Front Page News
Shock horror:
the Government’s pro-war 100 local newspapers, 28 of 4,340 complaints in
News-bites:
newspapers
agenda prior to the Iraq local websites, as well as 2007, a 31% rise on 2006.
interesting
sometimes don’t
invasion. He also names radio, TV, teletext outlets It resolved 483 complaints
snippets hitting
tell the truth!
and shames those involved and its national titles. and made an additional 32
the news as
in racism in the newsroom, These conglomerates adjudications. Two issues
political ‘entrapment’, are able to profit from in particular helped send
MediaMag goes
bribery and information take-overs, mergers and complaints to a record high
to the printers
theft. The book shows just shared overheads. They in 2007: those controversial
We Brits love our texts
how far inaccurate and have huge influence over stickers in Heat magazine,
Last year we sent 57
poorly researched stories public discourse – and are which mocked the glamour
billion texts; in December
have become the norm. His concrete examples of how model Katie Price’s disabled
we sent out 5,000 every
conclusion: a newspaper’s ownership son Harvey; and a Daily
second. 290 million were
Finally I was forced to can control and manipulate Mirror comment piece on
sent on New Year’s Eve
admit that I work in a news content. Peter Wilby, the McCanns written by
alone. We also sent 448
corrupted profession. former editor of The Tony Parsons. This item
million picture messages,
Meanwhile, new research Independent on Sunday, attracted 485 complaints
the equivalent of 19 million
from Cardiff University has recently remarked that for its xenophobic
rolls of film.
School of Journalism marketing managers are approach to the way the
Richard and Judy help
shows that over the last now taken more seriously Portuguese had handled
Since this issue has shape the A Levels of
20 years, newspapers than editors. the McCann enquiry, and
a focus on print, and the future
have got three times Follow it up was headlined ‘Oh up yours
newspapers in particular, The director of a well-
bigger, and their profits Flat Earth News by senor’.
MediaMag thought you known examining body has
have doubled – while the Nick Davies (Chatto & The PCC now also
ought to know about new suggested that the choices
quality of journalism, and Windus, 2008). For more has responsibility for
research into the authority of set texts for A Level
employment conditions information visit www. adjudications on video
of the British Press. And it’s Literature could reflect
for journalists have
flatearthnews.net material on magazines and
a sorry story. some of the inspirational
deteriorated. Workloads The Quality and newspaper websites, and
It’s rare for a journalist modern literature endorsed
have massively increased Independence of British is increasingly focusing
to blow the whistle on by C4’s Book Club hosted
with 24-hour journalism; Journalism, Cardiff School on resolving issues before
his own colleagues, but by Richard Madely and
journalists are now of Journalism, published publication. Watch out
award-winning journalist Judy Finnigan, in place of
required to produce by Rowntree Trust, and for further details in
Nick Davies has done just traditional authors such
copy in a range of media, available at http://www. MediaMag 24.
that. Davies is known for as Conrad and Forster. A
with little opportunity
mediawise.org.uk/ The PCC needs to
his incisive and shocking welcome flexibility – or
to conduct independent
display_page.php?id=999 know what you would
investigations into crime, dumbing down? Ask your
investigative research. find useful, and would
drugs, poverty failing
This means they (and
Press Regulation
teachers what they think.
welcome comments on
schools, and other social
ultimately we readers!) – how you can the text as it stands so far.
issues. A journalist and
So it’s goodbye to
are increasingly reliant on help the PCC to If you’re interested, email
documentarist since
Grange Hill
PR and other unreliable
1979, he currently writes
help you
catherine.speller@pcc.org.
After 30 years, umpteen
sources of information.
regularly as special
The Press Complaints
uk for more information
school mergers, sex, drugs
Many analysts trace
correspondent for The
Commission (PCC), the
and to get involved.
and rock ‘n roll stories and
this decline in standards
Guardian. He has just
body which administers
Information about the PCC
changes of production
back to Rupert Murdoch’s
published Flat Earth
the self-regulatory Code
can be found on its website
company, Grange Hill
empire and his demolition
News (http://www.
of Practice for newspapers
–
www.pcc.org.uk with
is to hang up its mortar
of the print unions in the
flatearthnews.net),
and magazines in both
a comprehensive FAQs
board. MediaMag suspects
Wapping Dispute of 1986
hailed as a devastating
their paper and online
section.
this sad demise will be
(read the article on page
critique of the state of
versions, is proposing to
31 for the context on
British journalism. Working
put together a pdf resource
this); you should by now
undercover with off-the-
pack for Media Studies
be well aware of News
record sources, he provides
teachers and students. It
Corporation and Murdoch’s
damning evidence of
will cover the work of the
massive global interests in
national and global
PCC and the remit of the
media production. But it’s
news stories constructed
Code, and present case
part of a bigger picture.
entirely by propaganda
studies to use as the basis
Newsquest, owned by
and misinformation via
for discussion on topics
the US publishing giant
PR agencies, including a
such as privacy and the
Gannett, owns 17 regional
‘quality’ Sunday newspaper
public interest.
dailies, 300 local weeklies
which published false
This is good timing;
and 180 local websites;
stories planted by MI6
the PCC reports an
The Daily Mail General
and the CIA to support
unprecedented volume
Trust owns more than
4 MediaMagazine | February 2008 | english and media centre
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