Fake News

[Hen-Gen]

Now whenever I hear this term it makes my flesh creep but I’m beginning to think it might have an element of truth!
1)
Last week it was being claimed by assorted remoaners, liberal intelligentsia and lefties that Farage had lost because if you added together all the remain parties they outvoted the Brexit Party. Well say I, if you’re going to do that then by the same logic you should add all the leave parties together, or at least those who claim to be, ie Labour, Conservatives, UKIP and Brexit. But no mention of this in the media.

2)
Last night I watched the ITV 6-o-clock news. It had as one of the headlines the account of Trump laying into the Mayor of London. At no time did it mention the Mayors inappropriate character assassination of Trump in the press the day before.

I’m not a fan of either of the above named gentlemen. But clearly the news is being “massaged” to marginalise these two politicians. And as for those who refuse to attend the state banquet whilst previously being happy to attend similar functions for the leaders of China, Uganda, Rhodesia and pre liberation Romania I have nothing but contempt. Do they really think that Trump is worse than the unelected leaders of the aforenamed countries?

 

[bigyetiman]

Our sentiments exactly Hen-Gen.
As OH remarked yesterday, leaders with appalling human rights records have been over here and never a protester in sight.
We are in the London Borough of Havering, so we regularly get the Mayor on local news and in the papers with some crackpot idea or another, and he never misses a chance to lay into Trump or America in general.
Yesterday morning we suddenly noticed a few Apache helicopters around, they do go over regularly but these were circling and then into view came Air Force One. Now thats a fly over garden tick said OH.

 

[Tweetypie]

I probably shouldn't, but I do try to ignore the political views and smearing of the same in the news.

I don't like two faced, hypocritical, nor people who create showdowns in public, to besmurge another. I find this to be the behaviour expected of "adolescents" or 2 years old's seeking attention. It's embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing when it's a senior politician. I cringed when I saw that blow up doll of Trump and for a few moments I felt ashamed to be British!

 

[rick]

Any kind of mud throwing is a mark against in my book. Trouble is they all do it to some degree and so keeping a relative tally can be a challenge! People tend to believe anything that supports their particular world view. As those world views (right, left, up, down etc.) will always be about even in a population the rest is just a circus show. I've taken to reading manifestos - all of them.

 

[bigyetiman]

The only news I know isn't fake, is anything on posted this forum

 

[Hen-Gen]

Oh, brown noser?
But seriously it is getting harder and harder these days. The reputable news organisations rarely lie but they present the news in an incredibly bias way. Who knows that the BBC is going to abolish free TV licences for the over 75s. Certainly not if you only watch BBC news.

 

[Marigold]

Oh, brown noser?
But seriously it is getting harder and harder these days. The reputable news organisations rarely lie but they present the news in an incredibly bias way. Who knows that the BBC is going to abolish free TV licences for the over 75s. Certainly not if you only watch BBC news.

Not so - I watched a long interview with Tony Hall, Director General of the BBC, in which he explained the thinking behind this decision. I think it's fair that everyone not in receipt of pension supplement should pay for a TV licence, especially since many whole families get it for free because it's in the name of a relative over 75. Alternatively, the Government could offer to make up the funding gap, as was the case before it cut funding to the BBC which had to be made up out of other licence income. Or the cost of licences could be increased for those under 75. Nobody is suggesting that people should get ITV, Netflix or other services for free, and these are in any case more expensive and very often much less high quality than what is on BBC.
On a lighter note, here's more entertaining news, fake or otherwise.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/13/spouting-off-trump-boasts-of-meeting-prince-of-whales

 

[Marigold]

Oh, brown noser?
But seriously it is getting harder and harder these days. The reputable news organisations rarely lie but they present the news in an incredibly bias way. Who knows that the BBC is going to abolish free TV licences for the over 75s. Certainly not if you only watch BBC news.

See also https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/14/the-guardian-view-on-the-bbc-a-broadcaster-not-a-welfare-agency

 

[LadyA]

Oh, brown noser?
But seriously it is getting harder and harder these days. The reputable news organisations rarely lie but they present the news in an incredibly bias way. Who knows that the BBC is going to abolish free TV licences for the over 75s. Certainly not if you only watch BBC news.

See also https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/14/the-guardian-view-on-the-bbc-a-broadcaster-not-a-welfare-agency

Here, pensioners have a free TV licence, but it is the State that covers the cost. Not sure how much it is, because I've never had a TV, but I think it's around €160 or so. They are talking about replacing it with a "broadcasting charge" which all households would have to pay, regardless of whether you have a TV or not. Because, y'know, you might see something in someone else's house, or you might hear a snatch of radio in a shop or something! Although they say it's because they are losing so much revenue with people not using an actual TV (so not needing a licence), but using things like Netflix etc. and streaming stuff on computers and phones.