[Houdini]

Fucking blows!



If it's not Q-List Celebrity Lifestyles then some poor bastards getting nailed to the cross for weird sex - but normally just sex.

This made me laugh:  here.  It's endless.  Is UK Journalism fucked beyond hope? 

[lorentz]

Quote. Is UK Journalism fucked beyond hope?

Yes.

However at least it proves that democracy is alive and well in this country... Oh no, hang on a moment... ID Cards, involvement in a massively unpopular war in Iraq, gung ho armed police  etc etc etc. Anybody know anywhere better to live?

[Bubba]

I think Sweden would be a nice place to live. Bit nippy though I suppose.

[Yossarian]

On the contrary, I think our gutter press is the envy of the world...

I mean, what else does the modern man need apart from some mediocre tits, a photo casebook explaining how to get away with having an affair with your au pair (how many sun readers have au pairs by the way) and lots of arguing about football?

(i admit to living in such a anti-media bubble that i didn't realise the israel had gone to war till the saturday after when i went on a date with a journo. she wasn't very impressed)

[Houdini]

Honestly I'm confused...  In the UK what positions are covetted most?    Where is it happening in UKJ? 

Modern music writing is dire across the board (with one exception The Wire).  The outdoor press is fairly moribund (if it wasn't for Perrin or a Stone Circles thing I wouldn't pic up a climbing mag.  Maybe Friction).  As for current affairs, clearly I should subscribe to a magazine.

Any you peeps know www.theonion.com?

[Yossarian]

don't ask me...

i think i've mentioned my saga magazine credentials before.

and many moons ago [hangs his head in shame] i spent a good few months trying to butter up the guys at gq enough for them to let me write for their overstyled wankmag.

you will be please to know however that i do not have a bathroom full of REN shaving products.

[Houdini]

i think i've mentioned my saga magazine credentials before.

I've never heard of or read Saga magazine. 

and many moons ago i spent a good few months trying to butter up the guys at gq

Care to expand on that?

Private Eye's top.  We do at least have PE, good X-word too.

[Falling Down]

As for current affairs, clearly I should subscribe to a magazine.

Do it... get thee an Economist plus Spectator/New Statesman (delete as appropriate depending on your political prejudices) combo - you'll never have to wade through tedious broadsheet columns again.  Plus they last a whole weeks worth of plane, train and breakfast readings.

[Yossarian]

i think i've mentioned my saga magazine credentials before.

I've never heard of or read Saga magazine. 

and many moons ago i spent a good few months trying to butter up the guys at gq

Care to expand on that?

all this quoting is giving me a headache.
saga magazine - everything the modern octogenarian needs to know about. cooking with spam, how to choose a coffin, what brand of hairnets should you buy, etc, etc.

i wrote their food column twice. or three times. i can't remember.

buttering up gq? it's a long story. the surgeon who mended my fractured calcaneus told me that he went to school with the dep ed of gq. i was in networking mode, so i set up a meet.  i was thinking of going to iran for a holiday, and came up with the brilliant plan of going to afghanistan to review the just opened elbow room bar in kabul.  i thought it would make a brilliant piece.  unfortunately they couldn't see how they could organise any advertorial tie-ins (taliban - the scent of the desert, kalashnikov extreme weather gear - try our full metal jackets, burqa bikinis, easyopium - PYO poppies, etc) so they told me to fuck off...

never read it anyway. mens magazines stink...

private eye on the otherhand is like a shining beacon of amusement on the newsagents shelf.

[Falling Down]

unfortunately they couldn't see how they could organise any advertorial tie-ins

Ah that old excuse ..

so they told me to fuck off...

Quite right too, you freeloading ligger 

[Yossarian]

i know, i know.
but he who dares and all that. and i was willing to risk my life for a small cheque and a flaming osama (2 parts arak, 1 part nail varnish remover, with a dash of angostura. ignite with a match, drink, and try not to set fire to your keffiyeh).

[jfw]

Is UK Journalism fucked beyond hope? 

wow yossarian's planned trip to Iran sounds way more fun than the one  Monica Garnsey had writing this about the execution of a teenager for crimes against chastity.

seriously though - albeit a depressingly rare example of the genre (and a depressing subject) - i thought this was an example of good journalism.

[Monolith]

I wouldn't dare to imagine the UK without the Guardian. I read a statistic the other day saying something about it's considerable increase in sales which is good news. Since it was revamped last year, it's become a much more pleasurable read, appealing to audiences of all ages. Has anyone checked out the new G24 online jobby? A pretty neat idea and free to boot.

[jfw]

sometimes i feel like the independent is better standard of journalism - but guardian is more enjoyable/accessible read - both biased in their own way of course. if i get a weekend paper tend to get the observer on sunday -

we all like reading what we want to hear - and believing what we want to believe.

i like the guardian as an on line resource - but it has quite a political(and moral) agenda - is that reporting?

[Monolith]

I used to buy the Independent for a few years, but once I read an article in the Commentary section by David Aaronovitch seriously slating the firefighters pay rise protests. I had no time for his ill-considered opinions and the man had done no research whatsoever in many facets of his piece.
My father, who had to take early retirement from the fire service due to a heart attack, for many years had to put up with crap pay and often archaic equipment. I don't think Mr. Aaronovitch quite realised just how much firefighters have to learn in their job. Did he just assume that when several pumps turn out to an epic chemical factory fire they just throw some water or foam on?

I also tired of the Independents sensationalist front covers. To their credit, I think it's excellent that their cover feature often addresses major issues outside of the current media spotlight, but it's the way that they go about it. The use of large areas of whitespace is used to convey drama, and this can be a highly efficient way of drawing attention to an article, but when it's done too frequently, important agendas become washed out.

Rant over.

[Yossarian]

Is UK Journalism fucked beyond hope? 

wow yossarian's planned trip to Iran sounds way more fun than the one  Monica Garnsey had writing this about the execution of a teenager for crimes against chastity.

seriously though - albeit a depressingly rare example of the genre (and a depressing subject) - i thought this was an example of good journalism.

yeah, iran is a fucked up place. people who've travelled there seem to come back beaming and full of stories about how nice everyone is. but every 6 months there's an undercover thing on channel 4 about students getting beaten up, and executions and people disappearing. that article made me shiver...

[Houdini]

Yes, that is a good article.  But who'll give a flying fuck for an anoymous Iranian minor when the England squad still searches for a manager, priorities please we're British!  Harrumph!




(Ta for the Economist tip.)

[Falling Down]

(Ta for the Economist tip.)

If you are short of moolah and sit in front of PC all day you can sub to an online version version for a fraction of the price... though you miss out on the opportunity to look sophisticated/smart/a cock <delete as appropriate> by reading the paper version in public.

[Houdini]

I only read Razzle in public, but thanks again!

[Moo]

I get tired of journalism get tired of topics too easily, like isreal, lebanon it was all over when it kicked off now its been relegated from the front page, not to mention afghanistan iraq......And it genuinely sickens me to see big brother making front page news in some papers 

[lorentz]

I only read Razzle in public, but thanks again!

 

Love a "Razzle Pile Up" me... 

[Falling Down]

  How do those girls do a pooh - none of them have any bumholio's ??