Great piece. The idea that ‘The News’ is about reporting facts rather than promoting an agenda is clearly nonsense in this day and age. Personally I’d rather they were up front about it, and stopped making the ridiculous assertion that they were somehow ‘impartial’.
‘Public service’ broadcasting is all about servicing a progressive agenda, not the public.
Thank you sir. Yes, it would be so much better if they were up front. I'm in a whatsapp group with a load of school friends and they are forever using SkyNews stories as examples of something (the latest being Katie Hopkins calling someone a virgin), and they can't see that Sky News is not a legit source, but totally biased.
I cringe when people say certain news agencies or sources are ‘unbiased’. I don’t believe there is such a thing, even about the weather nowadays. It behooves us to determine the bias and be aware of it.
A 10 year old in my village was involved in a minor accident involving some live ammunition they had found in a local park. The park was at the bottom of a grassy hill which was an ideal backdrop for training in WW2 I guess.
Fortunately the boy wasn't hurt too badly but the Daily Mirror thought "cute kid, ammunition, might be a story" and sent a reporter around to interview him and take some photos. When it came out the story was only a few inches of column inside the paper and included a quote from the boy, which didn't sound like him at all. So I asked him if he'd really said it. "No, they made that up" he replied.
So even in a very minor story the paper had decided to "spice it up a bit" with a "harmless lie".
When the 2008 recession was perceived to be lifting, the BBC had a contact at our company and wanted to do a piece about salaries starting to increase again. I was put forward for the interview - why not I thought. My case was a variant of yours. He didn’t put words in my mouth or only take one bit out of context, but afterwards I realised that because the premise of the interview was about salaries going up my response was already predetermined to support that narrative. I either left the room saying nothing and pissing people off that I offered to do the interview then went back on it, or I said what I was expected to. It was a subtler kind of pressure. But like your experience it was a case of the journalist telling the story he wanted to rather than interviewing people to find out their actual situation or experience.
This is such a brilliant personal anecdote on the misrepresentation of the news.
The phrase 'nothing is as it seems' comes to mind...
They are creating and conveying scandal, abhorrence, drama (etc) - anything to evoke a strong reaction and keep viewers hooked.
I'm sorry that this happened to you Dominic, but also somewhat glad, in that it gave you such a direct experience of how misrepresentative this institution can be.
Thank you for the interesting (and amusing) Sunday piece.
My pet peeve is any story about Africa (as an african expat living in the British Isles). Any coverage will only make headlines if it falls into the Blood Diamond, Out of Africa-type stereotypes. Any other perspective is not newsworthy. And don't get me started on Omicron...
Incidentally that is why Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture. It is perhaps the only non-patronizing truly authentic representation of African culture on the big screen!
The news replaced the soup operas of the 80s. Once it became 24 hours it stopped being about truth and became more about entertainment. Now it plays more upon emotions, so it's more about spin to garner emotional highs and lows the feel.
As a travelling England fan post Euro 96 through to the World Cup in 2010, I saw many slurs levelled at the behaviour of the followers of the national team. We were an easy target and space filler for the lazy journos with empty pages or air time. I was constantly appalled and frustrated at the damage to my personal reputation when I saw how events that I witnessed were represented in the media. I spent much time explaining to those close to me that no, I was not a closet hooligan nor should they worry that I was in danger each time I travelled. Say what you like about social media but the advent of mobile phones and having access to platforms to share information, has gone some way towards reddressing the balance when trouble kicks off. It becomes clear that rival fans or authorities are the frequently the instigators and it is not just "The English Disease". Thank you for being brave enough to use your iItalian example in the video, I could add a dozen or more however I feel that such was the damage done at the time by the media that the image of the English hooligan is ingrained in the minds of those who read or watched the mainstream news pre the current age of digital enlightenment prompted by the availability of alternative news sources and opinions such as yours.
Such an important point to make Dominic. Even when they don't have an agenda to peddle, the press get boring facts wrong. One personal example I'll never forget was an inquest report in a newspaper about my late sister-in-law and they literally got everything wrong - misspelt her name, where she lived, how many children she had, how old she was - the only thing that was correct was that she had died! It wasn't a hard job for some junior reporter, but they still managed to muck it up.
When my dad died I spelt everything out for the obit writers, I practically wrote the obits, they still got loads of stuff wrong. My wikipedia page os full of errors. I've told them. But apparently I'm not a reliable source.
I do think that for example I know how many children I have and the number they state is wrong!
Great piece. The idea that ‘The News’ is about reporting facts rather than promoting an agenda is clearly nonsense in this day and age. Personally I’d rather they were up front about it, and stopped making the ridiculous assertion that they were somehow ‘impartial’.
‘Public service’ broadcasting is all about servicing a progressive agenda, not the public.
Lovely stuff.
Thank you sir. Yes, it would be so much better if they were up front. I'm in a whatsapp group with a load of school friends and they are forever using SkyNews stories as examples of something (the latest being Katie Hopkins calling someone a virgin), and they can't see that Sky News is not a legit source, but totally biased.
I cringe when people say certain news agencies or sources are ‘unbiased’. I don’t believe there is such a thing, even about the weather nowadays. It behooves us to determine the bias and be aware of it.
Yes, indeed.
A 10 year old in my village was involved in a minor accident involving some live ammunition they had found in a local park. The park was at the bottom of a grassy hill which was an ideal backdrop for training in WW2 I guess.
Fortunately the boy wasn't hurt too badly but the Daily Mirror thought "cute kid, ammunition, might be a story" and sent a reporter around to interview him and take some photos. When it came out the story was only a few inches of column inside the paper and included a quote from the boy, which didn't sound like him at all. So I asked him if he'd really said it. "No, they made that up" he replied.
So even in a very minor story the paper had decided to "spice it up a bit" with a "harmless lie".
At that point I stopped believing the press.
It's shocking really
When the 2008 recession was perceived to be lifting, the BBC had a contact at our company and wanted to do a piece about salaries starting to increase again. I was put forward for the interview - why not I thought. My case was a variant of yours. He didn’t put words in my mouth or only take one bit out of context, but afterwards I realised that because the premise of the interview was about salaries going up my response was already predetermined to support that narrative. I either left the room saying nothing and pissing people off that I offered to do the interview then went back on it, or I said what I was expected to. It was a subtler kind of pressure. But like your experience it was a case of the journalist telling the story he wanted to rather than interviewing people to find out their actual situation or experience.
Yes indeed.
Keep it up Dom. I never saw you write or say anything silly or mean.
Thanks Bill!
This is such a brilliant personal anecdote on the misrepresentation of the news.
The phrase 'nothing is as it seems' comes to mind...
They are creating and conveying scandal, abhorrence, drama (etc) - anything to evoke a strong reaction and keep viewers hooked.
I'm sorry that this happened to you Dominic, but also somewhat glad, in that it gave you such a direct experience of how misrepresentative this institution can be.
Thank you for the interesting (and amusing) Sunday piece.
Thank you :)
My pet peeve is any story about Africa (as an african expat living in the British Isles). Any coverage will only make headlines if it falls into the Blood Diamond, Out of Africa-type stereotypes. Any other perspective is not newsworthy. And don't get me started on Omicron...
Incidentally that is why Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture. It is perhaps the only non-patronizing truly authentic representation of African culture on the big screen!
I must watch that - I haven't yet
So much to love in the film, including Andy Serkis nearly stealing the show with the best take on the SA accent you could hope to hear
Great location. Where are you?
My mum's place in California. I'm back in the UK now
Can I recommend that you stop
Watching the news
Because the news contrives to frighten you
To make you feel small and alone
To make you feel that your mind is not your own.
Thats the chorus from 'Spent the day in bed' by Morrissey.
Sums it up pretty well I think.
Dom. Your more than reasonably articulate they just wanted a fall guy.
I think it was Elton John who called them all parasites. They feed of this stuff unfortunately
indeed!
Very interesting Tks
Thanks Alison!
The news replaced the soup operas of the 80s. Once it became 24 hours it stopped being about truth and became more about entertainment. Now it plays more upon emotions, so it's more about spin to garner emotional highs and lows the feel.
Yes
As a travelling England fan post Euro 96 through to the World Cup in 2010, I saw many slurs levelled at the behaviour of the followers of the national team. We were an easy target and space filler for the lazy journos with empty pages or air time. I was constantly appalled and frustrated at the damage to my personal reputation when I saw how events that I witnessed were represented in the media. I spent much time explaining to those close to me that no, I was not a closet hooligan nor should they worry that I was in danger each time I travelled. Say what you like about social media but the advent of mobile phones and having access to platforms to share information, has gone some way towards reddressing the balance when trouble kicks off. It becomes clear that rival fans or authorities are the frequently the instigators and it is not just "The English Disease". Thank you for being brave enough to use your iItalian example in the video, I could add a dozen or more however I feel that such was the damage done at the time by the media that the image of the English hooligan is ingrained in the minds of those who read or watched the mainstream news pre the current age of digital enlightenment prompted by the availability of alternative news sources and opinions such as yours.
Absolutely right!
Such an important point to make Dominic. Even when they don't have an agenda to peddle, the press get boring facts wrong. One personal example I'll never forget was an inquest report in a newspaper about my late sister-in-law and they literally got everything wrong - misspelt her name, where she lived, how many children she had, how old she was - the only thing that was correct was that she had died! It wasn't a hard job for some junior reporter, but they still managed to muck it up.
When my dad died I spelt everything out for the obit writers, I practically wrote the obits, they still got loads of stuff wrong. My wikipedia page os full of errors. I've told them. But apparently I'm not a reliable source.
I do think that for example I know how many children I have and the number they state is wrong!
🤦🏼♀️
Can’t you sue them?
Wikipedia?
They’re a sort of perfect blob
Yes - immune