Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
There has been a shift to what may be defined as a culture of negativity which goes well beyond coverage of politics. Of course, the idea of news as something that someone, somewhere would rather not see published is a good one. But it is partial. When a prevailing wisdom takes hold that news is only news when it is bad for someone, and especially someone in power, then it narrows and distorts the view of the world.
This from a man who made his name 'spinning' the media for Tony Blair, and with mostly negative items about the Tories.
I agree with some of what Campbell says but his argument gets completely discredited when he applies it to the Iraq War. He didn't mention Iraq in this article but he has done so previously in relation to this. I'm afraid when he views media reports about the shoddiness of intelligence, the deceitfulness the government, the opposition from most of the rest of the world and the catastrophe that resulted from the invasion as just media negativity, I can't really take him seriously.
hacked off said:
January 29, 2008 4:43 PM | permalink
I use to know a reporter who won't write a 'negative' story. He banged out 'positive' stories that were spun so tight and so detached from reality the readers rumbled and the paper started to lose its credability.
The real danger to journalism is the sacking of thousand of reporters and the creation of the newsroom 'call centres' where journalists never leave their desks and quantity is prized more highly than good, balanced stories.
Snafu - No, I meant he wrote negative Tory stories rather than relying on positive Labour ones. The answer to your second question, though, is yes!
hacked off, I have been in London today and funnily enough a couple of people said that about the standard and Livingstone. They didn't necessarily like Ken, but they loathed the Standard and their articles were garnering sympathy support for Ken.
January 29, 2008 12:41 PM | permalink
Bob, you mean there were some positive news items about the Tories once upon a time!?!
Have you been drinking again!?!