Blair - does he have a point?

Melvil · June 2007

See:

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/tonyblai ... 76,00.html

Is the media really a 'feral beast', twisting and sensationalising all that it reports on? He seems to have a special hatred for the independent, a newspaper that reported in 2006 that Rupert Murdoch's newscorp had offered him a senior position for when he steps down as PM. Does he have a point or is it just hypocrisy and sour grapes on his part?

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Regulator · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Melvil

See:

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/tonyblai ... 76,00.html

Is the media really a 'feral beast', twisting and sensationalising all that it reports on? He seems to have a special hatred for the independent, a newspaper that reported in 2006 that Rupert Murdoch's newscorp had offered him a senior position for when he steps down as PM. Does he have a point or is it just hypocrisy and sour grapes on his part?

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See Baby Elephants and more at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47331519@N00/
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Tony Blair made the classic mistake of thinking that he could 'spin' the media. The media which, despite all its faults, is relatively free of political control bit back - and now Blair is whinging. After all, he has castrated Parliament and the media has had to be the only check on his campaign of rampant corruption and his brutal assault on civil liberties.

All I have to say to him is "Tough Sh*t!"

___________________________
Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!

speshcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Regulator

Tony Blair made the classic mistake of thinking that he could 'spin' the media. The media which, despite all its faults, is relatively free of political control bit back - and now Blair is whinging. After all, he has castrated Parliament and the media has had to be the only check on his campaign of rampant corruption and his brutal assault on civil liberties.

All I have to say to him is "Tough Sh*t!"<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Couldn't have put it better myself. [^]

<hr noshade size="1">"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." (Albert Einstein)

NervexProf · June 2007

Poor Tony! - even the leftist media chappies have abandoned him: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/articl ... e_id=11383

Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom

billsters · June 2007

I think the argument is worthy of some thought, regardless of who is making it.

Look at the way US politics are showbiz, and it is heading that way here. Politics should actually be quite dull if things are going well.

kmahony · June 2007

I spent the whole of last year's TdF describing Landis as "the Feral one", but no-one believed it was a real word.

If it wasn't for hangovers, I'd ride everyday.

babyjebus · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I spent the whole of last year's TdF describing Landis as "the Feral one", but no-one believed it was a real word.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hasn't anyone seen Mad Max 2- The Road Warrior? The Feral Kid was downright, er, feral.

Unkraut · June 2007

I think he does have a point, but considering his history of 'spinning' he is not in much of a position to make it. In particular, I thought he was right to criticise conflating news with opinion. The two need to be kept separate, all the more so today when instant opinion and comment is required which might be of a better quality if the journalist had more time to think about the issues. To take immigration as an example, we need objective facts on how many people are entering the country and from where, and then the opinion as to whether this is too much, issues of integration etc.

Really objective reporting would be the same regardless of the political stance of the paper concerned, but the differences you see in the way news gets to the reader shows how much politics can influence what ought to be the giving of straight facts, as much as this is humanly possible. I've seen twisted reporting here of an issue in the company I work for, where a impression was giving by the leftish press in this instance which simply didn't correlate to what actually went on - and I was there at the event concerned!

As an aside, my better half picked up a copy of the Mail not long ago, and couldn't believe how much it had gone downhill since we left the Land of Hope and Glory some 10 years ago.

papercorn2000 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by babyjebus

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I spent the whole of last year's TdF describing Landis as "the Feral one", but no-one believed it was a real word.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hasn't anyone seen Mad Max 2- The Road Warrior? The Feral Kid was downright, er, feral.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

SO who, in a post-apocalype world, taught the Feral Kid to speak?
In MM2 he can't manage more than a few grunts but by the end he's the narrator! How did that happen then?

God told me to skin you alive.
http://www.ekroadclub.co.uk/

Gary Askwith · June 2007

The media is a bloodsucking narcissistic pestilence-ridden whore spewing forth cultural nhilism and emotional incontinence to a sponge brained trivia-obsessed half educated existentially doomed joe public

Economic Growth; as dead as a Yangtze River dolphin....

ankev1 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gary Askwith

The media is a bloodsucking narcissistic pestilence-ridden whore spewing forth cultural nhilism and emotional incontinence to a sponge brained trivia-obsessed half educated existentially doomed joe public

Economic Growth; as dead as a Yangtze River dolphin....

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Agreed. Er ... except perhaps when we find a paper which echoes our own views?[;)]

Blair lives by the media anyway. Don't forget that his reluctance to pick up his US congressional medal can only be explained by how he fears it would play in the UK media. The UK media is a national disgrace but it can probably be attacked with legitimacy only by someone who has got a bit of integrity.

Bugcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gary Askwith

The media is a bloodsucking narcissistic pestilence-ridden whore spewing forth cultural nhilism and emotional incontinence to a sponge brained trivia-obsessed half educated existentially doomed joe public
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Don't be shy. Tell us what you really think... [:o)]

--
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Cab · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Unkraut

I think he does have a point, but considering his history of 'spinning' he is not in much of a position to make it. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That sentence encapsulates the whole thing very well.

He who lives by spin, shall die by spin.

Free baby elephants for every citizen
Vote Arch for Prime Minister

Melvil · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cab

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Unkraut

I think he does have a point, but considering his history of 'spinning' he is not in much of a position to make it. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That sentence encapsulates the whole thing very well.

He who lives by spin, shall die by spin.

Free baby elephants for every citizen
Vote Arch for Prime Minister
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Does that not mean that everyone shall get very dizzy? [xx(]

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Cunobelin · June 2007

Interesting point on Newsnight......

The press once accepted the press releases and even the "spin" but after they were led into supporting a war by a PM who not only lied to the press, but knowingly lied to and misled the House of Commons, is it surprising that he is no longer trusted or believed.

The cynicism and disbelief is a natural and responsible reaction to the lies and falsehoods.

He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.
(Unattributed Trad.)

Unknown · June 2007

Blair? a point??

You're winding us up. The wanker is absolutely pointless.

Flying_Monkey · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NervexProf

Poor Tony! - even the leftist media chappies have abandoned him: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/articl ... e_id=11383
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Surely, you don't really think that Blair ever had anything in common with the SWP?

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gary Askwith

The media is a bloodsucking narcissistic pestilence-ridden whore spewing forth cultural nhilism and emotional incontinence to a sponge brained trivia-obsessed half educated existentially doomed joe public

Economic Growth; as dead as a Yangtze River dolphin....

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Does this mean that you are about to be exposed in the News of the World? Can we look forward to "Lecturer in five in a bed sex'n drugs orgy" this weekend? [:p]

Simon L2 · June 2007

he had no criticism for the Murdoch or Rothermere press, on which he relies for his epitaph, but laid into the Independent. I'm not an Indy reader, but you have to admire the way they stuck at the Iraq thing, and, yes, they are responsible in some degree for the contempt that has gone Blair's way. So I'm afraid to say, Tone, you are full of sh!t and it is to be hoped that some little tyke from Bethnal Green or Handsworth catches up with you on a dark night.

Blair - does he have a point?

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