If the Daily Mirror really cared about the impact on public behaviour ...

[blinkinheck]

... they would never have published the Dominic Cummings story.

I'm listening to the Daily Mirror Political Editor on the Andrew Marr show. She said the story isn't about attacking "the Westminster Bubble" and they care only about the effect his behaviour will have on the public's willingness to stick to the lockdown. What sanctimonious bullshit! It is publication and sensationalism of the story, whether true or not, which is responsible for whatever damage is caused. Otherwise, having had a quiet word with the police, they could have simply left them to deal with it.

Disclaimer: I'm not a Brexiteer. Didn't vote for Brexit or the current Tory regime. I'm just calling out media hypocrisy.

[SharonasCorona]

YABU. Our leaders must always be accountable. Blaming journalists is victim blaming, focus on the offender.

[Eeyoresstickhouse]

YABVU. This government needs to be held accountable. Can you imagine if this was a labour adviser or mp? The uproar from the Tories would have been unreal.

[blinkinheck]

Duh. I didn't say they shouldn't publish. My point is to that if they do publish, they should be honest about their reasons.

[Purplequalitystreet]

You did say that they shouldn't have published.

YABU

[SharonasCorona]

Duh. I didn't say they shouldn't publish. My point is to that if they do publish, they should be honest about their reasons.

No, your OP says ‘If the Daily Mirror really cared about the impact on public behaviour .. they would never have published the Dominic Cummings story.‘

So you are saying they shouldn’t have published it.

[user1635482648]

Oh, so people in positions of power should be above scrutiny and accountability?

[NC4Now]

It had to be published. The hypocrisy comes from Cummings and he needs to go. Not ‘a quiet word from the police’. The public has a right to know what their leaders do. It’s accountability and it’s the role of a free press to inform the public. That’s how democracy works.

[NC4Now]

I would suggest their motives were to hold the government to account.

[Epigram]

The only reason a newspaper ever publishes any story is because they think it will make people buy their newspaper. They don't have a moral responsibility to only publish news that the public 'should' be aware of.

There was a news story a few years ago that eating your 5-a-day doesn't have as much of a positive impact on your health as most people think. Do you think this news should be suppressed because it might discourage people from eating healthy veg? We have no right to tell newspapers what to publish (provided it is factually accurate and not obtained illegally).

[Ifailed]

OP last posted in 2014, this is a very odd return.

[MouthBreathingRage]

Disclaimer: I'm not a Brexiteer. Didn't vote for Brexit or the current Tory regime. I'm just calling out media hypocrisy

You have however posted under a username that's not been used since 2014. How odd. There have been a suspicious amount of new or quiet posters popping up recently to have a rant about how we shouldn't be saying anything negative about the government and their behaviour/actions during this time.

People are quite rightly being fined and even taken to court over the same thing Cummings did. The hypocrisy should be out there for all to see.

[Isitsixoclockalready]

OP, they can't decide not to publish because to do so would seen to make political capital. Of course it's political capital but they also have a duty to publish stories that are in the public interest.

[MouthBreathingRage]

@Ifailed x-post!

[ShebaShimmyShake]

Withholding such a story would be an absolute dereliction of journalistic duty.

[onalongsabbatical]

Publishing stories is literally their job OP. Duh!

[Letseatgrandma]

Isn’t publishing news the job of newspapers?

[LaurieMarlow]

OP what a ridiculous point. Also welcome back, where have you been?

[Porcupineinwaiting]

No criticism in front of the proles eh? Might give them ideas?

Nice try. No.

[DrDavidBanner]

Um, isn't that how journalism works?

[blinkinheck]

"your OP says ‘If the Daily Mirror really cared about the impact on public behaviour .. they would never have published the Dominic Cummings story.‘ So you are saying they shouldn’t have published it."

No, I'm saying that if they cared about the impact on public behaviour they would never have published it.
They did publish it. Then they claimed they weren't publishing it for political reasons, but only because they cared about the impact. That is the hypocrisy.

Clearly too subtle for some.

[Limeandsodit]

I make you right op.

I have my hard hat on but really don't care if I get attacked on here.

[Limeandsodit]

The media , socially and otherwise have been an absolute disgrace throughout this entire pandemic.

Distorted information being given to suit an otherwise liberal agenda in the majority of it..

Disgusting

[blinkinheck]

OP last posted in 2014
No, I just often switch between names.

[Abouttimemum]

**The only reason a newspaper ever publishes any story is because they think it will make people buy their newspaper. They don't have a moral responsibility to only publish news that the public 'should' be aware of.

This is correct. Yes they should have published it if it’s factually correct. But it’s got nothing to do with their morals, because no newspaper anywhere has any.

[Ultrasoft]

I think you're right, it's clear there is a political motive but thank god we still have two papers who are prepared to hold this lot to account.

The hold the government has over most of the media is terrifying.