Spirit Communication for a Digital Age
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Issue No 4067 Saturday 17th December 2011 £1.40 ITC: spirit communication for a digital age Challenging the Daily Mail Living the Spiritualist life Still in the dark about physical mediumship? Plus: Join our debate on Spiritualism and the media Page Psychic News From the editor Our huge debt of gratitude It’S tempting to start this first editorial by stealing a line from the journalist Bernard Levin, a columnist on The Times when it was closed down in 1978 due to an industrial dispute. When the paper reappeared almost a year later, he began his famously acerbic column with J.V. Trust chairman Eric Hatton and I at Maurice Barbanell’s desk “As I was saying before I was in the new Psychic News office at Thremhall Park, Hertfordshire. so rudely interrupted...” You can see why I was tempted! You’ll find some great new We can offer you a heart-warming true contributors in this and future issues, story of love between two worlds. Check Like The Times, we’ve been in including former BBC Radio 4 producer out our book feature on page 24. enforced hibernation, but now we’re Chris Eldon Lee. Chris explains Our letters page contains just a small well and truly awake, raring to go why he believes it’s so important selection of the wonderful messages and so happy to be back! To our for mainstream media to give an you’ve sent in response to the news long-time readers – it’s fantastic to accurate picture of Spiritualism. that we’re back. Huge thanks to those be with you again. To our brand new David Hopkins is widely respected of you who’ve kept in touch. In future, readers – we’re delighted to have for his work as co-author of the books the letters pages will be an open forum you on board and hope you’ll stay Philosophy of Spiritualism and The for your views and opinions. Tell us with us for many years to come. Religion of Spiritualism. As a new what you love and even what you We think you’re going to love the contributor to PN, he’ll be tackling loathe. Don’t keep your opinions to new-format Psychic News! It’s packed some of the tough moral and ethical yourself. Remember – Spiritualists can with exciting news and features, issues faced by today’s society, communicate with the living, too! including the story of one Spiritualist’s from a Spiritualist perspective. And finally, before you start single-handed challenge to the Daily Our cover story digs deep into exploring this very first issue of the Mail. In other news we profile the spirit communication 21st century brand new Psychic News, let me gifted medium Paul Brereton, and style. Leading researcher Dr Anabela take a moment to acknowledge the take a look at workshops for young Cardoso reveals all, and offers a step- achievement of a very special person. Spiritualists in Wales. We also cast by-step guide to experimenting with Without Eric Hatton, and his an eye over the SNU’s impressive electronic voice phenomena at home. incredible determination in the face of new venue in Edinburgh. Roy Stemman takes a look at so many obstacles, you would not be another 21st century phenomenon reading this copy of Psychic News. PN – the rise of TV mediumship. It’s a fans around the world owe him and subject that arouses strong passions, his fellow trustees Hugh and Margaret so join the debate and let us know Davis a huge debt of gratitude for their what you think. And while we’re on unwavering commitment to restoring the subject of strong passions, who its iconic voice to publication. And so, says today’s physical mediums can’t with my own profound gratitude for his provide survival evidence? Lew Sutton mighty efforts, and for his steadfast dispels some preconceptions. friendship through tough times, I Many of you will know that the dedicate this first issue to Eric. J.V. Trust is the new owner of Psychic Happy reading! News, but some of you have asked about the day-to-day work of the Trust. Its chairman Eric Hatton explains all in an interview with me. Looking for an absorbing read to Susan Farrow Maurice Barbanell...smiling! curl up with over the festive season? Editor Psychic News Page Psychic News Contents... Editor Susan Farrow Page 4 Challenging the Daily Mail One man’s mission to right a wrong Assistant Editor, Advertising, Design and Layout Paul Brett 01279 874337 Page 5 The Christmas Tree [email protected] Robin Winbow’s festive tale for children Editorial Kay Hunter Page 6 The J.V. Trust Subscriptions What does it do? Eric Hatton explains Alita McGuinness 01279 874341 [email protected] Page 8 Television and Spiritualism Technical Assistant Medium without a message? Magnus Smith 01279 874340 Contact details: Page 11 Chris Eldon Lee Psychic Press Ltd, Suite 6, Why a former BBC producer puts Spiritualism on the radio Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 7WE 01279 874339 Page 12 Healing benefits of mediumship Medium Paul Bereton speaks to Susan Farrow Editorial Email [email protected] Page 14 Communication for a digital age Interview with leading researcher Dr Anabela Cardoso Website & Online Subscriptions www.psychicnews.org.uk Page 16 Back to Scole? For and against the republication of The Scole Report Psychic News. Published by Psychic Press Limited. Pre-press and printing by Warners (Midland), Lincolnshire. We regret that we Page 18 Living the Spiritualist life are unable to recommend particular mediums David Hopkins on the challenges of spiritual living and healers. Whilst we endeavour to ensure those given editorial coverage on our pages and those who advertise their services are bona fide exponents, the abilities of expo- nents are often subjective. Advertisements Page 22 Physical mediumship appearing in Psychic News do not necessar- Lew Sutton sheds light on the evidence ily reflect editorial policy and no responsibility can be accepted for dissatisfaction with any service or product. Readers are asked to ex- ercise due care when responding to advertis- ments. Whilst we welcome them, PN cannot Page 23 New venue for Edinburgh take responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre articles, photographs etc. © Psychic Press Ltd Page 24 An interesting read Graham Jennings looks at a Spiritualist love story Page 26 What’s on Page Psychic News He challenged the Daily Mail AS the result of action Another comment by mag- by the vice-president of ician and comedian Paul a Spiritualist church, the Zenon appeared, posing the Daily Mail has admitted query: “So was Ms Morgan its published error in the getting a little help from the matter of the law relating real world rather than the to mediums. spirit world? While she insists In what can only be de- absolutely not – although it is scribed as an extraordinary still illegal in this country to coincidence, Alan Seymour, claim to be a medium – having vice-president of Croydon studied stage psychics for Spiritualist Church, success- years and been one myself in fully challenged the Daily my 0s, I am sceptical.” Mail just weeks before Knowing that both wri- publication of the first issue ters were wrong in their of the new Psychic News. interpretation of the law, Why a coincidence? The and that mediumship in this first ever PN headline, written country is perfectly legal, in 19 by the famous Fleet Alan Seymour submitted the ALAN SEYMOUR: “I felt it was important to go further Street journalist Hannen matter to the Press Complaints than the letters page of the paper.” Swaffer, read “I challenge Commission (PCC), an the Daily Mail!” independent body which officer for the PCC. inaccuracies because it is The Daily Mail ran a series administers the system of self- In a letter to Alan Seymour, clear that when the press print of articles about medium regulation for the press. Charlotte Dewar wrote: “In articles about psychics, more Sally Morgan, in which His complaint was that the response to your concerns often than not they link them doubts were cast on her med- newspaper was in breach of and your clarification of the to mediums and Spiritualism. iumship. She was said to Clause 1 of the Editorial Code grounds of your complaint, This happened when the Daily have been “cheating” during of Practice (Accuracy). Mr Esser has now offered Mail reported on alleged her theatre performances by After what Mr Seymour to publish the following cheating by ‘Psychic Sally using information relayed to described to Psychic News as clarification, based on your Morgan’. her through an earpiece. “a long battle with the Daily wording: “To try to put a stop to It was not this aspect Mail through the PCC”, his Two commentary articles this ignorance I felt it was which spurred Mr Seymour persistence paid off, and about psychic Sally Morgan important to go further than to action, but an ill-informed he succeeded in obtaining in the Daily Mail in Septem- the letters page of the paper, and inaccurate statement in a published correction and ber stated that it is “illegal in which only publishes what an article by Jan Moir on nd clarification, both from the this country to claim to be a it wants to, and take my September which read: “The Daily Mail and on the PCC medium.” case to the Press Complaints law in this country already website. It has been pointed out Commission, who were forbids Sally Morgan to This was agreed by the to us that mediums are in impartial but very supportive advertise herself as a medium.