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

cloughjo

T_T wrote: »

The ethos of this website is to save money where you can. How many of you would so readily give up one of your part-time jobs if it was found out that a member of staff who you have never met committed a crime years before you worked there?

The website also encourages it's followers to have the courage to stand up for what is right.

I agree that our outrage about the situation can be quite rightly be directed elsewhere. However if you set yourself up as a role model, there are times when you will be required to act as one.

T_T_2

cloughjo wrote: »

The website also encourages it's followers to have the courage to stand up for what is right.

I agree that our outrage about the situation can be quite rightly be directed elsewhere. However if you set yourself up as a role model, there are times when you will be required to act as one.

You are right of course, this forum does encourage that and I'm certainly not trying to discourage anyone from doing just that. I'm simply stating an opinion that Martin Lewis might be pretty well known apart these parts but ultimately he is just a person like the rest of us.

Most of us have ambitions in life, perhaps to get a promotion at work or a new car next year or perhaps just being able to afford a holiday abroad this year. Martin afterall is/was a journalist before the success of MSE and so it is natural for him to want to retain a column at a well known newspaper like NOTW is/was.

We might not be able to excuse the actions of those responsible for committing crimes at NOTW but surely we can excuse Martin for getting carried away with the celebrity of being a NOTW columnist and internet role model? Mistakes have been made, but they are certainly forgiveable.

A strong and candid response from Martin wouldn't do him any harm now.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

camaj wrote: »

I think people are being a bit harsh on Martin here. I'm sure we can accept that his column in the NOTW helped a lot of people who would otherwise not know certain things, surely that's the raison d'etre of MSE? Things like this aren't black and white and while it would be easy to throw the towel in, on the other hand it would stop a vital outlet for the MSE message. Does the good that Martin's column do outweigh it's existence supporting NOTW? I would say it does. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like for the greater good and that seems like Martins logic too. There's a big difference between that, and an advertiser who is financially supporting the enterprise.

I agree that some of the comments about Martin are a bit harsh.
I think the personal attacks on him are uncalled for. He's done a lot of good things to help people. I've no problem if he's made money from it because that money hasn't (as far as I know) got companies better ratings on here.
Clearly he made a wrong call with NOTW. It's often easier to see things from outside the loop because you're not involved with the personalities. That may well be the worst mistake he ever makes. If it is, then he's done a lot better than I.
IMO there's nothing wrong with questioning his judgement or even saying that you think he's wrong. However I think that getting too personal is off limits.
I believe it's better to take the person as a whole rather than branding him forever for one wrong call.
I don't know him personally but my hunch is that he's a trustworthy guy who made a mistake.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I want to put things into perspective.

This forum is bigger than one man so don't cut your nose off to spite your faces if you are thinking of going.

Yes Martin made a poor judgement call. He should have pulled out like the other large advertisers. I would have total respect if he came out with this in hindsight and how he realises perhaps this wasn't his finest hour.

Martin didn't hack phones. He wasn't in charge. Let's not start blaming Martin for NOTW problems and corruption, he is only a contributor and not someone involved in their management.

Stryder

Swiss_Toni wrote: »

This is the link you need to unsubscribe;

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/money-tips-email-faqs

:wave:

I should thank Logie and Swiss_Toni for making some clear points. Self employed as I am I find a lot of help from other members in the income section of the forum, and can not leave so easily. However, I have decided to cancel my email subscription.

Many of the links sent via the email newsletter are affiliated links are will be used to generate profit as this site earns and income on how we use it (how revenue is generated). Until this situation is resolved in some way I will be boycotting all other parts of the site except for the forum.

Personally I utterly condemn most of what Martin has said and done, and sadly the rug was pulled from under him after making the compromise this afternoon. I also sympathise for a man who may have personal and professional loyalties to individuals at the NOTW, editors, sub editors etc. He may also feel that as he is signed up to do something he should do what he has promised.

Martin would be wise to:
1) Apologise for the offence and upset his actions have caused
This includes being an enabler of Sundays edition (now and before it was cancelled)

2) Apologise for suggesting that as he gives money to charity it would be right for him to keep wages from the News of the world.
a) blood money is blood money
b) how much charity donations are personal donations after tax, and how many are from his company and arranged to lower his tax.
c) Not even the News of the World is keeping there money from the final edition, and giving it to charity (NOTW more ethical than :money:??)

3) Consider how his business is run, and assess whether the drive to save money should also take into account a little morality. There is little debate on this site about morality, and I wonder how many deals are at the expense of Diary Farmers, Chinese slave labour or sweat shops in Thailand. As part of a review I would like to see more time consider in the cost of saving (moral cost) and more support for organisations such as Fair Trade Association.

4) Thank the MSErs for caring enough to express their opinion and stick with him

In hard times people want to save money, but do not always want to feel guilty for it. Together we can rework this site to make it a much more positive and proactive place. But bottom line is, Martin will have to take the lead... otherwise people will become disheartened and leave.

I wish the MSE team good luck, as they must be feeling pretty fed up right now. I just hope Martin swallows his pride, admit his mistakes, get up and do an even better job.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

starjumper wrote: »

Had this not got a little bit out of hand? Are people targeting the wrong person to be a figure of hate? Would people not be better off going after Rebekah Wade/Brookes or Andy Coulson rather than (sorry Martin) a rather low-level bit part player.

I just feel that having read this thread that if this level of pressure could be directed at the people actually directly responsible for the hacking and scandal it might just have a greater effect.

Dead right.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Due to the links between the media and political parties, I do wonder if the will soon be right to look at how political parties are funded. If the money came from public funds, this could greatly assist governments to govern without undue pressure from the media, large companies and, so that I can't be accused of bias, the trade unions.

Incidents such as those that have recently become public could have far reaching effects if the will is there - not just within the media but within politics too.
Expect the usual fudging and bull as a judge leads an enquiry that goes on until the spiders have made homes in his/her wig and bores everyone so senseless that most of us will be dead before a conclusion is reached.

itsnever2lateisit?

I think a few folks are being a little harsh, clearly this is an emotive issue, all Martin has done is get a judgement wrong, the only people who dont make mistakes are those who do nothing. I am sure he will suffer some 'fall-out' damage in the short term, but will dust down and learn from it. For those of you leaving, farewell, there will be new folk along soon

Stryder

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/now-met-police-probes-the-sun-after-union-chief-raises-concerns-2208670.html

THE SUN is possibly implicated....

Lets hope no hasty decisions are made anywhere

verityboo

The reason I have written what I have and criticised Martin is that I support what he does and would not like him to loose credibility, unfortunately thats already happening

I heard him on Radio 5 yesterday and instead of giving consumer advice, he had to spend 5 minutes trying (and failing) to justify his dicision to continue writing. He was just digging a big hole and sounding as naive and gullible as its possible to be (still can't believe that he wrote in the original blog that he believed something Alistair Campbell said!). I can see this being repeated on every radio & TV show appearence, time being used to question his judgement instead of time being used for him giving consumer advice. This is the bigger picture I wanted him to consider