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Thread: Information in Britain...

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    Information in Britain...

    Something that really bothers me with the way information is reported in this country is how journalists (but I guess they're just trying to fit the demand) always try and make news very personal and emotive instead of focusing on the facts and the wider implications.

    I'll a a very recent example: look at the tragic accident that happened yesterday in the North Sea with a support vessel. 3 fatalities and another 5 presumed, while 7 have survived.
    Just now it looks like the media are focusing on the fact that there was a 15 year-old boy in the crew. Well I'm sorry but as sad as it is, is it any worse than if the guy was 20? I just don't get why this is making the headlines.

    A few minutes earlier on the national BBC news, they were talking about some problems with Visa card being refused in shops. Then they started talking about that woman unable to pay a 200 pounds hair dresser bill and a guy visiting France and unable to pay for all the wine he was planning on bringing back - his trip was ruined, he said. What's with that rubbish on national news??? Don't they have more important things to talk about? Why always bringing news right down to the trivial, and if possible dirty?

    When I'm in aberdeen airport, I don't buy newspapers: I just can't find any decent one. They're all tabloids with a couple of naked girls and a few heart-wrenching stories from Mr and Mrs Everybody.
    Is that information???

    Unless things have radically changed in the past couple of years, we don't have that in France. Yes there are celeb mags if you want to, but if you buy Le Monde or any other decent newspaper, you don't find naked girls and stories about how sad some people's life is.

    So, my question is just: why? Why are British people more interested in that than in unemotionally biaised information?

    By the way I don't mean to be looking down on the way things are done here (so apologies in advance if that's the way it comes accross), but it does strike me as a big cultural difference and I'd like to understand it a bit better...

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    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Information in Britain...

    I agree, both generally and with the particular example of the 15-year-old.

    That said, when I read a newspaper, the one I chose to read doesn't go so-much for the personal angle – facts first, then maybe some personal testimony inside...

    Also, people by their nature are social creatures who generally are interested in other people, and, for example, will feel more for the death of an unknown child than an unknown adult.
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    I agree, both generally and with the particular example of the 15-year-old.

    That said, when I read a newspaper, the one I chose to read doesn't go so-much for the personal angle – facts first, then maybe some personal testimony inside...

    Also, people by their nature are social creatures who generally are interested in other people, and, for example, will feel more for the death of an unknown child than an unknown adult.
    I agree totally. Our newspapers our rubbish. In Scotland we have a paper called the Daily Record which is very similar to the Sun. They've had some fantastic nonsense over the years. I don't buy it, but I have noticed some of these headlines and picked it up so I could be properly outraged by the story One recently was about a priest who was GROOMING TEENAGER FOR SEX and other such emotive language - turns out he had sex with a 21 year old who he had known since she was 15! Just shows you can turn anything into an outrageous story by careful use (or abuse) of language and big BOLD HEADLINES.

    I remember The Sun had a front page spread in the 90's when they were in their anti-Princess Diana phase. It was Diana pictured at a holiday home dressed, and I quote, in "bra and pants" . In actual fact it was NOT Princess Diana and the pictures quite clearly showed a woman in aerobic shorts and a boob tube. Are the Sun readers so stupid that when the picture in front of them shows the lies of the article that they can't see this? I do hope not. Of course The Sun was the newspaper that turned their usual red backed logo into a black backed one in mourning for Diana after she died. Hypocrits!

    The worrying thing is, it's the worst newspapers that have the biggest circulation - which doesnt say much about the general population of this country. Spookily, as Ive not noticed it for years now, but The Suns headline caught my attention yesterday at an airport; it was "99% of Sun readers want Sarahs Law" (or words to that effect). This is the law we discussed on another thread that forces the government to make information of the whereabouts of convicted paedophiles available to the general public and local lynchmobs.

    99%. Really ? It made me think what a poor boast that was - The Sun could probably, if they wanted to start such a campaign, get their readers to agree that "all poofs should be herded into ghettos". Really, I dont think that would be much of a stretch.

    We do have our good papers too of course, but I think our "middle of the road" papers (i.e. rags with an occasional bout of journalism) like the Daily Mail and the Daily Express, are probably worse than most others countries Daily papers I do buy both of those every now and again when I want a bit of outrage and an easy read (Though the Express has gone way downhill since it stopped printing Calvin and Hobbes).

    Here's an example of the kind of readers the Daily Mail gets. From Thursdays paper :

    Quote Originally Posted by Margaret Cresty,Farndon,Cheshire
    I am finding it hard to believe the total lack of understanding and sensitivity shown by William and Harry towards the many people who, like me, loved their mother. How do these youung men expect us to happily to watch Camilla at a memorial service for Diana? They are treating our feelings for Diana with contempt.
    How dare William and Harry walk roughshod over our feelings? Diana was the people's princess...
    There's more, but I can't be bothered typing it. Words wouldn't describe the contempt I have for the person who wrote this!

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    Registered User Mezzosoprano's Avatar
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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    Stuff about the papers! and some numpty woman re Harry, William and Camilla
    Jeepers what a daft woman! They're not upset about the mother dying at all, obviously, it's all just about how the "Great British Public" feel - what a lot of rubbish! Put her in the stocks please!

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    Registered User Trousers's Avatar
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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Caro View Post
    {sniprubbish}
    I'll a a very recent example: look at the tragic accident that happened yesterday in the North Sea with a support vessel. 3 fatalities and another 5 presumed, while 7 have survived.
    Just now it looks like the media are focusing on the fact that there was a 15 year-old boy in the crew. Well I'm sorry but as sad as it is, is it any worse than if the guy was 20? I just don't get why this is making the headlines.

    {snipyawn}
    News is news.
    Sad news sells

    So the news is a 15 year old died - I read that as there is a grieving woman in Norway who in some awful twist of fate has just lost a SON and HUSBAND.
    Personally I feel quite sad for her.


    Maybe we do things differently here and sometimes it's rubbish but there's 30 miles of salty water saying we can do what we want to and you can do what you want to.

    I choose to stay on this side and don't bitch about the otherside personally because I don't have the right to.

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    News is news.
    oh and you think that prince William and his girlfriend splitting up and making the top headline is news that deserve to be on national TV / radios ???


    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    So the news is a 15 year old died - I read that as there is a grieving woman in Norway who in some awful twist of fate has just lost a SON and HUSBAND.
    Personally I feel quite sad for her.
    Personally I think this is mis-focusing on the information. Directing people's thoughts to the sad and trivial, enouraging them to find somebody to blame (and bash) for that horrible horrible thing that happened to that poor woman rather than trying to think about what happened, what sort of activities are carried out in the North Sea, what are the safety standards that apply to those boats, how they respect them, what sort of contracting arrangements are they on with the operators, etc.


    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    I choose to stay on this side and don't bitch about the otherside personally because I don't have the right to.
    Seriously, what are you on?

    This is about me trying to understand why in this country people like what I have called 'emotionally biaised' information, instead of focusing on the main facts and reflecting on the wider implications.
    And yes although I haven't stated it directly, personally I think this is trash but that's my opinion and it's not up for discussion.
    Don't mistake cultural curiosity for 'bitching'.

    Now if you don't have anything smart to say on the subject, I suggest you keep clear of this thread.

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post

    The worrying thing is, it's the worst newspapers that have the biggest circulation - which doesnt say much about the general population of this country.
    (...)

    We do have our good papers too of course, but I think our "middle of the road" papers (i.e. rags with an occasional bout of journalism) like the Daily Mail and the Daily Express, are probably worse than most others countries Daily papers
    Do you have any idea what that is? Are newspapers and news reporting something you look at while at school ?
    (for example, I remember when I was in high school we had a class called 'education civique' where we learnt about journalism and objectivity, and how to critique articles from newspaper, adverts, books etc - I'm convinced that's a fundamental thing to learn as a kid).
    Has it always been like this or is it a fairly recent development?

    I guess what worries me is that this trend is developing in France too, for instance we used to know very very little about the politicians' private life, but with both Sarkozy and Royal (one of them likely to be our next president), a line has been crossed and they have both exposed their life in the celeb mags.
    Who cares about their life, their job is (or will be) to run the country, that's what I want to read about.

  8. #8
    Registered User Trousers's Avatar
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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Caro View Post
    Now if you don't have anything smart to say on the subject, I suggest you keep clear of this thread.
    Or what exactly? Because that sounds distinctly like a threat

    Is that a cultural difference too?

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    Or what exactly? Because that sounds distinctly like a threat
    Or she will taunt you another time.
    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    Is that a cultural difference too?
    Yep

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    Or what exactly? Because that sounds distinctly like a threat

    Is that a cultural difference too?
    There's no 'or' at all. Sorry if you do feel it sounds like a threat, it's not my intention at all - and yes that could be due to the fact that English is not my native language.

    What I mean is that saying that I am bitching about this country and implying I have no right to do so isn't really helpful to the point of this thread - i.e. I'd like to understand. However if you have something relevant (to that purpose) to share, please feel free to enlighten me.

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    Or she will taunt you another time.
    I blame that on your catty influence, btw

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    Registered User Trousers's Avatar
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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Credit to you being a polyglot even a poor one as you imply which I doubt.

    If you'd picked a subject less emotive than a childs death I would not have responded.

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post
    If you'd picked a subject less emotive than a childs death I would not have responded.
    well you see that I find interesting. Why? Why is the accidental death of a 15 year-old any sadder or emotive to you than that of a 20 year-old?

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trousers View Post

    If you'd picked a subject less emotive than a childs death I would not have responded.
    And back we go the point of this thread

    It is so very true that us British love the emotional stories. We have weekly magazines dedicated to stories such as 'my child died in a bin full of bleach'. They must sell in their thousands. Even when we go on holiday these magazines are there for us. We pay twice as much as we would back home to read all these tragic stories by the pool. What's that about then

    The part of journalism that always gets me is when they use phrases such as 'heartbroken parents' and then ask these 'heartbroken parents' how they are feeling about their son being killed in action Um, how do they think they are feeling!

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Because you're sick in the head?

    Never understood these 'chat' type magazines. There is not a male version, so I can only assume that women are fascinated by 'My Boyfriend was a Secret Axe Killer' type stories.

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    Quote Originally Posted by StokeBloke View Post
    Never understood these 'chat' type magazines. There is not a male version, so I can only assume that women are fascinated by 'My Boyfriend was a Secret Axe Killer' type stories.
    Magazines apart, do you think the daily newspapers are mainly bought by women? Or is it mainly made for them and guys have to make do with it (now that'd be a first ) ?
    (I'd struggle with that argument though, too many naked girls and not enough gay women in the population to support it )

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    Re: Information in Britain...

    topless, i think you'll find - full nudity is still a bit of a taboo. At least we are not as uptight as the U.S. when it comes to nakedness Personally I think its quite healthy to be familiar enought with nudity that its not automatically equated with sex. For that we need to look at other countries though

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