STOP PRESS
A statement from Minister Eric Hatton,
chairman of the J.V. Trust.
My fellow trustees and I are absolutely delighted to announce that yesterday, 4th October 2011, ownership of Psychic News, its archives and other assets passed to the J.V. Trust.
Minister Eric Hatton
Psychic News has been Spiritualism’s most respected publication for almost eight decades, but since August 2010 its voice has been silent. The process of securing the paper’s future has proved a long and complicated saga, but it gives us great pleasure to know that we have at last been able to honour Maurice Barbanell’s wish that Psychic News should always continue in print as a mouthpiece for the truth of Spiritualism.
Sue Farrow writes: It goes without saying that we are overjoyed that Psychic News is to live again. There is much else to say, but please bear with us as we adjust to the momentous events of the past twenty-four hours. Detailed coverage will appear here in the next few days.
In the meantime, we offer heartfelt thanks to Eric Hatton, Hugh and Margaret Davis for their tireless efforts in restoring Spiritualism’s most iconic voice to the movement.
Spirit of PN 
Any vehicle which spreads the word must be greeting with open arms. However I hope the printed version will be able to keep going without the cornucopia of advertisements for psychics, etc., some of which cannot be genuine. Look forward to reading the first copy. What a moment in history!
Well this is a day for celebration, what a marvellous outcome! Congratulations to all involved!
What wonderful News for Spiritualists and Spiritualism’s Iconic voice. It is fitting that the first custodian is Eric Hatton and the JV Trust. I urge everyone to give PN the support it needs to re-establish itself in the Newsagents, Churches and Spiritual Centres around the World.
This is wonderful news, I am really pleased that after a short break in its long history the paper will be on sale again
congratulations to all those who have worked so hard behind the scenes to make this possible
Congratulations; at last PN will appear again as independent Spiritualist Newspaper. Will it be paper copy or internet format or both?
Mike, I will shortly be writing in detail about the future of Psychic News. In the meantime I can confirm that we shall be publishing PN in both paper and internet formats. Sue
Great; that will enable it to have the widest readership.
Great news as not all spiritualists and other interested parties use or have computer access.
It will also be nice to see a printed paper on the various church tables once again.
Love and light,John Morris.
This is indeed extremely promising news ! And a boon for the JV trust –
but what I wonder, of the Psychic Press and it’s many publications ?
Does any one have any thoughts ?
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL……
Just Brilliant news. Anyone suddenly believe in reincarnation 🙂
This is marvellous news. Congratulations to the JV Trust, Sue and all involved for sticking to their guns and accomplishing this positive result.
The Movement badly needs its independent voice. Standards are falling in all areas and objective commentary is vital. Like the commentator above I hope that with the JV Trust’s backing the resurrected PN will be able to function without the dreaded phone line advertisements. Obviously they were needed for financial reasons when the SNU owned the paper and put nothing into it but they did no favours to the image of spiritualism. I sincerely hope that under Sue’s excellent editorship the paper will resume its long standing role as a source of information and inspiration on spiritual matters, and as a monitor that all is as it should be in mediumship. Sincere good wishes for the future.
Hilary
Indeed Hilary; it would be great to have a newspaper without all those dreadful Premium Rate number adverts, and although I realise that in the past they needed the income Horoscopes, Tarot and the like have absolutely nothing to do with Spiritualism.
Good news – like a phoenix from the ashes…….!!
Good news at last onwards and upwards L&L Jock
It is good news the PN is to survive but at what cost to all spiritualists it is financed by the JV trust and I am not convinced it fully complies with the trusts aim. The PN will not be an independent paper as it is claimed YES it will be independent of the SNU however the policies will be controlled by the owners that is the trustees of the trust. It is already evident by a lot of the comments allowed on the SPN site there is an anti SNU and an anti David Thompson campaign and I feel this could spill over in to the PN itself. I am not happy with David Thompson’s healing ethics however I advise any-one who wishes to attend his séances to go and make up their own mind for themselves. I am a class B member of the SNU have been an office bearer of an SNU church and served on the SIDC for four years and I do not agree with a lot the NEC are doing due to an Anglican Church based influence within it (you only have to look at their plans for minister-ship of the SNU to see that) however there are a lot of gems within the movement to compensate. I have a question how is it the trust can finance this venture to support the PN yet I have not heard of any other spiritualist paper that gets the same support L&L Jock
Jock; I’m pretty sure that the editorial content of the new PN will be totally independent; Susan was very successful in keeping the old PN independent despite the SNU trying to just get their views across. I have every confidence in the JV Trust, especially as Eric Hatton, a totally honest man is in charge.
In reply to Jock McArthur:
Jock, thank you for your comment. There is no greater supporter of editorial independence than Minister Eric Hatton. His fellow trustees Hugh and Margaret Davis take the same view. For this reason they have expressed a wish to have no involvement whatsoever in the running of Psychic News. They have cemented this commitment by creating a completely separate company and have invited me as managing director to appoint its other directors. These are Roy Stemman (chairman) and Paul Brett (ordinary director). Only one person will have editorial control: me.
Today, on SPN, we have published an extensive article on the latest chapter in the long history of Psychic News. It should answer many of your other points. If not, feel free to post a further comment and I will gladly respond to it.
Sue
Excellent news!!!
It is indeed great news to see the ownership of Psychic News, its archives, and other assets, pass to the J.V. Trust, after what I feel sure has been a long and arduous journey to ensure the paper’s future. Those who have worked so hard to achieve this must be congratulated for never giving up on their desire to honour Barbanell’s dream for a continuing independent voice for Spiritualism.
We, who believe in the need for an independent Spiritualist newspaper must now do our part to support the mighty effort of the J.V. Trust. When the paper once again becomes available, we must buy it, encourage everyone else to subscribe, and lend our voice by either submitting articles on topics of interest, well-reasoned letters, or newsworthy items about Spiritualism.
For the paper to be relevant to what is happening in the Spiritualist movement today it needs our help and ongoing support. No matter how good the intent, or how competent the editorial and other staff may be, it needs the backing of us all to succeed.
When & where can I get another subscription to the new PN?
Geoff, we will make this and much other information available shortly. Sue
Congratulations and well done. You just kept on trying until you achieved teh right result. Now its up to all of us to make sure that it is a success.
Jim
Perhaps one of the first things you can do is put things right in respect to the awful things the Psychic News wrote about members of the now defunct Enmore Spiritualist Church in Sydney, the innocent people who simply raised issues about the financial inconsistencies that took place there.
Congratulations, this is great news!
Looking forward to the next copy of PN again 🙂
I’m thrilled to bits that the voice of Spiritualism has been resurrected.. I always looked forward to Psychic News dropping through my letterbox each Thursday.. and I’ll be even more thrilled when the Spirit of PS arrives 🙂 It not only informs, promotes and presents all within the Spiritualist World, but more than that it keeps our worldwide family connected. Whatever we can do to ensure the paper thrives, we will do, I am sure. Well done to all involved.. well done!
Delighted to see that sanity has finally triumphed over chaos, and that this historic publication’s future is once again to be assured!
Regards,
Robin Foy
What brilliant news. It will be wonderful to have the PN in print once more, can’t wait for the first copy. Let’s hope that the writers are not so biased as in the past, there is more variety and less internal politics, which has got nothing to do with the true basis of Spiritualism.
This i lovely news:-))<3
Great news !
Very well done,I am delighted for you all, Janet Marsh
Truly – this has to be a victory for common sense. We congratulate all those involved who laboured long and hard under unimaginable stress and pressure to return Psychic News to its rightful place as the mouthpiece of Spiritualism.
Well done.
Stewart & Sue Alexander.
What brilliant news. It will be wonderful to have the PN in print once more, can’t wait for the first copy.
What a blow to those members of the SNU who were on an ego trip aimed at keeping the main assets of Psychic News and selling off what little was left after having sacrificed the staff in their endeavours. They must have been in cloud cuckoo land if they thought they would find a Patsy who would fall for that ploy. I think most decent people realised what they were trying to do was plain wrong.
After what has happened I would only expect the worst from those who appeared to follow the time honoured maxim so loved of the major organised religions that the end justifies the means. I hope you are able to conduct an audit of the archives to make sure nothing has been ‘accidentally’ lost during the upheaval.
The JV Trust under Eric Hatton’s stewardship has done many things that the Spirit world can thank him for. The resurrection of PN surely has to be the cherry on the cake and all still working on the Spirit of PN are to be congratulated for their tenacity in keeping the PN alive. Wonderful, wonderful news.
How can anyone in in their right mind rate Freddie’s comment Down????
Congratulations on the great news, Psychic News lives on and has only been asleep for a short while. Such hard work has been done by you all. I can’t wait to read my favourite paper again.
Congratulations, This is a massive step for those who fought and won this battle, well done Eric and your team, lets hope now that everyone gets behind you and those who will run the paper again. And let us not forget all the hard work that Susan and here team have put in keeping the Spirit of the PN going, as well as those who have contributed such great stories and discussions, for the time it has been running.
Again well done to everyone..
Congratulations Eric Margaret & Hugh for all the hard work that you have done to bring back Psychic News. Also for all the wonderful work that the
J V Trust does. Thank you all and well done xx
In France, where there are no Spiritualist churches, the Psychic News kept British Spiritualists in touch, and was sorely missed when it ceased so abruptly. No doubt this applied to other European countries where the situation is the same. While paying hommage to Eric Hatton and those helping him, my gratitude goes to Sue Farrow for her steadfast belief and continued effort which deserves both praise and admiration.
Excellent news, congratulations. I will look forward to reading to reading it again.
Well done everyone, for keeping the faith through what must have been the most frustrating and difficult 15months since our last copy of Psychic News. But you are back and now truly Independent as Barbie always wanted.
They must be having a great party in the other world in celebration and we know they will be backing you all the way – as we must now do to make the Phoenix really rise again, to success.
Thank you for your devotion.
And take the power of our thoughts to help you on your way.
Ann
Fantastic news, congratulations to everyone involved especially to Eric and the JV Trust. I will look forward to the inspirational writing and comments again about Spiritualism. Like Eric I have also retired in March this year after 25 years as President of Salford Spiritualist Church where we always supported Psychic News. Now I will be able to enjoy it again as an individual. Good luck to Sue and the editorial team who will be involved in producing it.
Kind Regards from Fred and Berry Kent
I wish PN and its rescuers every success.
We, here in Germany, are delighted that Psychic News will be “living” again.
There are no borders – not between country´s – not between the life on earth and the real life in spirit.
So, lets all support the “new ” Psychic News!
Let it be a rainbow bridge between us – people here on earth.
Yvonne, HIlde and Roger Pols
Congratulations to Eric Hatton, Sue Farrow and undoubtedly many more unseen fighters for their tenacity in ‘wrenching’ PN and all its assets from the current regime at SNU. Well done.
PN, other than as Spirit of PN, has been dormant now for over a year. The new PN is going to need all the subscribers it can muster to be financially viable: so we all need to subscribe when details are available – and let not temptation sneak in to share the ‘e’ version with friends and associates.
Garth Willey
Absolutely wonderful news! Well done to all those who made this possible! Can’t wait to get the first edition of the resurrected paper…with one church on our island I always looked forward to hearing about what was going on in Spiritualism in other places. It will be great to have this connection re-established! xxx
From the U.S.A. — It is wonderful to know that persistence pays off…the printing of Psychic News (as it was and M. Barbanell intended) will soon be available again. Many thanks to all those who took the time to bring the Psychic News back into print. Thank You All. Many, many blessings. Rev. Marilyn J. Awtry, N.S.T.
The only thing I hope for is that the Internet version is priced low to attract people who are interested in Spiritualism but only have limited funds in this poor economic climate; perhaps concessions for senior citizens or those on benefits. It would be a shame if those interested turned away from the subscription page after seeing the cost.
Those needing the paper version will obviously expect to pay more but it should still be kept at an affordable price.
Cost is always a problem for publishers I know, too expensive and people just won’t purchase a copy. Too cheap and they go broke.
At least I hope we can say goodbye to all those unsuitable advertisements now.
Congratulations to Sue, Paul, Margaret and Hugh for not have given up on the Psychic News.
When I was out in Germany the Psychic News came to the B.F.B.S. (British Forces Broadcasting Service) and S.S.V.C.(Service Sound and Vision Corporation) so both the civilians and the forces people had this spiritual contact available to them. Even though I did try to help by starting a circle on the camp at J.H.Q Rheindalhen, this was I believe was the first, and at the beginning some tried to boycott the meetings. Your did print a letter that I wrote on this subject.
Only it is so important that ANY group of people that have no spiritual meeinting places available to them ar access to computers, can at least have contact with those of like mind, and this is were the Psychic News is great, not everyone can just start up spiritual meeting places, thorough one reason or another, especially in the FORCES. I was blessed with a very understanding Scott’s man who was the Camp Commandant at the time and very cooperative.
Psychic News did intoduce exta pages, not so sure if that was a good idea, as we all know it has to be quality rather then quantity.
Great news – look forward to hearing more on when and where we shall be able to arrange subscriptions.
excellent news ,it will be good to get back a spiritual newspaper without an agenda that will speak for spiritualism,may i take this opportunity to thank Eric,Margaret and Hugh for their sterling efforts on our behalf and to thank Sue,Paul and the gang for all their endeavours to keep the name of the Pyschic News going and wish them all well with their work with the paper in the future
The Psychic News died because Spiritualists were not interested. Spiritualists have a tendance to be insular; they stick with in the four walls of there own churches and centres, hence the lack of interest in what Spiritualism is about or what the people in Spiritualism are doing. Hence the death of the Psychic News. I hope that Eric Hatton can re-invigorate this paper and not just turn out the same thing again, if that happens then it will go the same way.I also hope that they will have a page of Spiritualist
philosophy and what is going on around the world.
Hi Graeme,
I do not think it died because Spiritualists were not interested. Indeed it was hardly in Financial Difficulties and should have been rescued. Indeed it was clear that there were plenty of offers of funds to keep Psychic Press 1995 afloat. Could I suggest you track the events which were followed in detail here. http://spiritualismlink.forumotion.com/t883-psychic-news-snu-spiritualist-national-union-and-liquidator
This gives a good picture of the way the SNU tried just about everything they could think of to keep the masthead and assets.
I agree with Jim; there was financial assistance available to keep it going but I think that PN had been a thorn in the side of the SNU and it’s NEC for some time as it had been an ‘independent’ voice and had criticised the SNU from time to time. They did everything in their power to get rid of it and try and stop it being resurrected. They failed in the end; an independent Spiritualist publication was just meant to be. I only hope that the truth will be told in it’s pages.
Congratulations Eric Hatton, Margaret & Hugh Davis for all the excellent work that you have done to bring back The Psychic News. Also for all the wonderful work that the J V Trust does, having experienced it myself. Thank you all and well done!