Where do you get your News?

[SteveTheElder]

There are so many sources of news these days but which do you use?

 

For decades, the daily newspaper has been known for their political bias, e.g. the ‘Torygraph’ or whatever.

 

More recently, with TV news channels (BBC, ITV, Ch 4, Sky) I am seeing more bias in some and am getting increasingly irritated by the negativity that comes through. There is no news other than bad news seems to be the mantra; and if there isn’t any, they dig up something and turn it in to a negative. So depressing. Oh, and the interminable in-depth reporting and analysis of a single story which seems to start a couple of minutes in to a broadcast leaving little time for anything else.

 

Then there are the News apps on our smartphones/tablets. All about sensationalised headlines (click bait) and some dodgy algorithms that pushes themes rather than actual real important news.

 

Trending items in Twitter and other social media are a definite no-no for me. All click bait and hyperbole.

 

So, what’s left? Is there actually any factual news sources out there?

[john999boy]

I primarily read items from The Times and BBC.
Readly also offers several newspapers to look at but real life tends to get in the way of information overload.📰

[PetrolDave]

The BBC News app and the Apple News app on my iPhone - they link to many other news sources so with some deep diving I can get more balanced reporting.

 

When "I was a nipper" you could trust the BBC for unbiased news reporting but nowadays my impression is that it is dominated by left wing comment and 'Green' bias so the actual amount of unbiased 'reporting' is minimal.

Edited 13 April, 2022 by PetrolDave

[cheezemonkhai]

BBC is a prime candidate as it's free, however it seems tangled up between some presenters/staff with left wing opinions who inject it into everything and trying to keep the government happy, so the TV licence funding isn't further cut. As such they seem to swing from left to right and back again like very unpredictable pendulem.

 

It's a sad state of affairs and the moment and frankly I'd like to see them cull all the "big names" and go back to having presenters who are good and follow the neutrality rules, rather than too big to be fired.

 

I find a few bits on apple news and then search out the headlines for the paid stuff, but don't pay for newspaper subscriptions, because frankly there are no papers that don't appear heavily biased.

 

Whilst I don't agree with their views on things a lot of the time, the fact that the Guardian is not charging means I read a lot more of their articles that I would if the other papers were free.

[AnnoyingPentium]

The Herald... sometimes, only really for the crossword. The Scotsman, when it suits me. Plus the Beeb or Sky if I want it on the telly.

 

I take everything I read with a pinch of salt, I'm cynical to some degree as well.

Edited 13 April, 2022 by AnnoyingPentium

[SteveTheElder]

Thanks all. Interesting thoughts and comments.

 

Mention of the BBC & license fee is a good one. Seems to me that since the Beeb has become more commercial and sensitive to gov’t meddling with the license fee they have lost the impartiality they once had ‘back in the day’. Oh for a good old fashioned attitude to a public news ‘service’. Funded by the public, broadcast for the public (and not for profit or making a name).

 

[Baxlin]

1 hour ago, sneal said:

Thanks all. Interesting thoughts and comments.

 

Mention of the BBC & license fee is a good one. Seems to me that since the Beeb has become more commercial and sensitive to gov’t meddling with the license fee they have lost the impartiality they once had ‘back in the day’. Oh for a good old fashioned attitude to a public news ‘service’. Funded by the public, broadcast for the public (and not for profit or making a name).

 

Not trying to make a political point here, but on the BBC 10 o’clock news last night they ran the vid of Keir Starmer calling for Johnson and Sunak’s resignations 3 times in the first few minutes.

 

to answer the OP’s question, mainly ITV news now, but missed it last night, hence BBC.

[cheezemonkhai]

6 minutes ago, Baxlin said:

Not trying to make a political point here, but on the BBC 10 o’clock news last night they ran the vid of Keir Starmer calling for Johnson and Sunak’s resignations 3 times in the first few minutes.

 

to answer the OP’s question, mainly ITV news now, but missed it last night, hence BBC.

This is very much one of my irritations...

 

That sort of stuff is clearly pushing a side, but then later on they won't report on something which they should which might anger the incumbants in Government.

[@Lee]

28 minutes ago, Baxlin said:

Not trying to make a political point here, but on the BBC 10 o’clock news last night they ran the vid of Keir Starmer calling for Johnson and Sunak’s resignations 3 times in the first few minutes.

 

to answer the OP’s question, mainly ITV news now, but missed it last night, hence BBC.

Are you sure? I just watched it. Starmer appeared in the intro (while the music is still playing) at 39 seconds in for five seconds. He then appeared again in the main article at 5'45" for fourteen seconds. There were only two articles on the ten o' clock news last night; Partygate and the war in Ukraine which was followed by the sport. So by my reckoning Starmer appeared for a total of nineteen seconds. Hardly like it's blanket coverage of him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0016cx2/bbc-news-at-ten-12042022

[@Lee]

Twitter for those breaking stories which appear some time before going online or to print.

The Times, Guardian, Mirror are usually quite good. I follow a lot of their journos on Twitter.

Express/ Mail/ Sun/ Star are just sensationalist and on the whole not very accurate. Telegraph used to be a respected publication but that's just Johnson's mouthpiece/ fanzine now.

Channel 4 News is pretty good for more informative news as it has an hours run time so they can go a bit more in depth. Usually very good at holding politicians of all colours to account.

Sky News, despite being Murdoch owned, has IIRC editorial independence so Murdoch keeps his claws out.

I've seen lots of people from one side or the other say the BBC is left biased or it's right biased. Maybe it's neither and they're getting it about right?
That said, Newsnight has become a bit more pro Government as we've seen with the departure or Emily Maitlis and Emma Barnett. Kirsty Wark comes across as pro Conservative IMO. I've seen her a few times cut the opposition off and let Government MPs ramble on. 
Laura Kuenessberg   She couldn't be any more in love with Johnson if she tried but she's being moved as Political Editor to something else. Replacing Andrew Marr full time I think so I guess some will get a more easy ride than others on that show. 
BBC News though does have a problem mentioning a certain word when issues that are patently brexit related are reported as being caused by something else. Here's an example from just the other day https://www.thenational.scot/news/20058657.bbc-accused-editing-nfu-scotland-presidents-reference-brexit/


Financial Times also rather good as is the Irish Times. 

I forgot to mention, some of the above newspapers are owned by billionaire non domiciled tax avoiders. IMO these don domiciled tax avoiders shouldn't be allowed to own newspapers in the UK of GB and NI. Why should they be allowed to have such a large say and have influence over their readers when they don't even live in the country? You have to wonder what their agenda is. Add to that The owner of the Independent and London Standard/ Evening Standard Lord Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia.

 

Edited 13 April, 2022 by @Lee

[Mickvrs220]

Bbc web site for me occaisionally ,i try to avoid it on the tv its so chuffin deppresing now,lifes too short ,a quick glance at the sun online now and again just so i know what outfit carol vorderman is wearing and to check if katie price can become an even bigger freakshow 😂😂

Edited 13 April, 2022 by Mickvrs220
Spelling

[Baxlin]

4 hours ago, @Lee said:

Are you sure? I just watched it. Starmer appeared in the intro (while the music is still playing) at 39 seconds in for five seconds. He then appeared again in the main article at 5'45" for fourteen seconds. There were only two articles on the ten o' clock news last night; Partygate and the war in Ukraine which was followed by the sport. So by my reckoning Starmer appeared for a total of nineteen seconds. Hardly like it's blanket coverage of him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0016cx2/bbc-news-at-ten-12042022

Sorry, I didn’t have my stopwatch, and I thought it was 3 times, but obviously not.

[@Lee]

I mentioned earlier Kuenessberg was leaving as BBCs political editor. BBC published her successor today; Chris Mason of Radio 4s 'Any Questions'.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61024414
https://amp.theguardian.com/media/2022/apr/13/chris-mason-to-take-over-from-laura-kuenssberg-as-bbc-political-editor

Interesting piece on Kuenessberg from a week or so ago
https://bylinetimes.com/2022/03/30/laura-kuenssberg-bbc-political-editor-was-a-catastrophic-systemic-failure/

And the new Chair of OfCom will be Conservative Peer Lord Grade though it does say he'll become a cross bencher. As the saying goes though, once a tory....
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lord-grade-is-confirmed-as-the-new-ofcom-chair#:~:text=Following a pre-appointment hearing,2022 to 30 April 2026.

I saw Nadine Dorries has a plan to sell off Channel 4 which received a backlash and quite rightly IMO.
I think she has something personal against Channel 4 myself. Up until a few months ago she didn't even know how it was funded. Quite surprising really as she's the Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

Then she had a rather embarrassing interview with Channel 4 News' Krishnan Guru Murthy where she appeared to not give a fig about his questions and was swaying.

 

Edited 13 April, 2022 by @Lee

[SteveTheElder]

Hmmm...

 

Seems that we're all a bit underwhelmed by the British news media of all channels (printed, broadcast, online) - with the possible exception of the Financial Times. I'll give it a go...

 

Thanks all.

[@Lee]

14 minutes ago, sneal said:

Hmmm...

 

Seems that we're all a bit underwhelmed by the British news media of all channels (printed, broadcast, online) - with the possible exception of the Financial Times. I'll give it a go...

 

Thanks all.

The FT usually have free trials for a week or a fortnight on their digital only service. Might be worth a trial before committing further.

[Mickvrs220]

Time to leave can see where this threads heading😥

[@Lee]

I've included the stuff about Kuenessberg as she's been the BBC's political editor for some time. It's important to know who's behind the headlines if people are asking about news sources, Mick.

 

Likewise Dorries who wants to privatise Channel 4 which would include Channel 4 News. A decision which is wholly unjustified IMO.

[@Lee]

On 13/04/2022 at 20:13, sneal said:

Hmmm...

 

Seems that we're all a bit underwhelmed by the British news media of all channels (printed, broadcast, online) - with the possible exception of the Financial Times. I'll give it a go...

 

Thanks all.

An offer from the Times popped up on my Twitter feed. £1 a month for 12 months seems like a good deal.

 

 

 

 

[BJM]

The Weather Report !!!!

[cheezemonkhai]

7 hours ago, @Lee said:

An offer from the Times popped up on my Twitter feed. £1 a month for 12 months seems like a good deal.

 

 

If on the international site it’s £1 for 12 months and 9.99 a month after. The UK site is £1 per month for 3 and more thereafter.

 

Looks like we are heading back to rip-off Britain already then.

[cheezemonkhai]

Turns out if you’re on the VPN doing some work at a remote office it all works. I can’t believe what a joke it is in the uk. You can get 3 months of apple news which includes the times for less than 1 month in the uk.

[@Lee]

No matter where you get your news from, when stories such as this, from today's Times which also appeared in the Daily Mail,  start disappearing from said publications websites, you might ask if there's a problem with freedom of the press.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/boris-johnson-wanted-to-give-carrie-symonds-a-100000-downing-street-role/

[J.R.]

Do you set aside any time to follow the news of your country Lee?

 

How do you keep up to date, newspapers? evening TV news? Local papers?

 

I try to watch the local news followed by the national & world news at 19.00 but usually I am still working.

 

I have the regional newspaper delivered each day, but now i am working away pretty much 100% of the time I have dropped my abonnement to the internet only version, I get a news report at 6.30 am, a local one and regional one in the evening, these are just selected articles but I can read the whole morning paper or the pages for my town or the city.

[@Lee]

49 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Do you set aside any time to follow the news of your country Lee?

Yes, by utilising the sources I think I've already mentioned in this topic JR.

 

For what I hope is the very last word on this subject as you've obviously failed to heed previous requests, I am a British citizen, I hold a full UK passport (that guarantees less rights and privileges than my old EU one but that's another story), I am entitled to vote in UK General Elections, I was born in the UK to British (English and Scottish) parents and as I have said, the UK is my country.

 

I am a resident in Germany, nothing more and unless or until I renounce my UK passport, I will remain a British citizen. That does not mean I don't take an interest in what happens where I live.

Like you, I read the local paper but I doubt people would be interested in the Mayor of a small town in North Germany opening a pedestrian crossing (yes, it was a front page piece). Do you?

 

Are we done with this petty bitching and sniping from you now? I do hope so.

Edited 18 June, 2022 by @Lee

[skomaz]

34 minutes ago, @Lee said:

 

Like you, I read the local paper but I doubt people would be interested in the Mayor of a small town in North Germany opening a pedestrian crossing (yes, it was a front page piece). Do you?

 

 

If you read @J.R.s post the above was what he was enquiring about.

 

The rest you have posted was simply unnecessary and was not questioned.