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

jonesMUFCforever

I don't agree with Martin's stance over this but give him his due he has given his opinion - it would have been very easy just to say nothing and hope it all blows over.
If I was getting paid for a column (assuming he has a wife and kids to look after) then I would be very reluctant to give up this income too - after all it has nothing to do with him.
However if he has a chance to take his column to another paper why stay with the NOTW?

Just how many copies of the Sun do Murdoch sell in Liverpool nowadays after the Hillsborough disaster? This could hit the paper very hard not just advertisers shunning it but I for one won't be buying it again.
This could sink the paper in its present format.

Shagg

Good god man. Get some morals!

robt_2

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

This could sink the paper in its present format.

Will, not could.

MaggieBaking

If the newspaper is fully cooperating, doing all the right things and you believe they are committed to righting their wrongs then carry on writing for them. Martin, you are lucky that your career and your life's purpose is to educate the public on money and living a full and debt free life and you should feel free to promote yourself and your cause through the best vessel and method.

You need to ask yourself "If I quit, what will it achieve?" and if that is to go along with public opinion to whip the NotW then so be it. But reading your blog post, it doesn't feel as if your heart believes that will have any practical effects.

If the NotW are bad people, jump ship. If they can convince you that they're changing their ways and truly trying to improve journalism as a whole then stand firm till the storm rides over.

WestonDave

Whilst I can't see why anyone would want to be associated with the NOTW right now, I can see the point that sometimes in order to reach those most in need you have to get down and dirty where the need is. Maybe there is a chance in the current context to put together a piece for next week based on the old saying "knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing" which talks a bit about the morals of greed and allowing money considerations to come before all else - surely the root of this whole mess.

payless

I don't know how much they pay you ( I'm sure its more pw than most people earn pw... for repeating what you post here!) but personally I don't think it worth it...
You have cleverly used traditional media ( wasn't it the Sunday Mirror before, then GMTV, and NOWT ) to promote your own more modern medium, IMHO time to break those ties before you getted pulled down with them

mrs_deadline

The fact that they let you write your stories with little interference tells us only one thing: you've never written anything that offends your paymasters or challenges their financial interests.

Do you really believe Murdoch's minions have forsaken their use of intrusion, innuendo, threats and intimidation, particularly when it comes to silencing critics? Question: how did they keep this covered up for so long? Answer: they are capable of utterly savaging those who speak out of turn!

One day it might be you. Would you have the appetite to take them on? Or is that the day "getting the message out there" suddenly becomes a lesser concern?

vikingaero

Much as I've castigated NOTW on the threads in the various sub-forums I think Mr Lewis has made the right decision.

I don't think this will sink NOTW - a few thousand angry forumites v. the near 3 million that buy The Sun and NOTW every day. Even The Sun has suppressed stories in their own paper. Their readership aren't going to be as concerned as a bunch of MSEers as their priorities are the size of the pair of tits each day on Page 3.

Sceptic001

A difficult decision. Not sure which way I would have gone, but I respect the rationale behind Martin's call on this.

However, if I were Martin, I would make this decision conditional on the NOTW publishing his article so that its readers can be made aware of his thinking. It will also help to make up for the disgusting lack of coverage of the phone hacking issue in the NOTW (and all the other tabloids) so far... :mad:

Zyyb

Dear god, I hadn't realised the public was this angry. Has everyone forgotten this story has been around for years, but because it was a little girls phone, the sense of outrage has tipped boiling point, it's crazy what gets the public fired up.

I have no love for Murdoch, but come on, this is really down to a few people making bad decisions, it hasn't happened recently. Is any other tabloid any better? They all print false stories, bend the truth, hoping to get away with it to sell headlines. It'll all blow over in a few weeks.