[Closed] Do you ever buy a tabloid newspaper? Given the Leveson enquiry, why?

I've never bought a tabloid

Never I see these in the Cafe and want to chuck them in the bin

People's hunger for crap news involving celebrity sex shocker means tabloids will be around a lot longer than they deserve. Not bought one myself in over 20 years, my belief is that they give journos a bad name.

The public reaction against the NOTW ended that rag.
Nothing to stop something similar happening again.

Not a buyer here either.

However, I go home to my mum and listen to her spout shite she reads in the (Oirish) Daily Mail.

Makes me sad.

Not me.

But does anyone remember that post on here where a lady joined to warn one of the regulars on here about giving an interview to a red top (TJ and his roof or was it tv show???) ?

She moved from London to the lakes and was fed some bull about the story line re qualified female professionals leaving the capital and moving to the lake district - got her photo taken for the Mail(?)- and the eventual printed headline was along the grounds of "nymphos do the lakes".

I've imagined they've always been that bad. I presume everything they print is made up.

The public reaction against the NOTW ended that rag.
Nothing to stop something similar happening again.

I think News International sacrificed the paper in a bid to save the rest of the organisation from scrutiny and so they could lay off a load of staff and later bring out a Sunday Sun with lower operating costs.

Hasn't really worked on the first count, we'll have to wait and see about the second.

I once bought the Daily Sport when I was on a scout camp...
Other than that, no.

TBH, you don't need an enquiry to work out that the tabloids are scum...pick up a copy any tabloid paper and look at the content...it tells you everything you need to know about the editorial practices.

By buying them you are creating the demand for everything that goes with it, so no, i'd never buy a tabloid.

My aunt knew someone who, when she died, had these words written on her gravestone:

"I never read the Daily Mail".

I dispair whenever I have the misfortune to browse a tabloid. Amazed at how many people buy these papers. There is, and will always be a massive market for this sort of "news". I will be very surprised indeed if anything changes as a result of this inquiry.

I'll admit i used to buy the Daily Mirror, stopped when the i came out and i've been buying that ever since.
In my defence i bought it 'cos it could be skim-read in half an hour which was all i got for my dinner break!

No.

Some of my friends and colleagues believe the Mail and the Express are 'proper' newspapers though. 😕

my cat shits on the tabloids i get out of the comunal recycling bin.

She doesnt mind.But she cant read.

Isn't the Times a tabloid these days?

I don't think we deserve what they dish out, we'd read whatever they put in them even if it were less trashy.

It's just the lowering of journalistic standards, to many media studies at Bognor victims churned out on a diet of sensationalism, we were taught restraint, integrity and factual reporting in my day.

I presume everything they print is made up.

The problem is the majority of people just don't believe that. Mrs mW was discussing her strike action with her Mother on the phone earlier and her mum came out with some nonsense that she'd read in the paper (not sure which but it'll be one of the tabloids), when Mrs mW tried to put her straight she was met with the response "They would be allowed to write it if it wasn't true". I imagine her view is probably shared by a greater proportion of the population than yours (and mine).

my cat shits on the tabloids i get out of the comunal recycling bin.

She doesnt mind.But she cant read.

Maybe she can read and is just telling you what she thinks of the tabloids?

(a cat that could read AND talk wouldnt be plausible)

I don't think I've ever bought a newspaper, other than for other people (or perhaps for a free gift or offer or something). As long as I've given a toss one way or the other, I've had the Internet, why would I need to buy papers full of biased opinion?

same rerason i got the beano

Have done, not really thought about where they get their stories from (why would I?) don't think I'll bother any more though.

Although I'll admit to a bad online fe-mail habit (sorry)

Never bought a newspaper in my life, don't intend to in future either. All full of trash and you never know what's real and what's not - why bother unless you like sensationalist nonsense.

Is that little 20p version of the Independent (the one with all the same stories as Metro) a tabloid?

Ever wondered how many people buy each newspaper? - here's April 2011 figures. Daily Mail has increased!!

[b]Dailies[/b]

Daily Mirror: 1,172,785, -5.40

Daily Record: 312,566, -5.57

Daily Star: 692,157, -15.90

The Sun: 2,783,110, -5.85

Daily Express: 635,576, -4.53

Daily Mail: 2,100,300, 0.2

The Daily Telegraph: 639,578, -6.39

Financial Times: 372,076, -3.75

The Herald: 49,764, -9.37

The Guardian: 263,907, -8.66

i:161,151, NA

The Independent: 180,743, -3.92

The Scotsman: 40,524, -10

The Times: 449,809, -11.28

Racing Post: 57,376, -7.91

[b]National Sundays[/b]

Daily Star Sunday: 309,237, -11.19

News of the World: 2,606,397, -10.3

Sunday Mail: 366,674, -8.03

Sunday Mirror: 1,097,434, -2.37

The People: 480,196, -9.42

Sunday Express: 601,666, 4.76

Sunday Post: 310,187, -7.15

The Mail on Sunday: 1,944,724, -1.94

Independent on Sunday: 154,227, -8.28

The Observer: 302,975, -8.68

Scotland on Sunday: 50,626, -12.26

Sunday Herald: 29,578, -30.19

The Sunday Telegraph: 509,557, -0.12

The Sunday Times: 1,018,215, -10.3

I always like to see what the ladies on page 3 of the Sun have to say for themselves. 😆

I do enjoy reading them and often get the opportunity at work. I don't believe them tho nor do i ever buy one.

News just in, if you pardon the [url= http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/11/28/best-daily-mail-corrections-column-ever/ ]pun[/url]

Used to on my lunch break at work but then I realised that as I work near to the University all broadsheets are only 40p anyway so thought well there's no excuse.

Wouldn't ever buy one again now and I do mean that. The stuff that's been coming out via the Leveson Enquiry is shocking. I knew they were pretty shallow and morally bereft but must admit I have been shocked by just how vile they really are.

In my defence I only ever used to buy them for the sport but I wouldn't put anything in their pockets now.

Why do you think the dirty tricks might stop at the tabloids. Any reason to suppose they aren't rife in the broadsheets, TV and radio news, celeb blogging and political party researchers mud slinging as well?

Im fascinated as to how the Guido Fawkes/Alastair Campbell/Justice Leveson three-way circle frot is going to play out over the course of the week.

Who leaked to Guido?

When/If it's disclosed, I bet it will be a damp squib, not a smokey gun.

All it needs is an independent body to investigate complaints. With the power to fine and order where corrections should be placed.

...staffed by people who have never worked in UK press or the establishment or showbiz, and who have no need for a job or reputation later in life.

I agree lifer to a point but there are problems.
What is a blogger, does their reach effect the scale of any "offence" they might have done? Should fines perhaps be a function of breadth of readership? How do you deal with non-UK based publishing like Guido Fawkes?

The protection should be for the inappropriate publication of private material. More strict definitions of "public interest" as distinct from "interesting to the public" should be codified.

Apologies must be half front page.

Why do you think the dirty tricks might stop at the tabloids. Any reason to suppose they aren't rife in the broadsheets, TV and radio news, celeb blogging and political party researchers mud slinging as well?

I've no doubt to an extent dirty tricks exist in all of the above media but I seriously doubt that it's to as much an extent to the tabloid press and certainly for such a little value return.

Plus, short of avoiding all media there's little you can do. It's not really viable to not watch TV, listen to the radio, read stuff on the internet or a political party statement simply to avoid reading content that may have been obtained questionably. Or if it is, I'm not willing to put in that much effort. It's pretty easy to avoid buying a tabloid newspaper though.

No talk of tabloids would be complete without Guido!

Bit late for me to go through that but some good points, I'll have a think and if this is still going tomorrow I'll see if I've got anything.

Isn't the Times a tabloid these days?

I'm OK though - I only buy the Torygraph.

I've never bought a tabloid - working in a newsroom for a few years puts you off buying papers. I do know people who work for certain tabloids. They're decent people who do the things they do for one reason - there's a market for that sort of journalism. And it's a massive market - worth remembering that the Daily Mail website is something like the [i]world's[/i] second most popular newspaper website.

In other words, we get the media we deserve. It's no use blaming the editors for the celeb tripe served up and the death of serious, impartial journalism. If it didn't sell papers, they wouldn't print it. All editors and journalists I know would much rather be covering an important story about an injustice than Lily Allen's miscarriage. But guess which gets more clicks?

It's no use blaming the editors for the celeb tripe served up and the death of serious, impartial journalism. If it didn't sell papers, they wouldn't print it.

This is very true. However, one area in which capitalism truly excels is marketing. And the secret of good marketing is in convincing the consumer to want something which they otherwise wouldn't want.

And convincing the masses that they [i]want[/i] celeb tripe is hugely beneficial.

I can't think of anything more potentially explosive and dangerous than if the Guardian or the Independent, was Britain's best selling newspaper and preferred choice of the masses.

to be honest, if you think the practices exposed at the notw are confined to tabloids, then you're naive.

One of my sun journo friends is embarrassing herself by towing the party line of innocence currently on Facebook incidentally.

The Times is a Murdoch paper, so is only the Sun in a cheap suit.

I personally couldn't care less if JK Rowling, Carlotte Church, or Anne Diamond get their phones tapped. They sold their souls to become media whores (well, maybe not Anne), so can suffer the consequences. If the first two had written some art that had an ounce of quality then only the Guardian types on here would give a shite and no one would care. It's like the Hugh Grant thing- Loves being a movie star in the limelight, but gets annoyed when a journo takes a picture of him eating a pasty. You can't have your cake and eat it, Hugh.

Is it just Rowling, Church et als' phones being hacked you don't care about?

GlitterGary - Member

You can't have your cake and eat it, Hugh.

.....or Gary.

Your hero GlitterGary, recently thought press intrusion was unacceptable, media watchdog officials however thought differently.

[url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news/gary-glitters-complaint-about-tv-hanging-rejected_1233113 ]Gary Glitter - Gary Glitter's Complaint About Tv 'Hanging' Rejected[/url]

[i]But officials at Ofcom ruled that Glitter had a "well-publicised reputation in relation to child sex offences", so there was "likely to be little scope for additional damage to his reputation". [/i]

He's not my hero, I would never have a hero - far too crass. He did however, write the greatest Christmas song of all time, which is never played anymore. Lucky swine, that Noddy Holder. Oh, and darcy, in answer to your question, yes.

He did however, write the greatest Christmas song of all time, which is never played anymore.

Funny that.

💡 Is because Christmas time, children having fun, and paedophiles, don't mix ?

So it's just the phone hacking you care about. You're not cool with the rest of it. I'm thinking your hero quite liked being able to see Rowling's daughter in her swimsuit. And of course the countdown clock to Church's 16th birthday was merely a "time left" rather than a "time till" thing for him too.

Are you cool with a pregnancy being more or less announced to the world before the girl has a chance to inform family because some scum journo has listened to the voicemail left on her phone by her doctor?

You bunch of sad-act Internet bullies. Have a word with yourselves.

You bunch of sad-act Internet bullies. Have a word with yourselves.

Boo-hoo

Toughen up mate. The world of celebrity paedophile is tough.

Boo-hoo you, you dick. Are we even? 😆

Back to the OP

I don't buy newspapers, end of
Never have, never will
I listen to the news on the radio in the car [usually R2] and sometimes the 10 o'clock news on TV but that's it really

Are we even?

Well we might be if I was to change my username to King Jonathan.

But I'm not generally impressed by celebrity paedophiles. So I would say no.

You sad, sad little man. 😆

“When you live in the gutter and only have rats to feed on you only print what you see” *

I used to buy the Telegraph, I know but I did, I thought it was quite a good read back in the 90’s and it fitted the environment I was in at the time. I bought the Times for a few years after that but stopped back in 03’ and never bought a Sunday Paper in my life, I’ve got too many other things I like doing thanks.

As for phone tapping, it’s inherently wrong, spying should only be carried out by MI5 and the like for preventative purposes only.

“Reap What You Sow” *

* Other Quotes are available

I'll read tabloids before broadsheets if there is one lying around at work etc. I wouldnt buy one, but for some light hearted entertainment why not read?

Why are people like JK Rowling fair game? Why does anyone care to read about her on her holidays? She wrote some books, that may or may not be good and may have made her lots of money. So what?

Ah poor Gary. Sorry mate. Having a sensitive day? Put the kettle on. Camomile tea?

[i]However, I go home to my mum and listen to her spout shite she reads in the (Oirish) Daily Mail.

Makes me sad. [/i]

+1

My mum, who is an intelligent, well travelled and educated woman, reads the daily mail. It makes no sense. She doesn't seem to have any issues with immigrants and the like though.

Darcy - apology accepted. Now don't do it again.

I used to read the Express - our family Newspaper when growing up. However, having grown up and realised what utter rubbish is printed in the tabloids i've not bought one in over 10 years

Used to enjoy the Sunday Times, but since the telephone bugging story broke, i've refused to buy anything Murdoch related.

This includes Formula 1 for next year. Probably watched my last ever race last Sunday. Do they think that writing SKY on the side of Webbers car will make me waste £45 a month to watch it next year??

Currently read the Guardian on-line. Appears to give a good angle on things - yes, they are baying for blood with the whole phone hacking scandle, but the Government and the Police were too blind (corrupt/scared) to do anything!!

I also look forward to Newsnight on a Tuesday (Jesus, i've become middle aged and middle class!!)

Also really fancy that MP Louise Mensk (whats happend to me....an MP :cry:)

However, if no-one is seriosuly punished (i.e. jailed) for lying to the select comittee. Andy Coulson/Rebakah Brooks/James Murdoch etc, then it really shows what kind of society we now live in.

I don't care too much about celebs, but they are human, and if this whole episode improves the quality of the press in the UK, then i'm right behind the celebs

Personally, i believe Max Mosely is playing a major part in this whole fight against the tabloids - he is one clever man and, i believe, the only guy capable of managing the broad front of celebs, MPs and normal people (McGanns etc) to all rally against the press through phone hacking & the Levison enquiry

Go on Max!!

Now don't do it again.

Easy. Just don't spout bollocks and I'll leave you alone. Poor thing. There there.

our family Newspaper when growing up

One of the Beaverbrooks?

My mum, who is an intelligent, well travelled and educated woman, reads the daily mail. It makes no sense. She doesn't seem to have any issues with immigrants and the like though.

+1 too. Bizarre isn't it?

Phew. Not just mine then. I suspect many people get a little more right wing as they get older and end up buying the papers whose headlines they like.

I remember my mum, at the time of the first ever bank strikes in Ireland (back in the eighties some time) telling me that if I ever crossed a picket, and she found out, that she'd not let me cross the threshold of the front door. I still imagine that that person is inside her somewhere.

Nah, she's been reading it for 25 years! And she (and my Dad) were proper hippies back in the day....

Plus she's an immigrant (Well French so one of the 'good' types of immigrants 🙂 )

I suspect many people get a little more right wing as they get older

Look at poor old Melanie Phillips - I remember reading her stuff in the Guardian in the early 90s when she was railing against the impact of Thatcherism on community cohesion. Got a bit of a shock when I came across her in the Daily Mail, spouting all sorts of bile. Someone's politics changing I can cope with, but the tone of her writing has gone from being considered to petty spitefulness. Sad to see really.

Rarely buy a paper tbh .... Sometimes the aberdeen press and journal or the dundee courier if i want to see whats going on locally events wise , buy a car , buy some second hand furniture , house shopping ....

But not for the actual news - then i recycle it by using it to light the fire 🙂

No and I wont buy a Guardian either after their irresponsible reporting (and conjecture) on the IPC investigation. According the Guardian a gun wasn't found, then it was planted, then it was removed. Thank **** no idiot can or would bother to pick up their crap.

Its a leftwing version of the Daily Mail in my opinion.

hora, you don't buy the guardian because you can't understand it.

[i]"Sun readers don't care who's running the country, as long as they've got nice t*ts"[/i]

Good photo of Dave with a pair of massive t*ts...
[img] [/img]

deadlydarcy - Member
hora, you don't buy the guardian because you can't understand it.

To be fair, he doesn't buy the Daily Sport for the same reason...

hora, you don't buy the guardian because you can't understand it.

Or I value the pound in my pocket.

No tabloids just Guardian and Observer on a weekend. Mainly for sport so longing for the day when we have sport only daily papers like Italy and Spain

Ive read them in the past and would buy again if I was bored on the train. One person has never and will never make a difference.

Just to add to this, i think all news paper editors should have a resposibility to differentiate between what is in the public interest and whats interesting to the public.

never bought a tabloid never will
ahve bought the sunday/ times, guardian/observer, i, independent maybe 5 a year of each (tho times is too trashy these days- dont even start on the torygraph...)
id like to but too busy these days to read them

have intelligent educated mates who read tabloids
my mum reads the mail too, its trning er into a racist imho

i really hope the pcc gets replaced with a tough legislative defined watchdog similar to the bbfc or even ofcom after all this, a free press doesnt have to mean the constant drip-feed of racism, lies and life ruing tawdry trash that weve become accustomed to.

my only worry is that people like murdoch have their hands so far up our PMs backside that nothing will actually change

Going back a few years mind but the Telegraph used to be an informative and a good read.

Now its 50:50 advertising, short descriptive headline grabber then a few short paragraphs re-explaining what the title means or sometimes a totally different meaning to the headline above. 'MAN CHARGE WITH RAPE AND MURDER'

(inside) 'Joy Yates Landlord could soon be charged with her disappearance'.

They are all as bad as each other. No newspaper can be classed as having any moral high ground.

I'm also sick of the BBC's wall to wall coverage of talking up a recession. Have a read of this- http://www.ft.com/markets its not all dropping off a cliff face/'markets in turmoil' as reported by the Beeb.

I remember a whole week of this then immediately after they'd report on where the markets closed. All were up that week. FFS.

4.22pm: McMullan says he regrets the stories he did on Jennifer Elliott, the daughter of actor Denholm Elliott.

She became a drug user and started begging following the death of her father and the News of the World exposed this.

I really regret it because I'd got to know her very well and I really quite liked her. The fact she was begging outside Chalk Farm station came from a police officer, who had been surprised when he asked her to move on.

I went too far on that story. Someone crying out for help, not crying out for a News of the World reporter.

I then took her back to her flat and took a load of pictures of her topless.

Then she went on TV and described me as her boyfriend.

He adds:

When I heard a few years later that she'd killed herself I thought 'Yeah that's one I really regret.' But there's not many.

Sometimes I wouldn't have bought the News of the World even though I worked for it, but the British public carried on.