Portadown News

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Portadown News
URL	http://www.portadownnews.com
Commercial?	No
Type of site	Online satirical newspaper
Created by	Newton Emerson
Launched	2000
Current status	No longer updated

The Portadown News was a satirical web-based newspaper dealing with Northern Irish politics and culture. It written by journalist and political commentator Newton Emerson.

In 2001 Emerson agreed to leave his job with a Belfast computer company after the republican Andersonstown News named him as the website's editor.^[1] The newspaper accused Emerson of unionist bias. Also in 2001 Freeserve dropped the site after receiving complaints.^[2]

The site's "reporters" included loyalist Billy Shootspatrick, republican Anne Phoblacht and unionist Will March. There were also contributions by Portadown residents, including Tyler McSpide.

The website resulted in a weekend spin-off newspaper column in the Sunday World, and a bestselling book. Emerson has also written for the Irish Times, the Irish News and the Ireland edition of The Daily Mirror. Although not updated since 2005, it remains online.