Notes on Today

Heard most of first hour of Today so might be how BBC starts the week. Relevance for blog 1 ) now explicit support for Corbyn, important this week, also opposition to Corbyn explains much media past 5 years or so 2 ) "Fleet Street" so obviously propaganda for Conservatives so static in influence that BBC take is more influence though messages linked to print.

They do mention the FT leak on Brexit reality as part of press review. But reporting is that "Get Brexit Done" message is getting through. Apparently #LiarJohnson is much more popular in the North of England than Corbyn. But he is reluctant to get out of the bus. something not adding up in this story. what will happen rest of the week? has BBC got cameras? What I see on Twitter is just a bubble?

BBC Back Story

Scope of this blog still wandering about. I think newspapers have now lost it so much it is the Telly take that matters. Not sure, we seem to be in the dark completely. After the elcetion something may be clear. The papers do not have original reporting, they make things up. times has complaints about television, but no info on how many complaints to BBC were from Labour supporters. So not making much sense.

Russia an issue as supposed source of Labour info on NHS / Trump. the Russia Report creeping into background. So what story has got lost?

Peter Oborne suggests BBC assumes a policy pro government. So pro Conservative when referendum started. then pro Brexit. Reporting very inadequate throughout as far As I can make it out. Brexit turns out to be a disaster project but never explained. BBC too much part of the story to explore it well. when did the Russia angle become part of it? They may not have realised to start with.

But very clear the BBC wants to block Carole Cadwalladr. @afneil tweets, see previous posts.

We are getting almsot no recent history from telly. Leave campaign what happened on law, social media practice? Where are they now? What did Johnson and Gove know about what happened?

Something may turn up in the week. Something to come back to.

Sky News not sure what this is, clues please #Russia #NHS

This blog has become more about social media and telly over time. The newspapers have lost circulation and influence depends on repeats through broadcast. The day has been with Twitter in background, enough to catch up with #politicslive and then I just went to find a Telegraph in print, enough to try to make sense of SkyNews take on Russia leak as sources of Labour info on NHS.

Kay Burley on Laura Pidcock very strange. As if the document on NHS and Trump negotiation might be fake if leaked via Russia. No claims about authenticity in recent days. The Sky release a news story with headline on "Sceptre of foreign influence". turns out to be the same story as Telegraph this morning - Corbyn's Dossier "points to Russians" .

Meanwhile #politicslive claim "you're just making this up" to Labour. seems to be a way to distract from Trump and NHS during his visit.

In the 2017 election the Telegraph claimed the apparent social media support for Corbyn was because of Russian bots. Similar sources -  Ben Nimmo and then Oxford Internet Institute, now Computational Propaganda Project.

Still nothing to dispute authenticity of the document. Just seems to be a stream of claims to confuse.

I guess there will be more of this so will check out the stories more later.

Draft for next week, #LiarJohnson, #Trump , #BBC

Next week with Trump in UK for NATO there could be developments around media. My guess is that the election is very polarised around age, with related gaps in media. Conservative voters older and newspapers, Labour younger more social media. Telly somewhere in the middle. BBC mostly aligned with right newspapers.

Channel 4 did the climate debate and were ready to mix it with Johnson / Cummings. BBC caved in, invited Johnson to Marr show. He was able to cover all points he wanted to for the election, not a special event. Twitter not very impressed but maybe the newspapers tomorrow will accept it.

Links so far to Guardian Media tomorrow in print, looks at BBC in detail.

Also New York Times has noticed the extent of lies and compares Johnson to Trump.

Hard to tell the dynamics of this. Loss of confidence in BBC is spreading fast but what age level? Can newspapers carry on anyway?  Trump may be reported outside UK in ways we can still find. Any clues welcome.

Blog as outline without any detail. sometimes all that can be tried.

The backstory is the way #BBC has failed to engage with @carolecadwalladr . #Marr today had no way to counter the stream of lies from Johnson. Still unknown what happened in 2016 but some sort of link #Trump #Brexit is clear enough. #BBC seems reluctant to report on this as they made too many errors during the referendum. Explanation coming from outside the UK , most likely. Not sure when.

Age Bubbles, a break in reporting ITV Leader Debate

This is notes to group a few things from today following last nights ITV show. I think there is a break in how different age groups view this. Not sure of the actual ages but this may become clear later. YouGov found the verdict very close - 52 to Johnson, 48 to Corbyn and this was widely reported, especially on telly. But other results available on Twitter.

The ITV poll based on Twitter so a lower age profile than YouGov.  But very different results. See also this set of stats from af  @adflaz

See also this chart from another of his tweets, not sure where from or what based on

So the breakpoint age might be mid 50s or was in 2017. Could go higher, just a guess.

This suggests a break around age with older people reading newspapers, younger more into social media, with different reporting on the same event.

Some stats from 2017 in this page from intermedia . Telegraph average age was 61.

My guess things are changing quite fast but in the same direction. Any links to recent stats welcome.

Telly still caught up in print journalism. No sign yet of breaking away either with distinct opinion or to look at Fleet Street as a financial and content crisis. Social media gets stronger imho in spite of @CCHQPress eforts to spread confusion.

Current topics round #LiarJohnson

So far a few issues have turned up as a focus for Johnson and dishonesty. See tweets with my comment

Grayling has a robust view on Revoke and not much time for Corbyn but on this topic he sounds about right.

Issues are Russia Report, process around non publication , Arcuri , process around cancelled police probe, illegal aspects of Brexit campaigns, various related.

I have some graphics to repeat

Crop based on Byline Times

Started as a comment on how "Communism" makes it as a BBC splash but can relate to anything

From Sunday Times , and as yet not many other places

See also @OborneTweets

Draft shape of this blog

This election is a rerun of the referendum in terms of most of the characters. More info emerges and a possible shape to a story, could be a book. continues as blog. Based on recent events / bits of news.

Maybe start in 2003. Found this on Spectator site, now no paywall for this version. Johnson interviews Berlusconi. Suggested in Sunday Times last week this was a model for some of his thinking. So maybe there are then connections with Bannon , Trump other USA projects. The Russian aspect may not have been obvious.

So before 2016 some connection Trump /Brexit . Photos show something. What it was to be explained later.

BBC under pressure from Conservatives , both pro and anti Brexit. . Not sure how they coped. There may be something about how they reported referendum that they do not want to be well known. Strange how they treat @CaroleCadwalladr . They may not have realised the Russian angle at first but now seem reluctant to report it.

Most newspapers even more so, Mail/Sun/Telegraph/Express totally into Brexit Party / Johnson project. #TrumpAlliance now obvious. It may be a social movement not a pact, but consequence is to split target seats into trad Conservative and trad Labour, try to offer Brexit instead. Drift of Brexit as a right wing project even more obvious - Kate Hoey retires to the land of DUP.

Anti Corbyn views shared by "moderate" press - Guardian / Observer / Channel 4 . What happened to the "moderates". Include Cameron? Now shifted to Independents , outside Conservative Party. Also some to LibDem. Corbyn now more in control of Labour. During referendum the "moderates" had more influence, especially media contacts.

Leave campaign was Farage and also Gove / Johnson. Now the same people but Cummings in Downing Street. History of breaking laws, being found guilty, not well reported. Danger much greater than media supposes, as far as we can tell. So reports, probes blocked. What to think?

Meanwhile in USA it could be peak Trump. Impeachment seems likely. Some facts may come out about Brexit as part of the USA reporting. CNN on a different level to any UK telly.

Blog form continues but there might be an ending, required for book version.

To be continued.

Roy Greenslade notes "Endangered Newsprint" - a moment in 2019 election

Writing in Guardian about the UK general election 2019 , Roy Greenslade -

National newsprint domination of the debate, if not entirely extinct, is on the endangered list.

then also

Although television still holds the central ground, viewing figures suggest it is gradually losing its audience appeal, especially among young voters. They prefer Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram.

This seems to be true but we do not know the scale or the timescale. My guess is things could be changing faster than some realise. BBC News and Sky News both very interlinked with print content. they repeat stories and rely on guests for comment. Newspaper / telly credibility depend on each other.

Tweet from yesterday, following social media concern when BBC replaced video of Johnson from this year with a previous year some thought better for his image.

( By the way my own "hysteria" came about when the BBC apology story included this-

"On Sunday, some online newspapers pointed out that Johnson placed the wreath down the wrong way round at the Cenotaph, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also came under criticism from some who felt he did not bow deeply enough." 

There is no reason to report criticism of Jeremy Corbyn. This started as a story about Johnson and a BBC apology. )

Anyway back on main track, my guess is that there are more online than the 695 who replied to this tweet.  Cyril, by the way, is an imagined son who appears with planted attack lines on BBC Question Time. I think this is obviously a joke. Why Rob Burley refutes it point by point i cannot imagine. there are many fact based tweets he has not replied to.

I have tried on Twitter to identify a breakpoint age, when people give up on newspapers / telly and turn to social media. I suggested it was 42 when the election started, now 47. Two people replied both over 70. They have stopped reading newspapers. I guess they sometimes find BBC. But however much the proper journalists report the dangers of fake news online, people will make up their own mind. Later @ofcom will publish stats. As before, my guess this election will show a shift.

This from today, Sun finds a way into social media, to be fair once you click through they do say the source of the numbers is the Conservative Party.

Same news story on Tuesday as it was on Sunday. Trouble is, not really journalism. The newspapers may have an older audience but declining sales and youth moving online not very surprising.

Roy Greenslade also writes about mainstream journalists.

Their response has been less than overwhelming. They appear to have learned nothing from detractors who complain about arrogance and partisan spin. Thousands of social media postings point to the supposed faults of the mainstream media, while people seem to revel in writing hostile below-the-line comments on newspaper websites. Do editors and reporters simply ignore them?

Seems to me that journalists often ignore online comments. The Guardian closed down Unlimited Talk for example and never joined in the conversations. He is not specific about political editors but my impression is that @peston and @BBClaurak both think they are sort of embedded with #No10Sources . They report as if all the audience share the mission to achieve a Conservative majority. Labour often not mentioned. So the reporting on the hung parliament was often misleading in my opinion, did not reflect the real situation.

Roy Greenslade on tabloids ( regards Telegraph as a broadsheet with tabloid agenda )

Day after day, coverage in tabloids has been predictable and repetitive – self-serving, shrill and sometimes silly.

Trouble is the Guardian is heading the same way. Around the time of "Bollocks to Brexit" the LibDem agenda became very clear, the attack on Jeremy Corbyn too obvious. The Labour case for national unity, the need for a debate around Europe, to spend time on negotiation to repair the Conservative chaos, all this will need some form of journalism in support. Probably online, not in the Guardian. Time will tell.

Sunday Times Exclusive - #LiarJohnson model is Berlusconi

Page 22 of print version Sunday Times today starts off with a defence of Boris Johnson as a liar. Dominic Lawson quotes Lisa Thomas , Merthy Tydfil hairdresser, as seen on BBC Panorama as selected by David Dimbleby.  - Johnson "has been proved to be a liar (but) he's got balls of steel".  Lawson then suggests that Brexit supporters will accept Johnson as a liar as at least he is their liar. Later Lawson explains that Dominic Cummings intends to pitch "Boris" and "the people" against parliamentary obstructionism. Apparently Johnson has always believed in the #strong man" theory of politics.

In 2003 Johnson did a Berlusconi interview for the Spectator, described by Lawson as "intensely enthusiastic" .
"The Italian population liked him for his energy and they handsomely rewarded him...suddenly after decades in which Italian politics was in thrall to a procession of gloomy, portentious, jargon-laden partitocrats, there appeared this influoresence of American gung-hoery"
Not sure why Berlusconi seen as American abut the styles may have merged with Trump meanwhile in some versions.

The Spectator is behind a paywall but the article is available online. Anyone with access, please add comments. Not to blow out the copyright but to add to the debate. Extracts are ok for review and comment, assuming legal precedent continues.

So how far have we gone towards a similar UK situation as when Berlusconi was PM in Italy? there may be reports on Russian influence but we do not know the contents. Johnson has influence on the Telegraph and it seems the Conservative Party can rely on Sun/Times/Telegraph/Mail . BBC Marr show ignores Observer in papers review, avoiding mention of another situation postponed till after the election. Possibly a coincidence but could be a trend. Time will tell.

Also interesting as background are reports about parties in Italy such as this one in Guardian

source : TASS

Until the report about Russian involvement in UK politics is published, speculation will continue.

Notes on Fake Video , Twitter, BBC, Good Morning ITV

Election will not go on like this, much too early , normally hear a little bit of Today and go back to sleep.

But the bit I heard still about Fake Video. So these notes in one place, will become tweets.

Matt Hancock reposting Conservative video mashup from Good Morning Britain with Sir Keir Starmer. Identified as misleading by @BBCDanielS , noticed by @RobBurl . Not sure if still there.

Cannot remember exactly who said what when but reponse to Outside Source and Today -

It is not normal to deliberately make false statements to get attention. Bannon has a theory about it. Trump gets on with it. But in UK only the Leave promoters have gone for scale. Cameron resisted the idea, not sure what Mandelson suggested ( joke ) Maybe the people are the same or changed but this recent Fake Video is from the Conservative Party / #No10Sources.

This will not blow over or be forgotten later. It will set the tone of the election. Presumably the Conservative Party intends to continue in the same manner. What to expect from others? Nancy Pelosi has been slowed down to appear age challenged. Do we want more of this sort of thing in UK?

Twitter blocks political adverts. Is there any policy on what potential MPs can post? @MattHancock

What can ITV make of it? The satire is aimed at the way interviews are done. Sir Keith Starmer more or less survives.

One Nation SKY compares to #No10Sources BBC

This is just a theory. My main suggestion is to wait and see. But I am beginning to see a pattern. BBC is keen to maintain access to #No10sources. They tend to get some exclusives and at least a central role in the pooled clips they play on the main news. With May @BBCnickrobinson was inside the limo, as shown on telly.

So maybe this is why I get the feeling SKY has done a much better job eporting the Russia Report as not published by #No10sources. #Marr did ask questions but no follow up on the claims about normal timescales. Compare statements on SKY by Dominic Grieve.

There have also been @AdamBoulton interviews with Kenneth Clarke and Michael Heseltine. Both made remarks I think might have been cut on BBC. Just my guess.

So is it possible The BBC will carry on like this? #No10sources may soon be competing with Farage to claim the proper Brexit. Will the BBC travel along with this? Will the World Service repeat much the same?

SKY may have some distance from the sources but may make more sense. Time will tell.
( @peston gone the same way as BBC where he came from , just my take )

------

Meanwhile BBC Press Office admits errors in Question Time. Follow @shahmiruk to keep up. There is definitely a pattern here. The #BBC tends to trust information from @IsabelOakeshott . #Marr show needed her help to interview @carolecadwalla . Something happened during the referendum that got the BBC deeper into the story. Not sure what it was but it almost seems as if they cannot report on Russia, Facebook, links to Trump as if it would show up something about the BBC if they did. Speculation obviously, we just do not know. The tone of @afneil tweets re @carolecadwalla . The #Marr welcome for @IsabelOakeshott when interviewing @CaroleCadwalla . Just various things that suggest there is some background story yet to be told.

Brexit Party , Newspapers , Social Media

I am supporting Labour in this election so lots of retweets with Brexit graphics not a positive idea. But this blog has few readers and is more or less notes for a future publication. So there is one from Leave.EU further down.

Looks like Brexit Party will stand in 600 seats. The newspapers each seem to be backing conservatives and have started to attack Farage.

Sample ( archive shots later )

Daily Mail today has "Farage losthis nerve at the first whiff of grapeshot?......want Brexit to happen, they must vote Tory"

Telegraph front page headline - Farage "could ruin UK's hope of Brexit"

Saturday Sun says "Wrecker Nigel "

Sunday Express Arron Banks wants Brexit Party to concentrate on 40 to 50 seats held by Labour. (page 18) and also there is a two page advert from Brexit Party. Much less obvious pro Conservative than other papers.

Current version of Express formed by Richard Desmond so fits the billionaire meme presented by Corbyn. Now part of Reach with Mirror and they seem to be keeping the editorial policy.

But there may be a problem for circulation. Brexit Party without the media support it found in EU elections will turn to social media. The opinion pieces will be various. ERG so far still in newspapers praising the deal but I have seen one advocating no deal if parliament has not acted by end of January. So this is not exactly what I hear about Conservative support for deal. Also expects a hung parliament, not in the script. "The deal is like a ready made meal just pop it in the oven, all sorted by Xmas" Anyway more of this later.

By the way the Guardian is just as dependent on opinion as the other papers I think. They tend to a fairly simple LibDem Revoke opinion. Labour supporters will also turn to social media.

BBC and most telly still based on #No10sources but the story could get more complex.

Whether the numbers in the graphic are true I don't know. Just to illustrate priority for social media.

PS Just my opinion - If Brexit Party ends up with 40-50 candidates pitched against Labour they will have to explain why they are supporting the Conservatives and the deal. Maybe not, depends on the journalists.

Also this engagement may be based on adverts. I stay mostly with Twitter, seems organic but I may be in a bubble.

What happened at Addenbrookes?

This is notes as not sure what happened or what video exists. Will be interesting case of how journalism happens. Print mixed, social media first, telly sometime later.

Artist Taxi Driver ( @chunkymark ) has had to take down a video compilation on Twitter. But could be positive, maybe the copyright is worth something and soon to be exclusive.

Yesterday early evening news BBC and Sky both used what I guess is a pool clip. Brexit resolution is "oven ready" say Boris in clothing with NHS logo. Just needs a majority in parliament. No questions, just another simple claim on the day the last one runs out of time.

This morning Daily Mirror in print page 8 reports trainee doctor who was not allowed to ask any questions. Video online. Print Guardian page 9 small story "Johnson booed on hospital visit" .  PM "appeared to get a frosty reception"..."national media were not invited to attend" . ( @rowenamason )

From #Brexitcast it appears that @ChrisMasonBBC was there but no mention of any booing or anything negative at all. They just played the clip about "oven ready" .

Other online video is from a phone not very good sound showing booing inside and better camera about the exit, suggests a problem atmosphere.

On #politicslive today Laura Parker started to talk about this but Jo Coburn seemed not to know about it and moved on. ( @Jo_Coburn @PeoplesMomentum )

I think it was Krishnan Guru-Murthy who raised questions about the pool system. It seems to be a way to control access. How long will telly put up with this sort of thing? ( @krishgm )

So this is a bit more than a tweet. Clues please. What happened?

Brexit as a Conservative vote winner

With an election coming up I am being a bit more obvious with political views. Scope is still about the actuality of Fleet Street newspapers over recent years until Brexit resolved or they vanish in print. But clearly next few weeks relate to an election.

Recent video clip seems sound on how Conservatives got into Brexit and where it may be going.

Could go further back. Some time ago that Conservatives got a clear majority. Cameron failed to take his party towards a new base. Electors forced to vote again and again till the Conservatives get a result they like. ( Yes, I cannot see why there is no new referendum)

An interesting article in New York Times. ( I don't think Jenni Russell is as clear as this in London Times ) @jennirsl   suggests Johnson heading for a "scorched earth election". Without a Brexit result he has to engage in rhetoric to compare with claims from Brexit Party. This may not continue if the Conservatives are not united behind the approach. Time will tell.

But the media could have a problem. The newspapers, for example Mail Sun Telegraph Express, will just carry on in support. Telegraph up for sale and some say the age profile is one reason to sell. But they won't change anything soon. BBC harder to predict. They value the exclusive briefing from Conservative government and also see Brexit as a patriotic project. But they could get too far into it.

Sky seems a bit more considered. Variety of views turn up.

Cameron on Labour in referendum , detail still missing

Now had a quick look at the book, not much more than in the newspapers, see previous post.

The claims that Corbyn was "on holiday" etc have been countered many times ( though repeated by Polly Toynbee recently ) . Probably to be repeated depending on views of Corbyn.

But the Labour activity during referendum was more complex. Some of the people are assumed possibly to be supporters of a new deal if Johnson tries to get MP support. The newspapers offer some support, space for opinions etc. So surprising no comment so far I can find on what Cameron is missing.

Page 638  Stronger in " would beheaded by Labour  (predominantly New Labour) figures such as Peter Mandelson and Jack Straw's son Will. because we knew victory would rest on Labour votes. But it would be steered by Conservatives.

Cannot find any other ref to Mandelson, his opinions on the campaign, during or since.

Page 671
Our cross partyclout relied mostly on Labour but they were AWOL. Corbyn .......criticised Georges "fear agenda" . The Remain campaign cleared whole daysfor Labour in advance, but often they would do nothing.

thing is, who was Cameron talking to? Who in the media knew what the plan was? the Observer reported a clearing in the media plan very close to the end as the polls seemed to move. But the Labour space turned out to be Gordon Brown, and also Lord Darling.

page 673
Looking back, I accept that this "punishment budget"did seem over the top

No mention of shared platform with Lord Darling. so far I have just checked the index and skipped through the pages. Maybe there is more somewhere else.

But so far seems missing in any sort of detail a reader might expect. Blame Labour much too simple.

Also Corbyn comes out as sensible when you think about it. Critique of "fear agenda" could have been considered. "punishment budget" now seen as a mistake. Corbyn spoke about worker rights, consumer protection, environmental standards.

Anyway, main question at the moment is will we find out any more from the reviews and comments, interviews even? The journalists must know something.

Cameron story on Corbyn in referendum, needs a bit of development.

Extract from the Sunday Times-

"Our cross-party clout relied mostly on Labour, but it was Awol. Jeremy Corbyn delivered a handful of desultory speeches about remain and then went on holiday. Perhaps Corbyn wanted remain to lose."

Sunday times today , page 11 second column.

This is very misleading. Corbyn did not really control much of the Labour media scene. Referendum campaign was set up before he became leader. Lord Mandelson was very active. Straw had some contacts. Alan Johnson had an official role. Maybe there will be more on this in the book. But the para above is all I can find so far.

When in doubt blame Corbyn, But Cameron could consider how the Remain case would have gained if Corbyn arguments had been better reported. Worker rights, environment standards, appeal to a non Cameron audience but might have shifted the result.

In the discussion around the book worth asking again how the decisions were made as to who appeared on which show. Corbyn ended up on late night chat Channel 4. I thought effective in reaching a youth audience. 70% enthusiasm higher than came over from Cameron in his mode when negotiating with EU. Why did Channel 4 block Corbyn from uploading the complete clip to YouTube ? The myth that Corbyn was "on holiday" can only be claimed in the absence of such evidence.

Towards the end of the referendum Cameron noticed bad polls. The Observer reported that space was to be cleared on the media schedule for Labour to reach a wider audience. This turned out to be Gordon Brown and Lord Darling on a platform shared with George Osborne. Their joint presentation was described by Leave as a "punishment budget". Who decided on this approach who was somehow connected to Labour? I don't think it was Corbyn. "I am not a catastrophist" was a mild remark to show some reservation on most of the Remain case.

There may well be more in the book. But meanwhile clues welcome on what happened. 

Latest evidence of how Reach newspapers treat Corbyn

Following remarks by Lord Heseltine on how very rich people , happens to be men , control the newspapers - Mail, Sun, Telegraph -  I have been thinking about the express and policy of Reach. This is getting to be a news event as intense debate inside Conservatives. Most election phases I guess Lord Heseltine has had fewer concerns with the papers. Reach bought Express to fill the press space left by declining sales. Probably not an option to buy much more but could happen, Will stock market be ok with an Express that moves more to a Brexit Party viewpoint? Maybe not an issue now but could be if City gets upset with NoDeal.

Anyway, look at today. Sunday Express page One -Britain Has Lost Faith In MPs - headline over most of it, thought to be thye main line from No10 at this time. Continues page 4 with Commentary from Arron Banks / Leave.eu and weekly wisdom from Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Sunday Mirror has got a story about Jeremy Corbyn, exclusive from Political Editor Nigel Nelson. But given the news value it is strange to my mind that this is at the bottom of page 11. It details plans for a referendum, election, and presentation to other parties. Top of the double pages are stories about new Cameron book and the LibDems. Then an opinion slot for Tony Blair, Former Labour Prime Minister - white type reversed out of red. There is a small photo of Corbyn and the word "Corbyn" same font size as Nigel Nelson but not in bold.

I heard about this Sunday Mirror story on the BBC Radio 4 news paper review. It was not mentioned on #Marr. ( They did cover Mirror story on Gareth Thomas ) but #Marr did mention Mail on Sunday story about Sir Keir Starmer plot to challenge Corbyn. Polly Toynbee questioned the credibility of this speculation. But you only have to look at the Mail page layout compared to the Mirror to realise why the #BBC would miss this Corbyn news.

The news is not only that Corbyn has a policy about the next few months and is ready to talk about it. Blair is supporting Corbyn to some extent. This is very different to what happened during the referendum. Lord Mandelson and some close to him had major influence on how Labour MPs and Lords spoke. Media contacts tended to report this rather than Corbyn. See previous posts on this blog. I will return to make this case. But for evidence just look at how the Mirror is presented, compared to Express.

To be fair some readers may prefer reporting to churned opinion. The Mirror is right to have reporters. Gareth Thomas story worth seeking out.

( next post comment on Cameron )

Lord Heseltine moment for newspapers / Guardian

Just posted a clip of remarks on Sky by Lord Heseltine about ownership of newspapers.

Others have made similar claims but this is interesting as the papers may become an issue as such. Open to broadcast media to report newspapers as a story - what is the policy they promote, how long can print survive, do they have a means to go online??? Not much sign of this yet but others in the Remain camp may be ready to continue this line of investigation.

Yesterday Jane Martinson in the Guardian wrote about the Telegraph. Rumour that profits are low this year. My guess print sales for news will more or less vanish in 3 - 5 years. Just a guess but I do not notice much reporting on the possibilities.

The Guardian is also part of the move to opinion rather than reporting that Martinson identifies in the Telegraph. They find Labour policy on Brexit much too complicated to explain. The LibDems get most of the space with fairly simple slogans. My worry is that this appeals only to a minority of opinion. Gets votes for LibDems and maybe some newspaper sales in some areas. But not persuading anyone new. When there is a referendum or election around the issues there will be a need for Remain to persuade people who voted Leave. So the conversations inside Labour are worth some space.

Anyway my guess is there are now quite a lot of places the Guardian is no longer in stock for casual sales during the day. Is this a great concern? Possibly not but if they are just putting the price up till it fades away completely I think we should be told.

Meanwhile I find there is a small space on Twitter where I feel able to discuss things. Not exactly a bubble. Wide range of links can turn up.

Print newspapers now much more polarised than social media. Just my impression.

Some papers now pushing no deal and maybe breaking law

Just notes as too late in the day. Major week for news so Sundays should have had a lot to say.

I did some tweets and made a joke guess the Observer would promote Ken Clarke as new leader for Labour. Turns out just a big interview with Clarke and a chicken photo for Corbyn. cannot find anything else but will check.

The main conclusion of this blog, a major factor is the media determination not to report Corbyn. there must have been something going on this week.

Mirror a bit more but most news about something else.

Mail / Times / Sun /Telegraph / Express all gone on People versus Parliament. This seems to be the new thing. So not much defence of Johnson point by point as in debate. Just aimed at Leave vote now ok with no deal.  Seems quite dangerous as many Conservatives not happy.

But the newspapers are going with it. And telly follows along. Will it work? Newspapers have to survive somehow but the move to opinion cuts the value as news at some point. The Express has gone further towards Brexit Party. Can Reach allow this longterm? Could get more extreme. If there is a chaos exit who to blame then?

Media outside the UK much more sensible I think. CNN recent report on farmers in N Ireland. Prices dropping already. Cannot remember similar on BBC or ITV. Outside UK I guess reputation of UK media dropping.

Twitter just about has a space for Labour discussion. Hard to tell how this compares with actual opinion in UK.

Guardian almost supporting Corbyn but dial not shifting

Following on from Observer editorial there are some signs that Guardian Media Group has shifted to support Corbyn plan for caretaker role but so slight and grudging I doubt it will shift anything. Polly Yoynbee today  "By all means list all his failings" this takes several paragraphs till eventually "hold your nose" and back Corbyn. Just seems to me that moving on to back someone else is where her energy is going, just based on the word count.

Report on Corbyn speech page nine, one column of ten on double page spread. Winning in the Commons is not easy. Takes support in some media. Compare Sun and Telegraph for how to be negative.

I will go back to this later. Spending more time on TV / video as relating to Twitter. Couple of clips recently uploaded.

My guess is that most of the UK newspapers are now with the Conservatives. Guardian mostly LibDem. Support / reliable news about Corbyn will be online. Twitter possibly compromised by advert budgets. But something continues within this. @will789gb so probably quick links there ane posts here less often.

Also going back in time. i am still interested in what happened during the referendum. it relates to what might happen over the next few months.

Mail on Sunday take on Tory Ministers and Today

Another bit from the Mail on Sunday.

Page 10 , suggestion that Lee Cain , Director of Communications at No 10, considers the Today show on BBC Radio 4 a "total waste of time".

Quote from Dominic Cummings "I never listened to the Today programme for the entire year of the referendum and I intend to repeat this while I am here."

Reporters Harry Cole and James Heale recall that in 1987 Nigel Lawson claimed that Brian Redhead voted Labour.

My guess is that more recently it has been more Conservative friendly. Make up your own mind. Joke follows. John Humphries chats to Kenneth Clarke, calm returns to UK as most go back to sleep.

Recently I did hear Mishal Husain query claims from Dominic Raab about No Deal and the referendum. She stated what I remember - that No Deal was not the offer during the actual referendum. But I think challenges on facts are still unusual on the BBC.

Time will tell. The newspapers seem to be taking fairly fixed positions. Several will support "do or die" until circulation comes to an end. Broadcast media have a choice. They could ask questions and check facts.

Mail on Sunday Corbyn claims , are they credible ?

Maybe more frequent posts, I am buying more newspapers and finding odd things.

Mail on Sunday p29 photo of Christopher Lee and news that Corbyn has been on holiday in Transylvania. Also he met with Celtic fans going to a Champions League qualifier. They managed to find him some free tickets.

Apparently he cheered for Celtic during the match but did not join fans later to drink and sing in nearby Irish bars.

However there is a claim that a tweet reveals Corbyn knew every verse of Broad Black Brimmer. According to the Mail on Sunday this is a pro IRA song "sometimes sung by Celtic fans".

The Mail on Sunday has a quote from a Labour spokesman - 'I think it's a wind-up. It's absolutely not the case.'

Also it seems likely singing such songs would have happened later in the evening when in another part of the story it is stated that Corbyn chose not to join the fans in the pub.

Anyway, what would the world be like if MPs were reluctant to go on holiday in case they met Celtic fans who might start to sing?

Observer editorial sense sensation

Seems a good time to pay more attention for this blog. After yesterday it turns out the Observer is giving Corbyn some space and consideration. Direct quotes on front page and an editorial including

 ....Corbyn’s offer deserves the most constructive response possible from MPs who have the national interest as their prime concern. It does not require non-Labour MPs to act as if they are endorsing his socialism or to suspend their distrust of him and his policies. Rather, it is to back a short-term bridge government whose sole purpose is to organise a general election, with new political options and a fresh electoral mandate.
The reflex reaction of the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, to initially dismiss the initiative was wrong. It is good she has partially climbed down as politically adeptly as possible given her earlier misstep. But touting Ken Clarke and Harriet Harman as joint leaders of a parallel initiative should be seen for what it is: cover for her climbdown.

I cannot remember anything this close to common sense in the Observer since Corby was elected leader.

More later. Just needed more space than a tweet.

Corbyn media bias explains a lot

I have not posted for a while but there have been tweets ( @will789gb ) However tweets getting out of control for time so return to blog. Scope of tweets now intended to be mostly about media bias. I am obviously pro Corbyn in my views but coming back to this blog it started as a look at the UK newspapers.

Now more about television, radio as well as social media. Most of the relevant clips from telly now appear online as well. Some from 2016 also turn up. Newspaper circulation has declined but #BBC still regards them as setting the agenda. ( Maybe helps to put Conservative views to an outside source, some would say ) .

Thinking about what happened in the referendum, why it concluded with a Leave result, I keep coming back to how Corbyn was reported. See previous posts. The people who have not had benefits from globalisation are not shown arguments from Labour so the UKIP message has more space. Needs more development but meanwhile recent example of Corbyn proposing motion of no confidence.

He wrote a letter to explain his intention, including a pause on Brexit, an election and a referendum with remain as an option. My take, this is news. He is the official leader of the opposition. As much as anything in the UK is normal he would expect first option on forming a government if motion of no confidence is passed.

So how has this been reported? I think there was moe clear attention for Caroline Lucas proposing an all female cabinet. My guess Yvette Cooper rather than Dianne Abbott to keep things in the centre. Guardian quite keen on this.

Jo Swinson quick to reject Corbyn proposal and suggests Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman instead. My guess on listening to radio is that neither had been asked before the announcement. But Harman reported in Sun as if she was in favour. Later Clarke on BBC Radio 4 PM accepts the task if on offer.

Today , Radio4 Today intro claims Corbyn proposal "has been shot down".

Last night papers review somehow IEA had info Harriet Harman proposed as "Deputy" for Clarke. Where did this come from? No dispute from official BBC news person. Has Harman made any staement about this sort of thing one way or another? Can Swinson just suggest facts and hope they turn out to be so?

This morning in Telegraph "Clarke steals the spotlight from Corbyn" , very true based on #BBC balance.

Guardian reports hopes fade for alliance against no-deal. But into the text finds Sadiq Khan in full support of Corbyn. Maybe this should not be news but well worth a mention in a subheading, some would say.

Journal pages as found online , Marina Hyde not convinced about the unity project but there is a photo of Jo Swinson with Sarah Wollaston and Chuka Umunna .

Jeremy Corbyn is touting a vanity project

That is pretty much the full extent of how much detail on his proposal.

There is also opinion from Owen Jones, few pages in on the print version. Click on "more" online then scroll down. This includes the claim-

....it falls to the leader of the opposition, who has twice won a democratic mandate from his party membership and whose party won 40% of the vote just two years ago, to construct an alternative government.

That is what I thought. This is why Corbyn letter and views should be reported. In my honest opinion the media bias has gone so far that the reality of the facts are no longer reported.

Consider this still from Twitter

Seems to be the case that a motion of no confidence would come from Corbyn. Sun , Newsnight and Jo Swinson would try to switch to Ken Clarke or someone reliable.

So more links etc to follow. But meanwhile could go back to the very beginning. Around 2016, assuming Harriet Harman will surface at some point and answer some questions. How was it set up for Labour to be organised during the referendum? When did Corbyn get influence on how media are informed? If he ever did. ( Seems far fetched but the way the Observer turns out one has to wonder where their info comes from , continues tomorrow )

So if this is how Corbyn is reported now on a news item that has some solid interest, is it any wonder he was not well reported during the referendum?

Also, if BBC and Guardian are so close to the main concerns of most of the newspapers, should we look to social media for reliable news. Or outside the UK? Bloomberg for a bit of reality on business, RTE for news from EU. Owen Jones probably on Twitter sometime before arriving in print. But very welcome of course. 5% of the content may be enough to make sense of the rest of it

Scrutiny if you ask a question

The Brexit debate now relates to Trump and Israel. The BBC hosted show for Conservative leadership candidates demonstrated how these issues relate. Recent Trump visit backed Farage and Johnson. After leaving EU a trade deal with USA seems the only option. Tweets from Trump about Khan are part of a position on Islam that also supports Israel. ( Recent news is that Golan Heights now include the Trump Heights ).

Strangely to my mind the newspapers today have switched the news to the people who asked the questions. Do words have consequences? Should there be a general election? No follow up for the candidates but Daily Mail and Express have front pages about the background of two people who also have been suspended from jobs following checks on social media posts.

True if you get to the end of Leo McKinstry column he remarks that "none of the leadership contenders ....shone brightly under pressure". Boris Johnson did not commit any howlers.

The Daily Mail front page complains that Boris Johnson was asked 23 follow up questions, 10 more than anyone else. For context, this was the first time he has been answering questions on telly during this election. Is he supposed to be a natural for a general election situation? Are questions allowed?

BBC Radio 4  5.30 news today reported on this as the news from the papers. Will this agenda continue?

I still think the Guardian version on YouTube is missing the bit on Islamophobia so I repeat it here from yesterday

Hunt is also the current Foreign Secretary. When he retweets Trump you might think that would get more comment.

Situation seems more polarised

Trump / Brexit seems more aligned and more upfront for the UK. Recent Trump tweet on Khan is extreme but also disturbing is BBC reporting, no background on anti - Islam tropes, no comment on Katie Hopkins. I also found the Marr show quite casual in knocking Corbyn. Hunt was allowed to attack Corbyn for "blaming USA" when the tweet about Iran was asking for evidence before any action. No BBC attempt to put an alternative view or introduce facts. They seem to be just going for max access to Conservative internal election.

The newspapers are also mostly ignoring Labour. Sunday Times suggests Johnson has won already. Doubts about risks of any more discussion. Observer interview with Ken Clarke so that is the alternative. Sun and Express most interesting as they have anon quotes from ERG to claim there would be a split if Johnson fails to deliver. Many to join Brexit Party. So this is new clarity for Fleet Street. One last chance for the Telegraph candidate, or else total tabloid.

So far seems to be working. EU elections went to Brexit Party largely but there was opposition.

Social media resistance from individuals, but Brexit Party support well organised.

Television may be a wild card. Johnson is not taking questions and this is supported by Telegraph and some social media fans. But some TV journalists are not used to this.

Channels in UK include some from outside. They may be a good source of alternative views. Bloomberg has to be more or less accurate about the UK economy. CNN is not afraid to describe lies as such.

Trump, BoJo, Farage and Bannon

Sunday Times today got attention with Trump interview suggesting UK not pay anything to EU then launch a legal case.

Less attention for Sunday Express, story about Farage. Includes pages 4-5 quotes from Steve Bannon, "friend and ally and ...mastermind behind Trump". annon suggests a Brexit Party victory in Peterborough by-election would strengthen Salvini in Italy

Expect Trump next week to get much support from UK newspapers, including a range of views associated. Guess @carolecadwalladr will tweet some guidance on where to look for connections. but most media seems to be reporting Brexit Party without much scrutiny.

Scope of this blog continues to expand, Brexit in context of other projects.

Gove is the sensible one for #PlanetFOX

Following on from previous post and watching Dateline London on BBC I think the Times may be pushing Gove as the sensible candidate, backstop in case BoJoTheClown implodes for some reason. Just the way it was mentioned that TrumpieTheClown objected to remarks about "sabre rattling". Not sure how developed this approach is. Something to watch for. Telegraph has gone tabloid so big gap for a paper with more nuance.

Scope expanded to include Trump as well as Brexit and Europe

This next week seems to get more obvious that in 2016 events around Trump and Brexit were connected. Not sure how. Mueller report still obscure in some ways. BBC not reporting topics raised by Carole Cadwalladr but maybe they know something else.

This morning Sun has exclusive interview with Trump. He backs Bojo . Follow up in Times with more local info. Downing Street relaxed about a meeting. But Express reports Farage has been told he will not be allowed to meet Trump. so much of interest for next week. compare with meetings in Trump Tower after the 2016 election.

These include an interview with Gove, then working as a Times journalist. Was Murdoch close by? We may never know but there seems to be a connection. Audio from the recent interview has been made available to the Today prog on BBC Radio 4. Maybe Fox has a copy also. Seems that BBC has access on a similar level to Fox. What will turn up next week?

Meanwhile, from Fox recently. Search Youtube for other clips that show Farage in recent years. The UK now definitely part of #PlanetFOX

BBC / newspapers and Conservative Party

Today press review starts just like BBC 5.30 news - Daily Mail on Labour and antisemitism then Telegraph on Labour revolt against Corbyn. My guess Telegraph is not the most dangerous source but the pattern seems to be clear.

BBC to host several events for potential Conservative leaders. But will they ask questions most of the UK population would be interested in? @bbcquestiontime has suggested that Farage posters from referendum are "ancient history". What actually happened? What are the links between UKIP and the Conservatives? Newsnight has done a Photoshop job on Corbyn as part of a red scare. @maitlis is obviously bored when Labour explains policy on bringing people together. How much time will she allow if Conservatives make similar claims? @afneil has described @carolecadwalladr as a "crazy cat lady". Why has the BBC ignored her main concerns? As repeated at Hay it is probable that Johnson and Gove knew about security concerns with aspects of the referendum. Will they be asked any questions?

How did the BBC get into this situation? they seem so mixed up in Brexit they cannot report on how it happened. Just my take.

What to expect from #BBC

Just see Dateline London on BBC News telly. It will be online for a few weeks so no clip to show.

But main points, probably more clips to support this anyway.

News agenda on Brexit set by Daily Telegraph. Janet Daley source of information and Boris explanation.

@StrykerMcGuire ‏ states that UK economy is hurt by Brexit. For the #BBC, @BBCCarrie states that "we have been round this" so no further discussion on the economy. So whatever happens or seems to be happening do not expect any clear statements from BBC. Various views given equal time or balanced by some fairly obscure process that would convince you if you watched BBC all the time ( source @robburl )

Bloomberg is available in the UK. For accurate reporting on the UK could be best to look at media based outside.

Corbyn and Labour not much mentioned. Janet Daley concerned Corbyn both too close to business and also a Marxist. Comments on May judgement in when to seek a comprimise cut  rather short imho. But in general, look for journalists reporting to media based outside the UK for most considered views.

BBC will probably ignore Corbyn most of the time and report mostly on potential Conservative leaders. Probably ok for Telegraph circulation but telly audience may head for the beach.

Just my take.

previously

BBC not listening to Corbyn

Hardly news this but needs a note in the blog. There was a Marr interview on Sunday. Two days ago. My take he was clear on second referendum, slight advance towards it as reported by Paul Mason on Twitter. But this was not his main point. More about representing both Leave and Remain Labour voters and uniting the country. ( Also describes as nonsense Marr claims he was tongue-tied in supporting Remain during referendum , more below )

After 8 on Today no mention of this, just Laura Kuenssberg and Nick Robinson on "constructive ambiguity" and "sitting on the fence". So my question is whether Corbyn is reported at all. We will be abble to check this week with most of the evidence still online for a month or so. The original referendum more difficult but there is some content still around.

Overload possibly. The basic narrative becomes clear, I have tweeted asking for links if BBC shows wider range of clips, will check later.

Nonsense claims by Corbyn much the best news angle. The idea that Corbyn did not much during referendum is a myth put about as part of the second leadership election. Supported by BBC at the time.

Also interesting this time around remarks by Alistair Campbell on Jeremy Vine show. Not sure he will vote Labour. What support did he offer Corbyn during the first referendum? We can only guess.

Observer brings back Blair

Just a note, will come back later. Can we learn from this EU election what happened in the referendum? Observer has plenty of space for  Blair, none for what Corbyn said launching the Labour manifesto.

My memory is that Corbyn did a lot to support Remain in the referendum, not reported.

The general election showed Corbyn reached people who gave up on Labour with Blair policy. Will Farage supporters be reached with more Blair?

More later.

Misinformation in Referendum , update possible?

Quote recently from  Jean-Claude Juncker as reported in Guardian online

The then prime minister asked me not to interfere, not to intervene in the referendum campaign.
It was a mistake not to intervene and not to interfere because we would have been the only ones to destroy the lies which were circulated around. I was wrong to be silent at an important moment.

Cameron started out very reluctant to mix it with other Conservatives about facts. He did change tack later.

Did the newspapers and broadcast media do enough to check facts?

The election could well be a time to explore further how we got here.

Guess #4 : BBC too far into Brexit to turn back now

Brexit started as an issue inside the Conservative Party . Fair enough to report it as such. But BBC reporting has continued in this manner, whatever else was happening. They met a lot of Conservatives while negotiating new streams of licence fees so this may have clouded their view.

During referendum, both sides of Conservative argument, not much about Corbyn . My take, other clips evidence links welcome. Very little fact checking. Balance of info from various sources, even when contradictions. No distinction Johnson / Farage so no questions. Clips please if memory wobbly.

After referendum Brexit project seen as national interest. Not much reporting of Remain case. Ever closer to May for lead news announcements.

Trump / Brexit issues reported by Carole Cadwalladr have not been well reported on BBC. Marr invited Isabel Oakeshott to help interview. Andrew Neill has been just a bit rude on Twitter some would say. DG claims there has been an apology but is this so?

My guess the BBC realise previous reporting is open to question, so they hope to carry on with the Brexit project. Government policy is sound, previous case well developed, etc.

Any clips of Steve Hilton during the referendum? As memory serves he was presented as an expert.

Other channels are available. RTE has reporters in Brussels.

Guess #3 : Mail / Sun / Telegraph / Express trend towards fantasy

Thinking about the EU elections as a way to find out about the referendum. What happened? Maybe some story will be recalled. The characters from the previous plot still mostly exist and have similar roles. So maybe some clues.

See previous post for "Fantasy Brexit" as promised, to be delivered by ERG some time later. Also "Brexit in Name Only" the version negotiated by May.

Mail and Express sometimes support May in a patriotic sort of way. Telegraph and Sun more likely to talk of betrayal or going back to Brussels to tell them about changes required, or just crashing out.

My guess is that many people recognise the fantasy element but it helps to sell newspapers, also works well with members of the Conservative Party. So can help future leadership bid unless caught out in government trying to do actual policy.

Complicated during EU elections by Brexit Party. Can it be managed just to help shifts inside the Conservatives without actually wrecking it?

Meanwhile the readers for newspapers are fewer and older, more settled in their ways. Less budget for reporting. So complex explanations about the latest wheeze for damage containment, aka Brexit in name only or how this gets through UK politics / EU negotiations could be a boring story too expensive to cover. Loud opinion might be more probable. Time will tell.

Johnson for Telegraph, Gove for Murdoch both probable staying in Conservatives. Step forward Anne Widdecombe for the Daily Express.

Guess #2 : Guardian supports Lib Dems

Thinking about the EU elections as a way to find out about the referendum. What happened? Maybe some story will be recalled. The characters from the previous plot still mostly exist and have similar roles. So maybe some clues.

Based on results and Twitter, seems that a wide range of views , mostly Remain, turn out to be supporting the Lib Dems. Guardian often seems a mess , various columnists with various views.

But assume Lib Dem.

Then the apparent bias on Corbyn and Labour will not disappoint.

This could also explain falls in circulation. This blog is about newspapers as a business, not just what they publish. Recent advice to Corbyn to forget about Leave voters in North because there are so many Remain voters in the South might reflect a distribution policy. Look out for facts on where the print Guardian is available.

Guess #1 : Media bias against Jeremy Corbyn

Thinking about the EU elections as a way to find out about the referendum. What happened? Maybe some story will be recalled. The characters from the previous plot still mostly exist and have similar roles. So maybe some clues.

Bias against Corbyn started with the first leadership election and may have come from some Labour supporters, not just Conservative newspapers. Lord Mandelson for example has been quoted as wanting a change following a clear election setback. Corbyn was not really in control of Labour during the referendum. Alan Johnson has been quoted since. Mandelson very close to Cameron for policy . The newspapers and broadcast probably influenced by some other than Corbyn circle.

When the polls looked dodgy and Cameron decided to make space for Labour, how was it decided to focus on Gordon Brown, and Lord Darling to share a platform with George Osborne?

Why did Channel 4 block Corbyn from uploading to YouTube a full copy of his appearance on Last Leg? Misleading edits abound btw .

What energy went into preparing the "blame Corbyn" meme for the result? Two heckles were reported by BBC News. Turned out on Twitter info that one was from Portland, one from LibDems. Was there ever any apology? Other info welcome.

Before the second leadership election Hilary Benn was quoted in both Sunday Times and Observer though he denies he had anything to do with it. What happened?

Main question. My memory ( see previous bits of this blog ) Corbyn was active in referendum , but with different arguments to Cameron / Mandelson. Emphasis on worker and consumer rights, environmental standards. Not reported well, who decided about this?

Compare recent speech from Corbyn about uniting the party / country. Media only report "fudge" , they may have a point, but Corbyn should at least be reported in his own words as part of this. Result is a boost for Leave as the Remain case is not heard by the part of the UK that supports Corbyn on other issues.

Update on this blog ahead of EU elections

This blog should get more frequent during the EU election. I realise there is objection to the expense and it may be a waste of time if Brexit actually happens this year. But it is very interesting to compare with the referendum time when this blog started.

More as it continues, these are just notes.

There seem to be three main options as reported in newspapers. ( shorthand for my bias but keeps the blog together )

"Fantasy Brexit". This is the real thing as the ERG are holding out for. Could not be negotiated but this may not matter. Works well as a betrayal narrative to sell newspapers and build a base for conservative politics.

"Brexit in Name Only" seems to be what May is working on. Some other support for this as well.

"Remain" probably more informed about EU than in 2015

---

Newspapers mostly backing "Fantasy Brexit" - Mail, Sun, Telegraph , Express . BBC seems pro Conservative and has reported Brexit as a Conservative story. After the referendum thay seem to have got more into Brexit as a project so the Remain case has not been well reported.

Mail and Express claim to be less racist than during referendum. ( see previous post ) But support for Brexit Party / Fantasy Brexit continues. No distinction between ERG and Brexit Party most of the time. Sun and Telegraph still very supportive. Times fluctuates a bit and their circulation holds up better. Compared to the referendum it is clear that circulation for fleet Street is way down. But still matters. Twittering still a minority.

Hard info unknown on ages of remain / leave supporters and / or which media they follow. My guess BBC R4 Today /Telegraph dropping away with the youth but look forward to facts emerging over the next few weeks. ( Obviously I listen sometimes but this is a habit )

Nigel Farage on Sophy Ridge, fact check starts here.

Responding to a request on Twitter I sent in my question. Probably a coincidence but my question came up. Sophy Ridge did ask about UKIP and racism, also asked about Oldham. My concern is that so far there seems to be very little questioning of how the new party is different to the old party. Or what Farage has said recently.

(By the way, makes blogging / twittering more interesting even if the connections are in my imagination )

I thought the interview was searching enough for this stage of the EU election. Definitely different to the BBC approach which seems to be more about a platform for Farage views. Not many questions. Maybe I just find a misleading sample when I watch / listen. Clips very welcome for future posts on this blog.

So far most interest in refusal to say where the funding comes from. This may be another connection with UKIP. Or maybe not. Suggest follow @CaroleCadwalladr .

But I have found some links around Oldham story.

Some cut and paste in best blogger style

Mail Online strikes some balance and quotes contrary opinion

Not surprisingly, his comments were met with condemnation in some quarters. Oldham MP Jim McMahon accused him of trying to ‘stoke up tensions and create division’ with his ‘us and them’ rhetoric.

Had Farage been speaking in Britain, instead of playing to an American audience in an area full of Trump supporters, he might well have chosen his words more carefully. He thrives on controversy, but he is no fool. The fact of the matter is there are relatively few ‘black’ faces in Oldham. Only 2,797 — 1.2 per cent of the 219,000 population — were classed as ‘black ’in the 2011 census.

But they go back to a pub firebombing and riot in 2001 and find many issues in the later reports.

The Sun quotes local resident Graham Foulkes whose verdict is that Farage is “playing on people’s fear” to win votes in the European Elections.

"I’m angry that someone who doesn’t know Oldham, who’s only been here once, is stoking up racism … I challenge Farage to come to Oldham and find one street that matches his description. They don’t exist."

The Sun adds that

That’s perhaps not strictly accurate: plenty of areas of Oldham are predominantly Asian or white – like Waterloo Street in the overwhelmingly South Asian area of Glodwick, where colourful fabric shops and stores selling exotic vegetables and spices nestle alongside rows of small terraced housing.

Criticism of Farage is more direct in the Manchester Evening News

Nazir Afzal , former chief prosecutor in Greater Manchester, and now chairman at Rochdale's Hopwood Hall College, said Mr Farage was 'stoking racial tension'.
He said: "I know Oldham very well and this is dangerous scaremongering again from Farage, 'integration' is not 'assimilation'.
"All towns have their problems, but none are improved by him stoking racial tension.

It will be interesting to see if Sophy Ridge takes up the offer to visit Oldham with Farage. Others can comment also.

More stories may come from the USA. Farage has spent some time outside the UK while between parties.

Hard News as interview, comment on Guardian and Daily Express

Today in Guardian, interview about new editor of Daily Express. Very interesting take on immigration and past policy during referendum. Much to come back to when there is more time.

Background, Reach was Trinity Mirror. Printing resource needs more titles as circulation declines. Expect more of this sort of info exchange with Guardian, also printed by Reach. Contract for five years from 2018. Look at a graph and guess on UK total newspaper print requirement in 2023.

Mail is maybe shifted from what it was. Backing May deal on Brexit seen as moderate?

Sun and Telegraph still on the case.

Apparently UKIP is too right wing / racist etc but Brexit Party and Farage gets no critique so far. things may change. Sample story.

Back to referendum, forward to Trump UK visit

Trying to think more around the story, not just news events. Or the situation, there is no story. Not sure, see blog trying to understand " the coming crisis of cognition" .

Blog has been mostly about Brexit but starts with the newspapers, Fleet Street. They are writing about Trump visit to UK coming up in June. Seems to help explain how the referendum happened. Also events such as Trump election may fit.

Sunday Times reports that Boris Johnson may dine with Trump. How long has this been going on? Breitbart links to Trump and Brexit. Waiting on further study for detail.

Observer background on US / UK diplomacy but not much on the time just after Trump elected. Farage offered to act as a UK envoy. FO upset. As memory serves the State Visit offer was speeded up as catchup. Meanwhile Michael Gove was working as a journalist for Times and got an interview at Trump Tower. Was Murdoch nearby? nobody knows but the #PlanetFox story seems to make sense. Look to the Times / Sun for best guide to Trump moves around UK.

This next bit not very confident about how to back up with evidence, but keeps returning. Brexit case is made in absence of effective messages to the contrary. Labour / Corbyn are doing a job but not reported. This is now, could have been the same in referendum. The "liberal" media don't want to cover this set of interests. Observer today, like Guardian. bashing away on what Corbyn must do re second vote. Almost no reporting on local elections or what Corbyn actually has to say. My take based on this and Twitter is that the Remain case is not going to persuade anyone. It is self indulgent, quite rude. Labour has a complex conversation going on that I think will block Brexit eventually as intended by Conservatives. But not helped by the supposed liberal end of the media. Not a failure of Corbyn, maybe a consequence. Will study this a bit more.

Local election results will be interesting. Labour could do well. TIG not standing, seems they not interested in locality, just a fairly simple pitch at Remain frustration.

This blog about cyberspace as well as Europe. Mostly this means USA media, where cyberspace comes from. Trump / Brexit getting closer to one stream on Twitter. ( Might just be me in one bubble but I think not ) also CNN on cable, much more range than BBC, imho.

BBC news note

Maybe just one sample but worth a note.

BBC Radio 4 news at 8 this morning leads with anti Corbyn story #1 from Sunday Times on antisemitism and then anti Corbyn story #2 from Observer on second referendum.

My take, there are other racism stories of interest. Corbyn supports conference policy. He prefers a general election. Most people understand this. Few will switch to another party on one issue.

This follows a week in which Farage has had more airtime on BBC than I can remember for any other launch event.

So this blog will have to do more about how broadcast works with newspapers. Even as print circulation declines. Maybe they need them so much they will invent equivalents.

More later.

Notes on Sunday Papers

Mostly I just add comments to tweets. I realise there has not been the updates on this blog as previously. Things just seem to continue as before. I am concluding that the media opposition to corbyn is deep and consistent over time. Explains much of the reporting on Brexit. I am even beginning to think the problem facts about Corbyn are discovered roughly in proportion to how large the problem is for government and Conservative Party. Just seems to take up the news without reporting what is happening. Observer yesterday mostly about antisemitism. How much are they really concerned about Brexit? Is the second referendum really an issue or just another issue to knock Corbyn? Seems to have vanished this week after the clarity on policy. Tey might have had some space just to underline it. Sunday Times headlines an ERG peace offer turns out to be a set of demands. Following a tweet from Paul Mason I went back to find some hidden paragraphs  ona poll showing fairly solid support from Labour voters for Labour policy. I missed it the first time, page mostly graphics of the "big beasts" - David Davis and Boris Johnson. So investigative reporting has become a plug for latest ERG views. Telegraph today claims that negotiations have given up. So Murdoch and Telegraph still pushing away at Brexit. Corbyn not reported for anything positive he actually has to say. Same in referendum. Guardian / Observer may think they have a smaller possible audience anyway with the higher prices so why bother with Labour voters. they may imagine a shiny centre somehow. Trouble is it fails as reporting. there is a lot happening but can only be guessed at. Media frantic for spin, not sure what. Politics games of dare and chicken. Expect a news event to be reported online somewhere not in the UK although this is where it will happen. Not sure what but current situation very strange.

By the way, Corbyn punched but this is not news.

Link to Reading the Guardian blog

Recent post in blog about reading the Guardian - here

Seems the chances for crashing out are now quite high. How another split helps is beyond me. A by-election or several would at least test how wide the support for another referendum / back to Remain would be.

Most of Fleet Street still doing a great job supporting the PM /  explaining crashing out would be just fine / ignoring reports on Mueller and Brexit.

BBC Today prog and newspapers, 2019 continues Brexit story

This morning I heard most of the Today prog and it seems things continue as before. Longish chat to John Redwood and Ken Clarke so both ends of the Conservative Party represented as balance. Labour voice against Oliver Cromwell though I could not follow what this was about. Main mention of Labour on Brexit through Polly Toynbee ( balanced by Sun ) so agreed quite fast no real possibility of general election so no point in what Corbyn proposes to talk about with EU. Moves on to the consensus for a new referendum.

So within the two hours nothing on what concerns are part of the Labour discussion, shared with those who might have suported Brexit / need to be persuaded for another referendum to get a different result. As memory serves and as in this blog whenever I check back, this is similar to how it started. Media see it as a story inside the Conservative Party. BBC more than most. Guardian not that interested in most Labour concerns, mostly some sort of shny centre.

BBC TV probably will be much the same. Depends on newspapers so ignores the falling circulation.

By the way, impression from Twitter is that a lot of new referendum supporters have given up any pretense at supporting Corbyn. Obviously using Brfexit as another form of attack. History of Polly Toynbee views on Corbyn is an issue.

Ken Clarke not the best rep for Remain. Chance of him being represented as isolated Westminster quite high.