Posted by jameswdcrawford on November 14, 2009 under Journalism | 
The Sun apologised today for spelling incorrectly the name of Jacqui Janes’, who has just lost her son to the war in Afghanistan. A typo is, of course, just a typo unless hours earlier you have crucified the Prime Minister committing this same error. Then it becomes hypocrisy.
Media hypocrisy is usually a strong narrative, so why was it that when The Sun was forced to issue an apology there wasn’t more of an uproar? Especially as ‘Typogate’ had an intriguing subplot of tabloid exploitation.
One would think that competing media outlets would love to stick the boot into The Sun and run a mocking story about their blunder. Yet only The Guardian has published anything of note.
John Prescott didn’t mention it in his blog today either despite sticking it to The Sun in other ways. This might have been out of respect and not wanting to make political capital out of Jacqui Janes’ situation. This makes sense, although bringing up The Sun’s mistake wouldn’t really be seen as further exploitation of a grieving mum, given the wider circumstances and the scale of the row.
Most notably, those folk on Twitter were comparatively quiet on the subject. Twitter users aren’t known to hold back and the social media site has seen plenty of mob rule recently, what with Jan Moir , AA Gill and all sorts of people receiving a battering at the hands of an angry group of dissenting voices.
OK, so the Tweet on the newspaper’s apology is doing the rounds, but The Sun or Jacqui Janes aren’t even trending on Twitter and haven’t been all day. The apology has hardly registered.
The usual Twitter lobbyists and campaigners aren’t encouraging others to humiliate The Sun and show up their hypocrisy. Could it be that Twitter users are now choosing to use their lynch mob tokens a little more sparingly, given recent criticism of ‘mob rule’? There have been a lot of blogs this week stating that Twitter is maturing, based on the slowing subscription to the service, so maybe this lack of noise is a sign that its users are growing up too? Personally I would have been intrigued to have seen this issue ‘go nuclear’. Old Media versus New. It has been a while since the rabble have been roused.
Or is the abstinence of the Twiterati more a statement on Gordon Brown’s popularity? Maybe Twitter users simply don’t want to defend the PM? I’m not sure this is a major factor.
In any case, The Sun’s apology goes further than being a political issue, and highlights shady tabloid journalistic tactics. For that reason I would have liked to see this story make more of an impact. The Sun is less likely to make an apology than Gordon Brown, and this rare action is worth the headlines.
Tags: Alastair Campbell, Gordon Brown, Jacqui Janes, John Prescott, Lynch Mob, Maturity, Mob Rule, Social Media, The Guardian, The Sun, Twitter
Posted by jameswdcrawford on October 8, 2009 under PR |
Frederic Mitterrand has admitted that he likes to procure the sexual services of young boys.
Obviously what Mitterrand has done is deplorable, but putting the vile admission to one side, isn’t it strange that someone would choose to fall on their own sword in this way?
Talk about pressing the self-destruct button. One can only speculate on why he chose to share this with the world.
This follows the recent story of Polanski’s arrest and the French Government’s unwillingness to deport him to the US on grounds of paedophilia.
My girlfriend is French and although she thinks Mitterand and his actions are vile, she will, like millions of other French people, stand up and defend Polanski, who slept with a 13 year old girl.
I’ve asked her to explain the moral argument and the best line I can get is that not deporting Polanski is a vote winner for the French Government and defying the US is always a popular move. (edited by Valerie Agnes Therese Thibieroz: she didn’t say this apparently) was a decision made because the French love an artist and they don’t like to noisy around in people’s private lives.
I can only imagine the same story playing out in the UK. The Sun would have a field day. GMTV would be up in arms. It is safe to say it would not be a vote winner.
This story only goes to underline some of the differences between France and The UK.
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Posted by jameswdcrawford on August 29, 2009 under Current Affairs |
James Murdoch has laid out the battleground for the next election with his criticism of the BBC.
A controversial media tycoon, Murdoch and his family are seen as being over-powerful, and to some are real-life bond villains who are controlling an evil media empire. In this context James Murdoch?s criticism of the BBC is going to be controversial and the row isn?t going to go away anytime soon. Especially as he has pointed his finger at a British cultural icon.
Laying my cards on the table, I?m no News International fan ? especially its more extremist mouthpieces like Fox. The argument for and against the numerous media outlets owned by this huge corporation is a thesis in itself which I will write up during a bored afternoon sometime in the very distant future.
Regardless of where I stand on News International, my problem is that I kind of agree with Murdoch. In what other industry would we stand by and let a public entity keep growing and growing, competing for space with ?hard-up? publishing entrepreneurs?
This argument might not hold any muster with the man on the street, and I chose the term ?hard-up? with my tongue firmly in my cheek. However, for me, I am behind the entrepreneur. Some of these entrepreneurs are SMEs or regional media outlets which are fighting out for every bit of revenue they can get in order to pay staff and suppliers.
Gordo (@gordomanchester) of Manchester Confidential (www.manchesterconfidential.com ) tweeted me earlier to say that he is behind James Murdoch 100%. He made a valid point and said, how can small publishers compete against a state funded entity that has £180million each year? Putting it like that who can argue?
The BBC is a bit like a member of the family, so changing it would be a poison chalice and will be met with uproar. You could liken it to the spoilt, cute little nephew who the family loves. Everyone knows he needs a firm clip behind the ear, but you love him the just the way he is.
I am not certain if I want Auntie changing, but maybe it should sell off some of its publishing arm. Does it really need to own Lonely Planet for example? Then again, this is a good way to subsidise the cost to the tax payer?
It is inevitable that the BBC will now be the major strategic lynchpin of the next election. Whoever, dances to Murdoch?s tune will get the backing of The-Sun, The-Times et al and ultimately wins the election . This one will rumble on and I would love to hear from other publishers on their views.
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©James Crawford’s PR and Media Blog. 2009
Posted by jameswdcrawford on August 10, 2009 under Journalism |
No, not an apology from me, but from the Super Soaraway Sun, Britain’s biggest newspaper
See the link. It made me laugh out aloud when I first read it.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/hygiene/home/article190130.ece
When I say laugh, I’m not laughing at the victim, moreover the ridiculous story that the paper ran.
I would love to hear from you if you have seen a more ridiculous story. Get in touch!
Posted via email from jamescrawford’s posterous
Hi. I am James Crawford, a PR man. Media relations is my specialism, but public relations is changing and the internet is at the heart of it.
I'm a Manchester dweller and lover of the media. I have too much music, support Manchester United and adore all things French.
I currently work for a Citypress, Manchester's biggest and best PR consultancy, but all the thoughts on here are my own and nothing to do with my employers.
