Journalists
The Telegraph last year broke the story about MPs expenses claims. The News of the World breaks many stories using undercover journalists. They report these things as it is our right to know what the great and the good are up to, and whether they deserve those titles.

But who judges them?

The News of the World makes its own news. Say what you like about the Fergie thing, but that wasn't a reporter going out and finding a story, it was a guy dressed up attempting to create one.

Look at the MMR scare, with its longterm health implications and many lives damaged. Have half the papers involved apologised for their part in exacerbating the bullshit? Have they fuck.

Journalists wield massive influence and power over people, because many do not question the validity of what appears in the papers, instead getting angry about whatever scandal is rocking the front pages today. Fair enough people are angry about MPs, feeling that we can no longer fully trust our elected representatives (meanwhile the cynical lean back in their chairs, glare, and mutter 'What fucking kept you?') as they are mired in corruption and greed, pursuing their own agenda at the expense of all those abstract concepts David Cameron always goes on about - truth, decency, leaving your door open so your nan can borrow your E45 cream, fair play, jolly hockey sticks, British values.

Stephen Fry said, in the wake of the expenses scandal, 'What's the big fuss? Everyone claims money back on expenses for ridiculous stuff. Journalists do it all the time. I certainly have done it before.' Or words to that effect.

Whether or not you agree with him, it raises the point that the people lecturing about our moral decline are in no position to as they lie, cheat and cajole people into positions based on fear, loathing and ignorance. If there's to be a big investigation into our MPs behaviour, how about an investigation into the behaviour of journalists? How about the Standards Agency that actually has the power to do something about people like Jan Moir, with her evil Mumsy dead eyed stare?

But of course, the people who investigate corruption and greed are the journalists, and so nothing will happen unless one paper delights in making another one look bad.

But really, if you're a journalist, you're going to have to work hard to prove to me that you're not a lying, duplicitous, double-standard abusing, unscrupulous cunt.
(thePontificator, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 9:54, 13 replies)

Well, the thing is, "news stories" are put in to any media in order shift the advertising space in between - nothing more.
One of the best angles a news story can come in at is the moral outrage angle, as this sells well.

It's not really a case of them trying to lecture us on what should and shouldn't be found offensive, but merely of the journalists doing their best to pander to their perceived audience's mindset, in order to keep them buying.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:02, closed)

The only truth in a newspaper is the price

(Corbo, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:15, closed)

To be fair
They usually get the date right
(whiskysimon is sniggering at something puerile on, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:29, closed)

and the name

( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:36, closed)

There is a press complaints commission (PCC)
but they wield slightly less influence than the big crow that's just landed on my neighbour's shed, and is squinting in at me through the living room window.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:38, closed)

Worse.
It's not enforceable and the newspapers run it themselves with amozing tight constraints on what can and cannot be admitted as a complaint.
( Colonel Boris "...a desperate Buzzfeed imitation...", Tue 1 Jun 2010, 11:47, closed)

Stephen Fry
The reason its a big fuss is because with MP's it is public money!!!

Journalist work for the newspaper, I couldnt give monkeys what they claim.
(jonnyninetails, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 10:56, closed)

^^
That. Public servants.
Also Fry said (I think) "Everyone has fiddled expenses."
Excuuuuuuse me, but they ain't. *pouts*
(tweebianmonkey Should be known as Widget, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 11:48, closed)

On the MMR hoax
The guy who has done more to uncover the fraud behind Wakefield's original research, the ethical breaches, and the frantic arse-covering that followed is himself a journalist. Do a Google search from "Brian Deer" and "Wakefield".
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 11:11, closed)

I am aware of his work in exposing the MMR scandal.

I also disagree with Mr Fry, re. expenses claims.

But I still feel the people who are claiming moral outrage should practice what they preach.
(thePontificator, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 12:19, closed)

While I dislike any paper with a red title, and many without...
... Something that I haven't seen said yet (though I haven't been looking) was that this is highly likely not the first time Fergie has done this. From the language she used and what not, I got the impression that this has happened more than once before.
I need to read the transcript to check.
(tweebianmonkey Should be known as Widget, Tue 1 Jun 2010, 11:49, closed)

NZ Media: The answers to questions no one was asking
Last year there was a tense stand-off between a crazed gunman and the police that lasted for about a day, with one cop being shot dead before they managed to take him down (with necessary force, of course). The police cordorned off pretty much the entire block and prevented anyone from entering for the obvious reason. John Campbell, the biggest shitstain on NZ media, very proudly gave a report "from within the police cordorn", talking to random neighbours about what they thought about it. Since when were journalists allowed to break the law? I'm pretty sure you could talk to those neighbours after the experience and they'd tell the same stories. Who really needs to know what they have to say anyway?
(ElGranto, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 1:49, closed)

journos
are the biggest bunch of liars and shitebags ever.
(imallamallama looking forward to llamageddon on, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 23:29, closed)