Chavs: the demonization of the working class

PM Jim Hacker: "Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers: The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country, The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country, The Times is read by people who actually do run the country, The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country, The Financial Times is read by people who own the country, The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country and the Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is."
Sir Humphrey: "Prime Minister, what about the people who read the Sun?"
Bernard Wooley: "Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits."
— Yes, Prime Minister

Well said wheni'm - not just a bunch of lies but a blatant bunch of lies. I know I have previously cited the day DH, on the phone to a Mail journalist said about a story they wanted a comment on "That is just not correct. if you print that it will be a lie." Of course they went straight ahead.
They are trying to create opinion not reflect it, but in an indirect way, rather than making reasoned arguments. Then you get people like Gove feeding them the lines, just to get on the front page. Thus they shape knee jerk policy formation.
They also deal in miserable negative, downbeat stuff. DM is not alone in lies and negativity but they lead the charge. Other countries manage without this kind of journalism. There is enough to be fed up about in the country without the DM talking it down so determinedly.
I guess it is becoming clear why the DM is so unpopular with some of us!
It will be interesting to see the conclusions and recommendations of Leveson.

Anagram Yes Prime Minister gave us some priceless witicisms that were spot on!

What really gets my goat is the 'rolling news' or 24/7 news that seems to have come about in the last decade or so. Sometimes an hour is devoted to a story where there are only half a dozen facts known, but every Joe Soap and his wife, neighbour, retired police officer, former probation officer, social worker, etc etc is given the opportunity to air their opinion as if it is gospel. Or sometimes they concede it is all conjecture - but then go right ahead and pontificate anyway. Thankfully, there's always the off button. I was at a media seminar for work recently, and there is a huge fall off in print readers (and an increase in online readers of course) for all the major newspapers. The DM by far the most read in both online and print versions. The people who still buy the print versions of the newspapers are the ones who want the '40 minutes' that it takes to peruse a paper from top to bottom, and also those who like seeing the whole package instead of the bite sized chunks that online articles often offer. I do like to look at photos online but there's nothing better than sitting down with the paper and a .

I can't speak for any other profession, but probation officers are not allowed to speak about cases or give opinions on the news. That would breach confidence and prejudice unbiased treatment of any case we were required to work with.

We usually wheel out Harry Fletcher from the PO union, to discuss policy or PO working conditions, but not cases.

I really don't like the " poseur tabloids" like "The Dailt Mail"and "Express", but equally am irritated by the smugness of "The Telegraph. "The Times" is all I can manage but they are all biassed, aren't they?

Pressed post too soon. Often, people are called probation officers, or ex POs, when they are no such thing. Workers who are unqualified have been called POs by the press, and ex-workers are often ex for good reason.

anagram So true! Except for Morning Star readers..we just want the people to run the country!

nanaej,

Worked on a magazine as picture editor for many years and found the attitudes of the editor a pain - always looking for an "angle" rather than just presenting the facts; latching onto a tragedy as if it were a gift from the gods. Journalists get into a very strange mindset and lose the ability to see that people do not necessarily need drama and exaggeration - they would quite like the facts, lucidly expressed.
I remember being at university during the sit-ins of the late 60s and the stuff that appeared on the news bore absolutely no relation to the facts. It was an eye-opener for my innocent mind!

Err - uhm - so what do people think of the book? Went out, spent too much, bought leather jacket (well I really liked it), a tartan grip, and a scarf in MIdlands GN chaper colours, came home, had then microwaved yesterday's left over dinner whilst watching Mo and all this has happened on GN. I am a slouch.

grrranny, sorry we've got a bit off-track, but no one but you has actually read the book yet!

it isn't available on Kindle, so not for immediate reading!

Ooer midlands chapter of Hells grannies! Purple white and green!

March march swing ye along!(suffragettes, that's us!)

I've got a purple fascinator!

I wonder if the railway police know we're converging on Birmingham ?

Jamaica just won mens 4x4 - shush jeni about the chapter meeting in case we are being tracked in some way but yes - scarf is purple, green and white - march march - I am a wee bit surprised that no one else has read the book - I would urge people to do so even if they don't agree with the politics as it will be interesting (not being callous here) to see how the media report Tia's death and the book was most illuminating about the way these tragedies are perceived depending upon the class (no apology for using the word) of the victim, perpetrator, family and wider community.

Absolutly right grrranny.. class pervades all aspects of society in all sorts of ways..often quite subtly too!

Message deleted by Gransnet.

Nonu what was that about? Yes we crossed topics a bit but that does happen from time to time. Do not think that the tone of your post was conforming to the ettiquette or have I misunderstood you.

For Jeni sorry , I didn"t say say in previous post x

Nonu were you being funny then because I thought you were being nasty - to whoever. I often forget that people don't get my humour when I post and constantly get into trouble. Was that the case with your post?

Personal attacks are unwarranted. Please let's keep to the etiquette of the forum

Agree with you, grrranny. This is not conforming to the etiquette as far as I can tell nor is it the way we normally talk to one another on these forums.

xxx to you gals

grrrrany , you are a fine one to talk Tell it like it is sweetpea

I told you my humour gets me into trouble - it's not often funny.