[foot-loose]

I was going to post this in response to Vivs thread on Moyles "leaving" but I got myself all wound up while I was writing it so figured it might be worth a discussion in itself.

Something that bugs me: the number of people who read the newspapers, tabloids in particular, and take what they have read to be fact. I remember sitting in my old works staff canteen and everyone would be reading the latest "gossip" about somebody. When you read the article, its "a source close to the couple says" or "a friend, who wanted to remain annonymous, said". They might as well print "we were bored so we made this up".

I suppose it's one thing if its a celebrity or something, they kinda know what they are getting into and it seems to go hand in hand with the job, but when it comes to actual news, most papers don't seem to give a toss about "fact" they only care about what sells papers.

The whole thing with terrorism is a good example. People get so wound up about "terrorism" that it is a cash cow as far as the papers are concerned. And what do they do when there isn't any terrorists trying to blow us up? They plant a fake bomb themselves and tell us how easy it is and how the police aint doing anything about it.

See if the papers decided to not print anything to do with terrorism, then the terrorists would have to give up eventually coz no-one would know what they had done! Granted, I know there are some flaws in this theory but the basics are right - if the papers didn't give the time and resources to the terror stories that they do, then the whole point behind what the terrorists are doing would fall flat on its arse.

People have a tendancy to believe something just because they have read it in print. The papers in this country are allowed to print whatever the hell they want about whoever they want and they get away with it time and time again. Free press is one thing, but being allowed to print what pretty much amounts to lies is wrong.

[Ballbag]

So are you saying it's a good thing or a bad thing?

[Vivienne]

people take what they believe as fact? maybe? maybe not.... people are interested certainly, and if something makes sense, they may well believe it, they may not. Surely it's each individual's choice re: what to believe / what not to believe, foots.

[MK Chris]

I think what foot-loose is saying in a nutshell is don't believe everything you read Viv and he's right, really. Celebrity stories in particular often seem to be a complete fabrication, although I'm not too bothered about that because the type of people stupid enough to believe them tend to be the type of people stupid enough to be interested in them in the first place.

[Console]

The problem with the newspapers (or at least the tabloids) is that they do just want people to buy their paper and to have a large audience so advertisers will pay lots of money to have their products advertised within it. They only really cover the 'news' that they know the general populous are interested in, and that's the same populous that watch Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity... etc, they want the scandals and 'juicy' gossip on the celebrities and I doubt they would care if it's true or not. They don't want the boring political goings on, they want entertaining news about celebrities and self-help columns, the actual news is largely irrelevant if it's not very entertaining. I would class all of this as society going downhill, although others would just call it a change of the times.

NB. I don't read newspapers any more as it's largely a waste of time.

Surely it's each individual's choice re: what to believe / what not to believe

I don't think that's the point Foot-Loose was making.

[Vivienne]

a bit of controversy is a good thing here, tophs ... it's a chrismoyles.net fansite... if anyone sees something relating to Moyles anywhere, why not put it on board, so that people can discuss what they think : good, bad or indifferent.

[Vivienne]

I don't think that's the point Foot-Loose was making.

well, it's the point I am making.

[foot-loose]

people take what they believe as fact? maybe? maybe not.... people are interested certainly, and if something makes sense, they may well believe it, they may not. Surely it's each individual's choice re: what to believe / what not to believe, foots.

Yes if its just gossip in the pub or something like that, but not when it is being bundled up and packaged as fact. Of course its up to the individual to decide what is true and what isn't to an extent, but we are talking about "news" papers here - they are meant to deliver the truth, not just some hyped up story. Sell the papers, make the money, deal with the "mistakes" later.

If everyone read the papers with a pinch of salt then I wouldn't mind as much but I don't think they do - I might be wrong with that. I don't think people go through the story and question where all the information has come from. As I say, if its in printed format, people tend to take it as fact.

PS, im not really meaning this in relation / reply to Vivs post in General - it just reminded me of this subject is all.

They don't want the boring political goings on,

No, but they do waste the governments time by coming out with sleaze and scandal and basically not letting the powers that be get on with the slightly important task of running the country. I'm not saying that I don't want there to be a bit of accountability if there is something in someones past which would prevent them being able to do their job, but it just seems that the government must be constantly trying to battle against the press.

[Vivienne]

seriously, foots? How often do newspapers really deliver the truth? ... expecting them to is unbelievably naive.

[MK Chris]

The problem with the newspapers (or at least the tabloids) is that they do just want people to buy their paper and to have a large audience so advertisers will pay lots of money to have their products advertised within it. They only really cover the 'news' that they know the general populous are interested in, and that's the same populous that watch Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity... etc, they want the scandals and 'juicy' gossip on the celebrities and I doubt they would care if it's true or not. They don't want the boring political goings on, they want entertaining news about celebrities and self-help columns, the actual news is largely irrelevant if it's not very entertaining. I would class all of this as society going downhill, although others would just call it a change of the times.

I largely agree, this is clearly why the Sun is the most popular paper in this country (though if the Star ever becomes the most popular, that will truly be rock bottom for society), however, there is still a market for the broadsheets, otherwise they obviously would be driven out of business.

The thing with the tabloids is they are easy to read, if you just want something quick to flick through they are ideal, but as long as they are taken as that and not as gospel truth.

[foot-loose]

seriously, foots? How often do newspapers really deliver the truth? ... expecting them to is unbelievably naive.

Amazingly then, this appears that we agree on something!

People are intelligent beings. The public, on the other hand, is stupid. I would imagine that a lot of people get their daily news from The Sun or a paper of similar integrity.

**clicks to The Sun website**

In order of importance:

1) JAWS has been spotted off the Cornwall coast. (In the sea - wow!)
2) Lindsay Lohan has done a fashion shoot (full details for those who care here!)
3) Mike Read from Eastenders fame has died.
4) "Pervy porn again Christians" are getting their kit off.
5) The Cheeky Girls and Five are having issues selling their autographs for a tenner.
6) Gordon Brown has praised President Bush's leadership

So we have to get all the way to number six before we hit somthing that could really be classed as important news! Market them as "gossip papers" - stop telling me that this is news!

I've not read The Sun in ages, but if anyone has a copy, i'd love them to post todays main headlines.

[Vivienne]

woo hoo!

[Console]

1) JAWS has been spotted off the Cornwall coast. (In the sea - wow!)

How over-sensational is that? Jaws? They mean some random great white shark presumably; so a creature that lives in the sea, was spotted in the sea; how is that even news? (NB: I haven't read the article).

Also, how many people die a year because of a shark, isn't it something in the region of 5?

[Vivienne]

over-sensational... but it just plain bloody works. That's the point to pushing buttons/selling newspapers, etc.

[DemonHorse]

**clicks to The Sun website**

In order of importance:

1) JAWS has been spotted off the Cornwall coast. (In the sea - wow!)
2) Lindsay Lohan has done a fashion shoot (full details for those who care here!)
3) Mike Read from Eastenders fame has died.
4) "Pervy porn again Christians" are getting their kit off.
5) The Cheeky Girls and Five are having issues selling their autographs for a tenner.
6) Gordon Brown has praised President Bush's leadership

Number 3 and number 6 are the only ones I might have bothered reading.

[Console]

Which character was Mike Read?

[Vivienne]

No. 6 is the only one I would have bothered with... unless I was bored, or depleted of chocolate supplies.

[DemonHorse]

Which character was Mike Read?

Frank Butcher

[Vivienne]

Which character was Mike Read?

Pat Butcher's husband... what planet are you on.

[Console]

To be honest, I can't really see me reading any of them. None of them sound particularly interesting.

[DemonHorse]

He hadn't been in Eastenders for a while to be fair Viv.

I seem to remember there was also a remix of Eminem's My Name Is using audio clips of Frank Butcher.

[Console]

Which character was Mike Read?

Frank Butcher

Ta, although I'm still none-the-wiser. I guess you can tell that I haven't really watched Eastenders a lot.

Which character was Mike Read?

Pat Butcher's husband... what planet are you on.

A planet on which I don't know who Mike Read is.

[Vivienne]

everyone in life I have ever spoken to knows what Mike Read has done... if he's not been discussed on radio, tv, he's in the newspapers, mags. etc, etc., etc.

[Ballbag]

You obviously haven't read number 4), people getting their kit off!! Exciting.

[Vivienne]

you would be amused by no. 4, balls (ha ha!).