Bella Review and Feedback 2024
As 2024 closes we’re taking feedback from readers and writers.
That Typeform survey was a bit useless. First time I’d used it. Here are the Questions we asked and the (anonymous) answers given. Feel free to respond in the comments below.
- Which areas of coverage that we publish on do you like the most?
Opinion | Policy and Ideas | Arts and Culture | Scottish Politics | UK Politics | International | Music | Reviews
[Scottish coverage and Opinion came top] - What should Bella do more of that it doesn’t do now?
Some of the answers:
“Find more women contributors; foster younger writers also. whilst I enjoy the irregular ‘surprise’ pieces that come my way, it would also be good to be able to rely on more regularity, to know that I can read specific people writing on specific areas, maybe – not too frequently, just regularly…”
“Just keep doing well-researched, carefully considered analysis of what’s happening in the world. Keep reading between the lines we are spun in the mainstream media!”
“Talk to ordinary folk”
“Address more of the difficult areas/challenges of public life and issues which do not get enough coverage/or which challenge the prevailing mainstream Scottish consensus.” - What does Bella do best?
“Left field thinking. But we still lack a ‘whole Scotland’ approach.”
“Frustrate me by presenting an alternative view.”
“Variety”
“Current affairs from a Scottish perspective”
“Its continued presence as a place of pluralism and diversity. Asking questions abt politics, culture and ideas and not necessarily doing so from a pre-prescribed position.” - What should Bella’s priorities be in 2025?
“Ways and means to Independence”
“Looking beyond independence & the SNP. What does self-government mean? How do platforms like Bella embody a culture and practice of self-determination?”
“Keep a close eye on power balances in Scottish politics, watching especially for UK Labour Govt undermining our priorities and funding,”
“A coherent case and programme for an independence 2026 vote; for many of us, it feels difficult to see hope beyond that date.” - Which writer (s) do you want to hear more of?
George Gunn
Mike Small
The ones that challenge me the most.
Good balance currently so steady as she goes
More writers from outwith Scotland; international voices.
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Absolutely love everything you write Mike. It resonates entirely with my feelings on almost everything you post. Keep it up, your a super journalist.
Oh wow thanks. That’s great to hear. Thanks Paul really appreciate that.
It goes without saying (or maybe it doesn’t) that I’d welcome any and all feedback on what you love and hate about Bella here as we (all) chart the way forward.
Thanks.
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More on Scottish classical music please – we have excellent writers on that – John Purser (his own music, too), Christopher Guild, young pianist who has recorded F G Scott, Erik Chisholm, Ronald Stevenson, Ronald Center on CD, James Reid Baxter on many Scottish composers. John has written for the National and Christopher for iScot – they’d be great in Bella.
Thanks, its a topic so off my radar I wouldn’t know where to begin.
“This typeform is now closed”
More science fiction, games, philosophy, and from-first-principles reimagining what future governance based on planetary-realistic ideologies should look like is my recommendation (although the quality matters much more than the quota). News and views from the rest of the British Empire would also be highly relevant. Take a strong theme from science fiction/fantasy like coexistence, and develop it. Counter reactionary tropes in popular culture that might not be widely obvious.
The quality of journalism on Bella has been exceptional these last 12 months, and it’s now the only ‘news’ site I look at every day. The comments section over the last 2-3 months has turned into the Wild West and is becoming a bit of a turn off, but I think that will naturally shake itself out over time. Keep up the good work Mike.
Thanks Mark – yeah we’re sorting that. Trolls will be thrown out.
bit concerned re: blocking or censoring opinion, not all that sure what a troll actually is in internet terms to be honest, but I think if you start blocking or censoring folk you might end up believing you have a majority on your side when in fact what you have is a selection of likeminded folk because you’ve rid yourself of everyone who disagrees with you, also, there is the potential that in arguing back you might change someone’s mind or at least get them to do a wee bit more research, other than that I must say I’ve enjoyed Bella a lot anytime I’ve had the time & been able to get online to read or listen, so thank you
In internet terms, a ‘troll’ is anyone who a) antagonises others online by deliberately posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content or b) harasses someone in terms that are disparaging or mocking.
Comments can fail to post or disappear from threads on internet discussion boards. You’ve just got to accept this and carry on. The medium is such that comments are transitory and discussions recur repeatedly without progression anyway. In the larger scheme of things, they don’t matter. A bit like life, really.
Wise words. Thank you.
1. Arts and Culture + International news
2. Address issues which do not get enough coverage
3. Current affairs from a Scottish perspective
4. Looking beyond independence & the SNP.
5. More writers from outwith Scotland; international voices.
Thanks Johnny
I think you are on the page with a lot of the comments above Mike. More younger contributors would be good. More women always too. With the recent polls citing a republic as a positive move within the independence movement, this is a seam worth investigating too surely. Personally I have always wanted a republic and like many put it on the back burner for later but perhaps a Democratic Republic removed from all British Imperial shackles is more acceptable to many than previously. Even if it’s not the position seems to be a clear and arguable one, why would anyone want to associate with the Royal Family or a House of Lords? More international content is always welcome, particularly from Europe but not exclusively. Eòrpa on Alba is always strong at highlighting challenges and parallels. More arts and contemporary arts content in particular too would be welcome. Scotland is well represented in these fields and it’s an international sphere. We need see ourselves in these conversations more. We often don’t celebrate this enough. Challenges of poverty and trauma too are never far away for many and that cuts across all genre and should
always be through the agenda. Sin agad e. Bliadhna mhàth dhuit nuair a thig i.
Keep up the good work, Mike.
BC always a good read.
Have appreciated your recent guest posts on municipalim and the interview with Darren McGarvey.
Thanks David, we’ll be exploring radical municipalism more, and yes we think Darren is an important figure to celebrate
Really enjoying the Bella Caledonia articles – especially Mike Small on UK and Scottish politics – I’m finding it a must read, as the writing is so sharp and pithy – thank you!
Writing on Scottish independence and UK politics is much appreciated, and more BAME voices on Scottish politics and independence would be great to hear.
(I am an interested reader in Bury St Edmunds – an East Anglian with Scottish connections – and supporting Scottish independence and the break-up of Britain (Anthony Barnett’s perspective) from my part of England!)
Thanks Duncan
Thank you for all the excellent articles, and wishing you a very happy New Year!
Thanks Leslie
Thank you very much indeed for all the excellent articles, and wishing you a very happy New Year!
I’ve been really enjoying Bella culture pieces, or pieces which view current affairs through a cultural lens. I think that’s what Bella does really well. I’d be interested in seeing more of that, plus fresh thinking on independence, and maybe some interesting ‘snapshots’ of what’s happening in different localities in Scotland? What does self-determination mean in a particular town, and what does that mean for the whole country, etc? Keep up the good work!
Happy to add my best wishes for 2025, plaudits for what’s gone before in the magazine, and a look forward to future excellent work. A friend said to me, “Bella tells it like it is”.
‘Tells it like it is’ for whom? Isn’t it just largely preaching to the converted?
Not necessarily. We need to be educated by each other. ‘Preaching to the converted’ implies that we’re all at exactly the same stage of development in our thinking. We have to be open to fresh insights, and these may well come from people with whom we broadly agree but who possess special knowledge that we don’t have.
Bella is one of my most favored sites, almost entirely due to your writing, Michael. The variety of offerings on the site is very good. If you were a US site I would certainly make a small monetary contribution (small is all I can do, and only to a few–alas). Best wishes in our rather ominous-appearing New Year.
Though it may be impractical I would like to see more articles that are based on what people are saying about things on the ground, rather than relying so much on other journalism (pro or anti). Arguments can become rather circular without input from those who have actually experienced something and who are also not journalists.
I really like the articles that focus on nature, land and history.
Thanks. Noted.
I think this is a really good bit of feedback actually, I think we can do this through podcasts and interviews
My favourite writer is George gunn. Is it possible to have one on one interviews, or have I missed these perhaps. Thanks for 2024 articles and hope you go from strength to strength in 2025. All the best.
Hi Iain
we’ve done some on on one interviews, you can hear them here:
https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/category/56-degrees-north/
Thankyou for being here for us . You keep me sane!!
I love the depth of writing, the variety of voices and the textures ( less so the commentariat tho : / ) and will continue to champion and tune in 2025.
Cumaibh oirbh !
Another Scotland is possible !!xxx
Thanks Babs! All the best!