Do the media have any morals

The situation around Bridgend is really, really disturbing. Yesterday a number of people and organisations highlighted that the media coverage given to the situation may be contributing.

So what has the media response been like? The most astonishing is from the Sun who ignore the criticism and run with the story on their front page, made worse by the headline "17 deaths, 13months, 1 town, 1 question..... Why?" which is factually misleading. The problem exists around the County of Bridgend and is not confined the Town. That may be a subtle change, but it is one area of misreporting that has been covered and criticised over the last few weeks because it is an easy way of makig the problem appear worse than it is. The Sun also chooses to ignore the criticism that was made of the media in their reporting of the latest tragedy (at least it does on line - I will not buy a copy to check if it is me ntioned elsewhere).

The rest of the media are nearly as bad, almost universally using the criticism made of them yesterday to prolong the story through a new angle: "is media reporting making the situation worse?"

The best thing the media can do is just shut up. This is a real tragedy with families and the lives of young people at the heart of it. If there is any hint that media reporting is making it worse there is only one angle to take don't even mention it.

Maybe the Sun could also consider an anonymous donation to the Samaritans to support their initiative in Bridgend (note anonymous - not a donation in a blaze of glory). This would be a fitting compensation for its incorrect and irresponsible actions.

Caught Reading the Guardian Again

I keep getting caught out reading the Guardian, I even quoted it at a Council meeting recently. I know I must do better, but Simon Hoggart's Sketch today is such a great read. The final sentence says it all:

"The new load of Treasury ministers seem to be worse than the last lot, and trying to call them to account is like nailing a blancmange to a plank."

A Bad Combination: The MoD and Cheque Book Journalism

I cannot help but think that the decision to allow the marines and sailors who were kidnapped by the Iranians to sell their story to the press is a stupid, ill-thought idea.

There are huge concerns about the power of cheque book journalism ; combining it with an organisation where careless talk really does cost lives can only do harm.

David Cameron Took Drugs Shock

Hot news this morning is that a politician made a mistake at the age of 15 that nearly got him kicked out of school. In the words of the immortal Anti-Nowhere League - "So What!"

That is not to belittle the taking of cannabis, nor the effects that drugs can have on people's lives. What it does say is that, for one person, the drugs education at the time didn't work. Rather than condemn the bloke why not give him the freedom to use what he learned from it for the advantage of society.

We have a political system that is in terminal decline at the moment and all the media can worry about is what DC did at the age of 15. I think this is more of a statement about the mess the media is in than anything else.

(P.S. I strongly recommend that anyone who is easily offended should NOT listen to above mentioned song).

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good headline

Only a left leaning newspaper like the Guardian could do this. Under the headline:

Blair will not face third interview on honours, says spokesman

comes the story that there has, so far, been no contact between Blair and the police over a 3rd interview - it contains abolsutely nothing authoritative to back up the claim in the headline that Blair will not be interviewed again.

Is Guido Britain's top investigative reporter?

Because as the "Cash for Honours" enquiry and the Charity Commission investigation into the dodgy status of the Smith Institute progresses it is looking increasingly like the media have failed and that Britains top investigative reporter is now one Guido Fawkes Esq.

For too long now the media have provided banal analysis whilst readily accepting information that is spoon fed to them (the BBC take top prize in the banal stakes by some distance).

People like Guido who are daring to challenge increasingly make the media look foolish.

Denying the PM A Holiday

The media are now using the green agenda to try to deny the PM the right to go on a long-haul flight for his holidays. I think it is pathetic.

I suspect it is as much about wanting the ability to invade the PMs privacy while he is on his breaks.

There are good reasons why the PM should holiday more in the UK - to do with standing up for our Tourism industry, but it is our media and the way they operate that make this very difficult.