[News] News broadcasts

[Publius Ovidius]

Anyone else feel very sorry for this “princess” but wonder why it is first item on the news yesterday evening?

Yes it is a horrible situation of that there is no doubt, but she is not a British citizen and apart from expressing sympathy, why are we getting involved, especially where China Is imprisoning and killing thousands of its Muslim population and yet that disappeared under the news radar

 

[Lower West Stander]

What are heartening thread - it is really reassuring that the majority of posters on here are as critical of the media as I feel.

I don't watch the news either. Just look at the stats in the paper in the morning and then read about other stuff.

In my line of work I get to see a lot more realistic data and info than is "interpreted" in the media. There is no doubt they massively overplay things to suit their own clickbait. The problem is that they are the sole providers of information for many who believe everything they see and hear on the BBC news. There is no debate, no discussion, nothing. Its just random reporters with concerned looks on the faces finding the most depressing cases they can.

And why Ferguson gets so much airtime is beyond me. A publicity hungry scientist who broke lockdown and got kicked off Sage for going to a swingers party. For some reason the BBC seem to take every word he says as gospel.

 

[dazzer6666]

The problem is not just it gets diluted and the help doesn't get to the ones needing it, it's the fact days lost in the workplace for MH issues are now huge. It used to be the bad back issue but it has been replaced by another "hidden" problem. Management have to tip toe around the subject and so it's easy to be used for those that don't want to work. Go to the doctor and get signed off with stress. That is a huge shame and will do huge damage to the validity of those that are genuine.

Agreed. It's very sadly a 'card' being played by some people now to get what they want. In my last place it got to the point where I saw examples of, for example, a performance review being challenged because a less than 'top' rating 'is impacting my mental health', or management/colleague behaviour being called out when it is in fact normal. Of course, the company have been very proactive in promoting mental wellbeing, but this risks then being used as a weapon. It's a very tricky balance to maintain - once some cites MH issues you can't really challenge that, but have to make allowances/adjustments.

 

[Weststander]

If the negative reporting is keeping people vigilant and adhering to the rules then that's absolutely fine as far as I'm concerned. Better that than a load of the happy-clappy nonsense we saw from some supposed "experts" last year who would have had us all running around like normal last June.

Or a happy medium somewhere between?

I remember Johnson, Witty, Vallance and JVT being harangued last May by the likes of Kuennsberg and the stirring Sky duo of Grim Reaper Beth Rigsby and Sam Coates about “Nicola Sturgeon having laid out her roadmap to ending lockdown, they’re getting on with it, they’re coming out sooner, WHY HAVEN’T YOU?”. Then months later “WHY DID YOU END LOCKDOWN SO EARLY?”

Then hectoring them on the Welsh circuit breaker, which as it happened failed to stop South Wales becoming the CV19 capital of Europe in the following 2 months.

Pressing via grandstanding monologue quasi-questions, which later proved the wrong thing to do or completely ineffective.

Sometimes it seems that political commentators are trying to drive agendas, rather than questioning and evaluating.

I’ve learnt so much more from the likes of Naked Scientist Dr Chris Smith.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Completely agree. I was getting quite angry watching the news last night....waaa waaa, WE need it NOW................WE are MORE IMPORTANT than.....THEM ! When is the Government going to APOLOGISE for not prioritising those who prefer to wear colored socks on a Friday..etc

**** off. Just have a bit of patience. It's on it's way to everyone.

Proud to say havnt watched bbc/itv/Sky/c4 news since last March...for the safety of the tv

 

[LamieRobertson]

That really hacks me off. Loads trying to jump the queue. Let's just get the 9 priority categories done before trying to jump in ahead of them.

Related

“The vaccine roll out is going far faster in some parts than others. A 52 year-old friend with no underlying health problems was given a 1st jab in Battersea yesterday. By next week, his GPs’ surgery will have completed all 9 at-risk groups and don’t know what to do next.”

https://twitter.com/tnewtondunn/status/1361982389761810434?s=21

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Who decides whether its genuine or not?

My other half is a psychologist and I'd wager she'd argue that anyone reporting mental health issues believes them to be genuine to themselves and need to be treated as such.

Think you miss my point, it's not those that believe they may have a problem it's those that abuse the ease that you can be signed off, just as I posted the bad back injury being used in the 70s/80s.

 

[bluenitsuj]

I stopped watching the news a long time ago. It is negative all the time and I do not need negativity in my life.
It is easy to just run through the headlines online and pick and choose which to read further.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The constant hourly mentions on all news media of mental health, the role of the media play in the positive feel or indeed the negative is beginning to really concern me. I've watched the BBC news and particularly Victoria Derbyshire and she could put a negative slant on the most positive story. Her demeanour is so bloody dour.

It's time now for the good news items to dominate yet the media appear to look for the most morale destroying items they can. If something good is presented they eventually dissect it so much the positivity disappears. They have stopped showing people who have survived being hospitalised by covid, why? Because so many are now surviving it's no longer considered news worthy but it is.

It's no wonder the children are suffering when all you hear is doom and gloom.

And finally...........................(good news item to cheer us up)

Trick is to NEVER tune in to the rolling news channels. You'll be bombarded with that Covid shit 24/7 if you do. Posted it on here before, make no apology for posting it on again: take your daily stats from the Guardian summary graphic circa 17:30 each day, then watch any old non-news crap til 7pm when it's Channel 4 news time. Would suggest folk filter out the 'experts' and the politicians to a level that they feel comfortable with

 

[yxee]

Related

“The vaccine roll out is going far faster in some parts than others. A 52 year-old friend with no underlying health problems was given a 1st jab in Battersea yesterday. By next week, his GPs’ surgery will have completed all 9 at-risk groups and don’t know what to do next.”

https://twitter.com/tnewtondunn/status/1361982389761810434?s=21

The media have also tried to make this a North/South issue as some areas are a little behind on supply. Do they expect everywhere in the country to work at exactly the same rate? As far as I'm concerned it's lazy journalism that unnecessarily erodes national cohesion - "they're getting it before us, of course they are it's London..."

 

[blue-shifted]

Or a happy medium somewhere between?

I remember Johnson, Witty, Vallance and JVT being harangued last May by the likes of Kuennsberg and the stirring Sky duo of Grim Reaper Beth Rigsby and Sam Coates about “Nicola Sturgeon having laid out her roadmap to ending lockdown, they’re getting on with it, they’re coming out sooner, WHY HAVEN’T YOU?”. Then months later “WHY DID YOU END LOCKDOWN SO EARLY?”

Then hectoring them on the Welsh circuit breaker, which as it happened failed to stop South Wales becoming the CV19 capital of Europe in the following 2 months.

Pressing via grandstanding monologue quasi-questions, which later proved the wrong thing to do or completely ineffective.

Sometimes it seems that political commentators are trying to drive agendas, rather than questioning and evaluating.

I’ve learnt so much more from the likes of Naked Scientist Dr Chris Smith.

They are trying to trip the government up and get the scoop.

Laura Kuenssberg clearly isn't trying to advance some personal agenda about us being locked down or otherwise with the questions she is asking

Asking tough questions is how people are held to account. It's how journalism should work

 

[Lower West Stander]

They are trying to trip the government up and get the scoop.

Laura Kuenssberg clearly isn't trying to advance some personal agenda about us being locked down or otherwise with the questions she is asking

Asking tough questions is how people are held to account. It's how journalism should work

Journalists should challenge, debate and discuss. Not shout inane, populist questions to which there is no sensible answer.

 

[Norman Potting]

Sorry

OK here we go

First Daffodil has flowered in my garden.

I repaired the water leak in our horses field meaning no more lugging of water containers

Palace fans are really worried about us

I've got my vaccine this afternoon

My son, 19, managed for the first time in his life to replace the toilet roll and put it in the holder.

My daughter loaded the dishwasher without being asked.

I feel your pain - Stay strong Mr. P

 

[Iggle Piggle]

By far the worst is Emma "Have I told you I'm blond yet" Barnett which was the final straw in my permanent switch to The Times radio for the ad hoc news fix.

I listened to her show one day and it was all Dominic Cummings this, Rule breaking that with the tut tut of people infringing rules here and there.

The next day was a a discussion on "what would it take for you to go to a Black Lives Matter protest" without any hint of irony of even reference to the words "Pandemic"

As for the BBC news in general, we have hospital, death numbers, cases etc and THEN the numbers vaccinated. As someone who has regularly presented bad news to customers, I'd always start with the positive even if I knew I was going to get a kicking for the negative. The number of vaccinations will ultimately get us out of this seemingly never ending lockdown scenario. Lead with that.

 

[raymondo]

Sorry

OK here we go

First Daffodil has flowered in my garden.

I repaired the water leak in our horses field meaning no more lugging of water containers

Palace fans are really worried about us

I've got my vaccine this afternoon

My son, 19, managed for the first time in his life to replace the toilet roll and put it in the holder.

My daughter loaded the dishwasher without being asked.

I think it's great your daughter put her washing in the dishwasher

 

[raymondo]

By far the worst is Emma "Have I told you I'm blond yet" Barnett which was the final straw in my permanent switch to The Times radio for the ad hoc news fix.

I listened to her show one day and it was all Dominic Cummings this, Rule breaking that with the tut tut of people infringing rules here and there.

The next day was a a discussion on "what would it take for you to go to a Black Lives Matter protest" without any hint of irony of even reference to the words "Pandemic"

As for the BBC news in general, we have hospital, death numbers, cases etc and THEN the numbers vaccinated. As someone who has regularly presented bad news to customers, I'd always start with the positive even if I knew I was going to get a kicking for the negative. The number of vaccinations will ultimately get us out of this seemingly never ending lockdown scenario. Lead with that.

Start and end with positives

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Whilst I'm at it, debates also need a revamp. The guests will inevitably be some scientist from SAGE whose been let out of his underground lair for the day to proclaim we can't leave our houses for the rest of our lives and some anti vax and lockdown thickett that would be seemingly be no less stupid after a lobotomy was performed on them. How about getting some sensible people on to debate what the middle ground looks like? That's what we will be trying to find for gods sake.

 

[Weststander]

They are trying to trip the government up and get the scoop.

Laura Kuenssberg clearly isn't trying to advance some personal agenda about us being locked down or otherwise with the questions she is asking

Asking tough questions is how people are held to account. It's how journalism should work

I don't think it's personal. I'm also not taking this as biased .... I've seen Abbott, Corbyn, G.Brown, Burgon owned in interviews.

I'm all for direct questioning - Robin Day, Paxmam, Humphrys, John Cole, John Seargeant .... all brilliant at that.

Imho, I think you disagree, in the modern era of huge competition online and particularly from Sky News, there's a scramble to grandstand and get clicks from the journalists themselves, they become part of the story.

The brilliant Tony Livesey on R5 has a saying that some broadcasters almost want listeners/viewers to leave with a feeling of being more downcast than when they tuned in. Something he avoids expertly.

 

[blue-shifted]

Journalists should challenge, debate and discuss. Not shout inane, populist questions to which there is no sensible answer.

They are clearly there to ask questions, not discuss or debate. Have you ever watched news?

The only question is, should they ask easy to answer questions or difficult to answer questions.

All the senior members of this cabinet have shown they can be riled. Hancock especially. When they are riled they are more likely to give the journo's the scoop they want. That's why they keep asking questions is a provocative way. It works

 

[Lower West Stander]

They are clearly there to ask questions, not discuss or debate. Have you ever watched news?

The only question is, should they ask easy to answer questions or difficult to answer questions.

All the senior members of this cabinet have shown they can be riled. Hancock especially. When they are riled they are more likely to give the journo's the scoop they want. That's why they keep asking questions is a provocative way. It works

Then we'll have to agree to disagree.

And yes, I have watched the news thanks.