or send us a letter in saying how much you enjoyed it?

Because editors like good news too.