What does that absolutely diabolical rag get out of scaring the shit out of people? Is it profitable?

I’m sorry to admit it, but I looked at the DM online today and saw their coverage of the current virus in China, and it was unbelievable. If you believed them, you’d think that China was in complete panic, mostly in lockdown, and that countless doctors were dead.

By contrast, a British epidemiologist was on BBC explaining the virus and the likelihood of its spread. Calm, thoughtful, and realistic-sounding.

Does every tabloid rag do what the DM does? Yes or no, how do the bastards get away with it? Who consumes and wants to consume that kind of appalling, fear-mongering ‘news’?!?

Becsuse now their readers have to buy it tomorrow to check if they’re any closer to dying. Or how many immigrants have arrived overnight, or what Megan is making Harry do now, or what is going to give you cancer. Becsuse you have to buy it or you won’t know, and you have to know dont you?

The BBC on the other hand is paid by the licence fee so doesnt have to.

Does every tabloid rag do what the DM does? Yes or no, how do the bastards get away with it? Who consumes and wants to consume that kind of appalling, fear-mongering ‘news’?!?

Yes most. They don’t always sometimes they write a tiny apology buried in page 37. Brexiteers.

Money obvs

Next

They do it because it’s their niche. If they (or any of the commercial news channels) reported news impartially no-one would buy their news over the free stuff.

They cater to fear and the overly-disgusted to make money. Seems obvious. They get money and also influence the political climate to keep the panic I mean profit button pressed.

Because “normal” news doesn’t sell. It has to be sensational and WOW! and exclusive. Usually the only way of getting that is to just make it up.

There’s a thread of truth running through most of it accompanied by liberal use of “allegedly”, “supposedly”, “it is believed that…” and so on.

Some of it is pretty harmless, like the Daily Express constant fascination with the “worst winter in 100years” and “Britain to SWELTER in hottest summer in a generation”. It sells papers.

I’m sorry to admit it, but I looked at the DM online today and saw their coverage of the current virus in China, and it was unbelievable. If you believed them, you’d think that China was in complete panic, mostly in lockdown, and that countless doctors were dead.

An area containing eight cities and 35 million people have now been quarantined in China, The New York Times reported Friday, while The Wall Street Journal reports that hospitals in the epicenter of Wuhan are turning away patients and medical supplies such as masks and sanitizers have run out.

While the Daily Heil is guilty of exaggerating just about any situation, this outbreak isn’t to be underestimated in its spread and effect.

I am hoping they are right

While the Daily Heil is guilty of exaggerating just about any situation, this outbreak isn’t to be underestimated in its spread and effect.

So not mostly in lock down, not complete panic and no countless doctors dead. Yes the threat is real, it’s a new virus with a high mortality until something brings it under control it’ll remain a threat.

Typical of tabloid approach.
Sensationalism sells.

It is the ass-rag of Little Britain-ers of a certain age / rage:

reported news impartially no-one would buy their news over the free stuff.

Because “normal” news doesn’t sell. It has to be sensational and WOW! and exclusive.

This isn’t entirely true, people are prepared to pay for quality news and analysis. The problem is that there isn’t quite the demand (any more) to bring the price down to mass market levels. The Mail targets the low quality mass market ‘niche’.

A guy I know was ‘smeared’ by the DM around 10 years ago.
His partner worked for a Law firm who did work for the Conservative party. She/they were invited to a charity fundraising night hosted by George Osbourne at Downing St. They paid £150 each to attend.
It was the same day that a fall in the economy was announced.

They were in their hotel room at 8am the next day when they got a phone call, saying they were pictured on page 3 of the DM.
The story read something like ‘partygoers leaving Downing street after dancing the night away at Taxpayers expense while the economy crumbles’ It went on, ‘taxi drivers jeered at, and refused to stop for the revellers as they left the party, some clearly the worse for wear as they left late at night, drinking and eating whatever they wanted at the invite of George Osbourne’

The true story was they all paid to attend the event, paid more inside, got probably 3 glasses of champagne/wine, a small selection of vol au vents to pick from, there was no dancing, it was just a charity reception, and it finished at 9pm. Oh, and, apparently, there were no taxis around for most of the people, so most walked home/to the hotel.

It took the threat of legal action before they took the online story down, and the apology was 2 lines on page 14.

Because the Daily Mail School of Medicine is widely respected, carefully peer reviewed Journal that takes pride in providing balanced information on all things medical.

And yes, <insert here> <does/does not> give you cancer.

Any publication that wrongly smears people (particularly the dailies/those posing as news outlets) should have to print full page apologies on the front page onwards (including their main web-page) and not be allowed to cover/obscure it with supplements, split the publication into separate units/volumes/editions, packaging or shady display tricks that obscure it in any way. And/or varying their publishing schedule/titles or any other action that prevents it being displayed to the public. Such is their devious, underhand, shit house rat lying bastard nature!

The pity is that our education system does not teach kids to ask who is feeding them this crap, who owns them, and what do they gain from it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fz7EwlAJjrZs708YGPym1Xj_3PmysukL/view

Well….if that R0 value is accurate….shit is about to get very real. Seasonal flu has an R0 of around 1ish.

One day and event like the 1918 pandemic will happen again, it’s just a matter of time.

The CDC has for years, been advising people to actually stock up on emergency supplies for such a scenario.

Does every tabloid rag do what the DM does? Yes or no, how do the bastards get away with it? Who consumes and wants to consume that kind of appalling, fear-mongering ‘news’?!?

What does it get out of it? Clicks. The print market – like real, paper newspapers – is in decline. Online is the immediate future. The only dependable way of monetising digital is massive traffic. Cue sensationalised content to maximise traffic.

How do they get away with it? Really the question is who is holding them to account and how effective is that mechanism? IPSO and not very basically.

https://www.ipso.co.uk/faqs/

And yes, <insert here> <does/does not> give you cancer.

Depends. What are you inserting, where, and how often?

I absolutely agree that apologies for false stories should have to be a front page features. They can’t keep being allowed to hide away the damage that they cause

If you see it as a perverse form of entertainment the Daily Mail makes more sense. It certainly isn’t a serious source of information and news.

I absolutely agree that apologies for false stories should have to be a front page features. They can’t keep being allowed to hide away the damage that they cause

They could make a start by firing that odious little turd Piers Morgan!
Meanwhile, on the Beeb…
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51249208

Whilst it’s tragic for those affected, and I can see the implications of a potential pandemic, am I the only one looking at the death/infection rate and wondering where the panic is? Early reports suggest that deaths have been people with underlying health conditions and I’ve not seen any reports suggesting it’s started wiping out large numbers of healthy people?

The paper feeds on making people feel scared. Make people fear about other people wanting what you have materially, Mis-direct them so they fear that people get more out of the system than they do – benefits, healthcare, Europe, etc. Tell people that they should worry about illness, weather etc.

Scared people fear ‘difference’. Scared people are easier to divide and conquer.  In fact scared people are easier to manipulate.

I think that’s a lot of it.

The pity is that our education system does not teach kids to ask who is feeding them this crap, who owns them, and what do they gain from it.

15 years ago, about half of secondary school history (so compulsory for years 7 to 9) involved the discussion of provenance of sources, and the likely reliability and bias of them.
Mostly 20th century stuff, so newspapers and governments in a way similar to today.

If they choose not to listen, that’s their problem.

It could be said the same for constant use of using this forum by regulars who should no doubt be working

That includes the op yes i have noticed you 🙂

Or the need to answer or look at your moby all the time

It’s sadly engrossed us over time to become the norm

Three quid on Kindle, worth every penny.

It’s the prurient supposedly conservative outlook rammed alongside the slut shaming, body shaming, fat shaming, side bar of shame.

It really is a hate filled rag

Still at least their weather reports are more accurate than the Daily Express