'My column at the News of the World' blog discussion

elona

NOTW must be getting desperate- a freebie site shows a hairdryer worth £15 being given free if you collect three tokens from issues of what I hesitate to call a newspaper.

I think it is in a deal with tesco so I am glad I seldom use them and certainly will not be going to tesco or buying the paper.

Wonder why people feel compelled to shoot themselves in "both" feet and if they are already in a hole they should stop digging!

The whole thing leaves me feeling slightly sick.

"For the success of evil it is only necessary for good men to do nothing".

BonaV

Count_Dante wrote: »

Good piece. According to the Independent, Gary Linnekar has thought about quitting his job at the paper.

This is my point as previously stated, these people are worried about their own perceived reputation. The article in the Indy states this.

We need to look at why people are reacting the way they are and what is behind the politicians, other publications, and other media in their actions around this.

I ceased reading The Independant a few years ago because they were moralising and bashing the supermarkets over food packaging, they had a 2 page story (including their front page) about bottled water packaging and the effect they have on landfill and the packaging being dumped in China. This was only 1 day of a week long campaign. In that same issue, The Independent were running a promotional voucher to give every reader a "Free bottle of.......WATER" in association with WH Smith.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Hern wrote: »

If Martin is reading this thread -- and hopefully, he is -- then could he please consider the following (written from my perspective as one with many, many more years experience of daily and Sunday tabloids than Martin can ever have):

1. Martin Lewis is held in high esteem here. And justifiably so. He created this site, developed it, funded it and still funds it. He has, single-handedly, shaken up UK consumer financial journalism and has done so without fear or favour to any. Countless thousands of people throughout the country are, in every sense of the term, better off because of Martin Lewis. He is an exemplar of objective, incorruptible journalism. . .

. . . And because of that, is EXACTLY the kind of fig-leaf the News of The World / News International so desperately needs right now.

2) But Martin seems oblivious to that reality. Instead, he cites his determination to go on helping people, and that to do so he must set aside any moral repugnance he may have about the media conduit he uses in order to keep on reaching out to those people.

3) Obviously, he's not alone in considering whether or not moral repugnance over the messenger should be stifled in order to promulgate the message. The Royal British Legion has been in exactly the same position: it needs the News of The World's mass-market circulation to heighten awareness of its work; to raise funds; to help individuals and families all over the UK.

4) Today, the Royal British Legion decided that no matter how important the message might be, the messenger was no longer acceptable. Today, the Royal British Legion effectively decided it was not going to allow itself to be a fig-leaf for News International.

5) Martin should look closely at that decision. Because it wasn't about 'principle' or about loyalty or even, about helping people. It was all about self-protection: about ensuring that a reputation so hard-won is not tarnished by the NOTW.

6) But will Martin Lewis' hard-won reputation be tarnished? Quite obviously, the risk is there. And with every passing day, that risk intensifies, because although News International is as desperate to news-manage unfolding events now as it was desperate to suppress any and all such news in months and years previously, the efforts of the Murdoch Empire aren't working.

The strategy being assiduously pursued -- "it all happened long ago, it has nothing to do with the way the NOTW is now" -- by News International is the only strategy its corporate think-tank believes will ultimately work.

But, but, but. . . the cut-off point for "long ago" is shifting dangerously ever nearer to the present, as confirmed by reports today on the alleged hacking of the phones of families of service personnel on active duty in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is *not* long ago.

So although the current NOTW Editor Colin Myler -- whose journalistic career includes being sacked from the Editorship of The Sunday Mirror after that paper almost wrecked a high-profile court case because of its irresponsible reporting -- could yesterday afternoon assure NOTW staff that "it's all in the past", the question as to just how far in the past remains unresolved.

Neither Martin Lewis nor I nor anyone else at this time knows if the News of The World suddenly turned whiter-than-white at the time of Myler's 2007 appointment as Editor of the NOTW.

Equally significantly, no-one knows if, in turning whiter-than-white in 2007, it did so because it knew just how blacker-than-black it had been before then -- in which case, nothing that is emerging now is in any way the "surprise" that today's NOTW claims it to be.

Those who, like me, are critical of Martin's thinking at this time are not acting out of malice. We're actually offering the kind of counsel he seems markedly short of.

We're critical because we know how tabloid newspapers work. We're critical because we know that a paper like the NOTW will seize upon any "good works" it can attach itself to in order to yet further mask its true face behind the respectability of others.

We're critical because a newspaper as manipulative and exploitative as this one has been does not, overnight, stop being manipulative and exploitative: its nature is too deeply ingrained.

And we really don't want Martin Lewis to be one of those manipulated and exploited.

Finally. . . we're critical of Martin's thinking because it displays a serious error of judgment -- and good judgment, at the end of the day, is actually the essence of Martin's / MSE's success, where all recommendations made, and all advice given, are all carefully considered.

But what is one to make of that calibre of judgment now?

The Royal British Legion has just demonstrated that it believes its message is more important than its messenger.

Though Martin really should have done himself a favour by reaching the same conclusion before now, there's still time to do so.

Now.

Today.

His message is of infinitely greater worth than the messenger he is using to deliver it.

His reputation is of infinitely greater worth than the reputation of the medium he has seemingly chosen to continue to associate with.

On which basis, then:

The clock is ticking, Martin. Every day brings new revelations of cynical breaches of public and private trust by a newspaper that in treating issues of ethics and morality with complete contempt must likewise have held its readership in that same contempt.

Do you seriously wish to risk everything you've achieved by waking up one morning in the not-too-distant future to the revelation of how "surprised" The News of The World is to now suddenly "discover" that the kind of behaviour that it claimed happened in a conveniently unspecified past has actually continued on into this specific present??

It's not a risk you should be taking. And anyone who advises you to take that risk is no friend of yours, or of MSE. Bottom line:

The News of The World needs Martin Lewis more than Martin Lewis needs the News of The World.

If you want to protect your message, then you've no option but to shoot your messenger.

That was a very powerful post. I'm pleased you made the distinction between berating Martin for the sake of it but leaned towards offering good counsel.
Did your association with the media involve writing for them? I certainly get that feeling.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Count_Dante wrote: »

Good piece. According to the Independent, Gary Linnekar has thought about quitting his job at the paper.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/lineker-fears-role-as-columnist-puts-clean-reputation-at-risk-2308183.html

How can Lineker possibly take the moral high ground when he goes around stealing crisps from children?

verityboo

Count_Dante wrote: »

Good piece. According to the Independent, Gary Linnekar has thought about quitting his job at the paper.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/lineker-fears-role-as-columnist-puts-clean-reputation-at-risk-2308183.html

Doesn't say much for Martin if he can't work our what's obvious, even to a footballer :think:

ifihadapenny

Unfortunatly it seems that Martin has chosen to take the money on this one. It also seems that suprisingly most have us have noticed this now.

Im very glad for all of us that we have seen through the blog. What he started was and is something great but we need to move on from him now and he should take his name off this website.

Sorry Martin, but you have simply become too greedy.

JokerDurden

IMHO Martin it's time to jump the sinking ship, association will only tarnish a reputation you worked hard to build. With your status there is easily work out there for you.

A supporter of Help for Heroes but then working for a company that has only brought the grief back to those families that were getting lives back together. As one bereaved relative stated "It's put her back to when it first happened"

It's not a case of this is because of things that have happened in the past. It's having an impact on families now!!!

Keep the reputation strong, IMHO will be stronger if you walk.

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

elona

Almost anyone could take the moral high ground here!

Could be a whole new catch phase

"I may be a "insert despised category" but at least I don't work for NOTW".

JimmyTheWig

Martin,

Two points...

1. I, for one, read your blog as your current musings. I don't read it as a solid statement of your position. So I don't think that it would be a "climb down" for you to decide to give up your column now.

2. I think you should offer Hern (post #101) a job on your writing team.

DuckEggGingham

I don't know how I feel about you staying with them but I just wanted to point out that in your blog post you keep talking about all this horrific stuff having happened in the "past" ...

"Let me be straight from the start, if these things were happening right now – as opposed to back in 2002 – and the paper was arguing it’s done nothing wrong I would’ve stopped my column already. As it is, my column for this week was filed last week before this broke. Today I called and spoke to Colin Myler, the paper’s current Editor, made my point strongly and was assured (again) the paper now is a different beast to a few years ago."

"If I pulled from the paper now, it wouldn’t stop the hideous past, nor would it stymie the investigations and punishments due to those involved. It would just mean News of the World readers got less information about money."

Its not all past though. Its not all comfortably tucked away in 2002.

I understand you have an income to make and I totally value what you do whilst you earn that income. You have turned many, many lives around. I think though you are looking for a "get out" card so you can keep your column with a clear conscience. Do what you feel is right, you will always still have many, many loyal supporters, you are brilliant at what you do but please don't think we are stupid (even if skint ) you are staying because you want to despite what they have been doing, you are not leaving because of what they have been doing.