Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 7236

Ok guys, some info on the UK news sources. I hope someone also posts in here with US, NZ etc and describes them. As most of you know, in the UK we have national newspapers and many of them, unlike the US which is often more regional I beleive simply because of its size as a country and the distribution nightmare of producing a national daily.

Anyhow here some info about the 'reliable' sources in the UK. I thiugh it might be useful too avoid any accustaions about the quality of the news that may be reproduced here.

The Broadsheets (quality press)

The Guardian: Ahhh the Grauinad. Yes the Guardian is a meber of the quality press. Originally an Old Labour paper and seated firmly on the lEft Intellectual wing the Guardian has over time become a bit of a joke. Not because of the quality of its news, or the ides expressed within it, but because of its awful mistakes it sometimes make and the apologies that follow. All in all though a paper that most Americans would call leftist, and most over here would call Centre-Left I believe. It does have an angle on its news, either internatioanl of national.

However, remember this if you read the site. The paper version comes in two parts. The newspaper and G2. G2 is a review section. It is often opinion on the news and arts. The key though is that G2 is where the paper strikes its balance. It will publish artciles that are not left wing quite regularly. The importnat thing too remebr here therefore is that just because a piece may come from the Grauniad it does not mean that it will be by defintion a left wing orientated piece. Read carefully when you see a piece from the Guardian, because the website does not bother telling you where in the paper it is from, and often does not give info on the writer as it does in the paper version.

The Daily Telegraph: Or the Torygraph if you will. This is arguably the only broadsheet in the UK left that is on the Right. A staunch supporter of the Conservative Party of the UK, and despartely trying to increase an ever dwindling circulation. The Toprygraph does not as far as I can tell have any balance in its opinion. It is squarely in favour of pretty much anything a Tory says. Given its Tory roots it is also a strong supporter of the Republican Party in the US. Also note that some may read it and thinking it is being Leftist. If you do try to remeber that in the UK there are some things that are simply given as being, and that even the Right have accepted them. ie Healthcare for all, etc etc. This is the result of the changing shift in Party Politics in the UK after the war. The right was forced to accept certain things that the people wanted, and as a result they may appear to advocate Leftist policies to some. This is a misnomer really, they actually express right solutions to left concepts, that is all. The Torygraphs position on the war is intersting though. They are for and against at the same time.

The Times: Rupert Murdochs (quality paper if one can say the two things in the same breath). Used to be Tory, no very much New Labour. Anything this paper says is generally is guided by the iron fist of the Murdoch realm. Avoid paying too much attention to it, its agenda is guided by his influence of Tony Blair. Yes this is opinion, but its also damn near to the truth.

The Independent: As the title suggest an independent agenda on stories. Now arguably it may not appear this way (thanks in part to me) but the paper has journalists from all sides of the poltical spectrum. When it comes the news itself they are second too none in giving facts over value. However, as with the Guardian be aware that they also have a second section in the paper version called The Review. Once again the Review is broad based but this also contains opinion pieces more than anything else. Once again the website never tells you whether what you are reading is in the Review or the main paper.eg Fisk is _always_ in the Review.

The paper does not directly affiliate itself with any political viewpoint. In the last two General Elections in the UK it has made a point of not openly supporting anyone.

Financial Times: Respected throughout the world just like the Wall Street Journal. Apolitical really, so when it does news you know its the news.

Summary: Every UK Brioadsheet flies a flag of party political affiliation with the exception of the Indy and the FT.

The Tabloids:

The Daily Mail: Racsist, xenophobic, right wing hate toilet paper. Never beleive anything you read in it. Owned by Conrad Black.

The Evening Standard: Conrad Black's London paper. (although circulation is spreading). Tends to be a bit better than the Mail but still panders to Middle Englanders.

The Sun: The No 1 selling paper in the UK and leading 'red top'. A comic, nothing more. Murdoch owned.

The Mirror: The No 2 red top. Trying to redeem itself by being serious during the war. The editor is real twat though.

Daily Express: Owned by Media Pornography Tycoon Richard Desmond. Need I say more?

The Star: Smuttier version of the Sun.

Daily Sport: Great headlines such as, 'WW2 Bomber found on moon' followed the next day by 'WW2 Bomber found on moon vanishes!' Basically a soft porno peddled as news. Apparantly it has a good sports section. No website though???

And Finally TV news

The BBC: The most reliable news source in the UK. Officially it has no agenda. And it has in recent monthes been very critical of the government over many things. Note also it was critical of last Tory incumbants too. If you are looking for cold hard facts about things you cannot go wrong here really. Tells the news an does endevour too avoid pushing one particular agenda as a result of its uniquely designed funding system.

The BBC is not state run, nor is it state owned, althouygh because of its method funding this is often a misconception. The BBC receives it funding from the TV License payers (yes I know it might sound wierd). The BBC is officially independent of government, although the government does make decisions about the Director Genral position in conjunction with the rest of Parliament.

The BBC has been gagged only once that I can remember, over revalations that a certain minister who was not out was gay. They were not allowed to say the pahrse 'Peter Mandleson is gay' even in reference to someone else saying it. This was quite rigyhtly taken the piss out of on many shows on the BBC and they still did it by proxy anyway.

ITN: Independent Televison News. I'm not a fan personally, but the news they give is usually pretty good I believe.

Sky : Can you say Fox?

And thats the lot. Any additoons would be nice.

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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
Posts: 35783

Interestingly, I have known a few journalists and they tell some interesting tales. One told me that the Daily Mail have the most professional/accurate reporters, that they will be there for a speech or trial verdict or whatever and get all the facts and send the story off straight away while some of the broadsheet journos are asking for things to be repeated. It is a pity that the editorial policy is so shite; the sport is good though (although Urbanjunkie took objection to an Ian Wooldridge article on the Spurs/Sol Campbell issue).

The BBC is the mutt's nuts for news, really. The license fee is worth paying, as most of the BBC output is good, although they do the boring soap opera/gameshow crap too. And they are independent, there is no doubt about it, even if their journalists might have strong political views of their own.

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Registered: Sep 2001
Location: ........
Posts: 15083

You forgot The News of The World.

From grandious bull to tabloid bull, one of British journalisms tradgedies.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 7236

quote:

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Originally posted by skalie
You forgot The News of The World.

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Registered: Sep 2001
Location: ........
Posts: 15083

From here

'The Sun', 'Page 3' and 'Page Three' are registered trademarks. All rights reserved. © News Group Newspapers Ltd, 2001.

How can they register "Page Three" as a trademark?

Any book with over two pages has to pay loyalties?

And, yes, Spooky I know I'm lowering the tone of this thread.

60p per minute?

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 7236

McDonalds own the trademarks on: Always Quality; and ; Always Fun

bizarre huh?

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Registered: Nov 2001
Location:
Posts: 996

We just want to hear more about the page three girls.

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location:
Posts: 16824

Some one is getting their to's and too's mixed up a lot.
I don’t mean to be anal but its been bugging me for a quite a while now. Might be beneficial when making serious posts to straighten that out.

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