I used to be a tabloid reporter AMA

[AprilONeil]

Been meaning to offer up a thread on here for a while but tbh have been too nervous, since I know how people round these 'ere parts feel about the tabloids.

Anyway, I used to work as a showbiz reporter on a British tabloid newspaper (would rather not say which one because potentially outing) and have since moved into a more 'worthy' area of journalism.

AMA...

(Dons hard hat)

@Tistheseason17

Love thus thread. Having come across Anthony Head at Paddington he was perfectly lovely. I suspect celebrities react differently to journalists, too. However, OP, I do agree with you about Reese, even though I love her acting!

I have a story worth a ton of cash but, I agree with you about courting publicity. No amount of money would be enough to lose my privacy or effect my family.

Ha now I really want to know your story! (Told you I was nosy )

Glad Anthony Head was nice - I feel bad for suggesting he may not have been but when I squeeze my brain that's what I think I remember a colleague saying.

But yes, celebs can def be more brusque with journos than they are with fans or other people which I suppose is fair enough although we are human beings too (I once cried after doing an interview because a female rock star replied really rudely after I quoted one of her previous interviews and asked if she still felt that way - I was a huge fan of hers and literally wearing her band's t-shirt.)

@Cavagirl

I do agree with OP on this one, I can think of numerous people who are famous for being at the top of their game in the arts, sports, etc but don't court publicity and therefore aren't tabloid-fodder.... i think it would be perfectly possibly for some of these people to live a relatively quiet life and focus on being excellent in their field, if they chose to. I agree there are some incidents when it feels like an unfair pile-on (much like some threads on MN!) which isn't nice, but unless the beast is fed via a further comment/ social media etc it usually goes away quite quickly.

The problem is even the pile-ons are subjective - it's just if it's a really broad and salacious story (like, day Caroline Flack's arrest), all the mags and newspapers and websites may do a story each - that collectively adds up to a lot of stories but you can start dictating who is allowed to cover it and who can't because we have freedom of press.

And especially if it's a fast moving story, each outlet will each do a story on each development (police called; arrest; court appearance; boyfriend's statement; celeb's statement etc) - I can understand why, from the outside, it looks like a pile-on but the reality is it's just a lot of outlets all reporting on every aspect of it. It's not some kind of co-ordinated effort.

*can't start dictating!

with Boris it's just impossible to tell
I wonder if you could expand upon that at all....🙏

@AprilONeil "You should do a Guardian one about Israel with your kids." Ha! Yes, The Guardian probably has a higher proportion of randomly batshit biased articles- but they're actually trickier for GCSE students to read and analyse. We do use The Guardian- but mainly because they are much more likely to appear on students' actual exam papers than anything from other papers. We speculate why this is, and have decided it's because it's the newspaper the chief examiners read.

I'm worried I've offended you because maybe you work for The Daily Mail. I can fully see that all newspapers have an ideology and a slant. I merely picked on The Daily Mail because it does seem to be the most obvious and consistent. When I look at The Guardian, I'm going to guess they have far more freelance writers, because there does seem to be less consistency to views and editorial stance. I do think the writing in the DM is excellent, and I have a lot of respect for the journalists.

@Lordamighty I would never dream of letting students know my political views in a lesson. It would also be disastrous if I criticised a newspaper only to find that it's what their parents read (and I'm conscious that this is likely to be the case). I do think the DM has a very obvious bias, but I would expect students to find that out themselves (and, to be honest, they're far more likely to learn something and remember it if they do discover it themselves, than if I just say it). I would generally get students to compare stories from different newspapers. If I was teaching it next week, the obvious story to look at would be the reporting of the exam cock-up. In this case the DM has been very critical, the Telegraph has barely mentioned it, and The Times has clearly tried very hard to only report facts without trying to add in opinion. I think that would probably be a really interesting set of articles for students to look at. The most popular lesson I ever did on this was the reporting of Meghan Markle's mum in their wedding. Most of the newspapers had opinion pieces on her and there were some extremely interesting contrasts which were easy for 16-year-olds to pick up.

Thanks OP for such an interesting thread- and I do hope your job is secure at the moment. I'm going to confess at this point that I've had articles in four different national newspapers over the past year, because I was promoting my book. Writing articles is not as easy as you journalists make it look!

@lolawasashowgirl

Can you explain a bit more about the privacy laws OP? I have always had the impression that the tabloids have carte blanche to print pretty much what they like (that they have evidence for) but from what you've said on this thread it doesn't seem to be the case. Is something 'being in the public interest' a factor too?

There are so many restrictions on what we're allowed to report!

The main limits were imposed by the Human Rights Act which created a "right to privacy" in British law but it's relatively vague so each time there's a new case where a celeb wins it sets a further precedent (and usually further encroachment on what the press are allowed to report).

So Max Mosely, Naomi Campbell, Princess Stefanie of Monaco - all of their cases against the press created case law. (In fact Mosley's win against NOTW was heralded as "the death of the kiss and tell".)

Public interest can be a defence but it doesn't always succeed. (Eg the Max Moseley case - and I personally agreed the NOTW had gone a step too far since it was consenting adults in the privacy of their homes - hinged on whether or not the prostitutes' outfits were Nazi-themed or just generic WWII because if they were Nazi there was a potential public interest defence in that such a "public figure" with his particular history was turned on by Nazis).

The old adage is "just because it's of interest to the public doesn't make it in the public interest".

@Heffalooomia

with Boris it's just impossible to tell I wonder if you could expand upon that at all....🙏

Well just that he's quite enigmatic and in some ways good at playing the press. Like the fact no one knows how many kids he has or where he's on holiday. Everyone talking about it creates noise without actually providing any answers.

On the flip side, as many here seem to think with regard to other celebs, do we have a right to know about his private life, including how many kids he has? (I mean, I think so but if you're arguing in favour of celebs' entitlement to absolute privacy then surely that applies to him too).

Yeah, I agree you are human, too. Someone has to do the job and famous people do need to grow a thicker skin - it really is in the job description not to read the comments! They need to watch Ralph Breaks the Internet!

My story is not salacious but it is about someone very powerful and an unknown legal case, no NDA as was not known at the time. It is not worth the money and long term impact for brief publicity. I have a great life already :)

I guess, most people have their one story and some people simply make the decision to sell it. It's a shame money influences so much.

I am loving the Super Injunction chat on Twitter - I am hoping foreign press will leak it.

My Q for you, OP : Have you heard all the cheating chatter about David Beckham? Totally unlinked isn't VB great friends with Eva Longoria?

How come there is alway a lot in the press about the children of Katie Price but not about the children of other celebrities? Is it because she has featured them in her TV shows?

If so, how sympathetic should we be when they get negative press? Is she hypocritical when she claims she or her children are being harassed?

What would a celebrity have to do to ensure their children weren't written about in the press?

[quote Curioushorse]@AprilONeil "You should do a Guardian one about Israel with your kids." Ha! Yes, The Guardian probably has a higher proportion of randomly batshit biased articles- but they're actually trickier for GCSE students to read and analyse. We do use The Guardian- but mainly because they are much more likely to appear on students' actual exam papers than anything from other papers. We speculate why this is, and have decided it's because it's the newspaper the chief examiners read.

I'm worried I've offended you because maybe you work for The Daily Mail. I can fully see that all newspapers have an ideology and a slant. I merely picked on The Daily Mail because it does seem to be the most obvious and consistent. When I look at The Guardian, I'm going to guess they have far more freelance writers, because there does seem to be less consistency to views and editorial stance. I do think the writing in the DM is excellent, and I have a lot of respect for the journalists.

@Lordamighty I would never dream of letting students know my political views in a lesson. It would also be disastrous if I criticised a newspaper only to find that it's what their parents read (and I'm conscious that this is likely to be the case). I do think the DM has a very obvious bias, but I would expect students to find that out themselves (and, to be honest, they're far more likely to learn something and remember it if they do discover it themselves, than if I just say it). I would generally get students to compare stories from different newspapers. If I was teaching it next week, the obvious story to look at would be the reporting of the exam cock-up. In this case the DM has been very critical, the Telegraph has barely mentioned it, and The Times has clearly tried very hard to only report facts without trying to add in opinion. I think that would probably be a really interesting set of articles for students to look at. The most popular lesson I ever did on this was the reporting of Meghan Markle's mum in their wedding. Most of the newspapers had opinion pieces on her and there were some extremely interesting contrasts which were easy for 16-year-olds to pick up.

Thanks OP for such an interesting thread- and I do hope your job is secure at the moment. I'm going to confess at this point that I've had articles in four different national newspapers over the past year, because I was promoting my book. Writing articles is not as easy as you journalists make it look![/quote]

I'm not offended (and congrats on the book! I’d love to write one one day) but I do find the cognitive dissonance baffling.

I would never label an entire publication “racist and misogynist” (especially if my job was to teach critical reactions to media) because I think those are sweeping generalizations. And isn't the point of critical thinking to interrogate generalizations and stereotypes?

Newspapers are made up of hundreds of individuals all of whom have a hand in the finished product. And many journos hop between publications over the course of their careers, left to right and vice versa.

So your comment about seeing the DM’s ideology because it’s “most obvious and consistent” is fascinating because it actually highlights your own ideology. Personally I think the Guardian’s ideological slant is just as obvious and consistent as the Mail’s.

Are there any celebrity feuds that the public don't know about? I know there are lots that we do hear about but any that would surprise us?

This thread is brilliant. I went to school with Rachel Riley. I thought she was lovely at school but then years later someone who went to the same school told me she bullied her for years and I had no idea. I lost touch with RR when she became famous and came off of 'ordinary' sm to pursue the fame.

I've seen a few famous people through various work events but I'm pretty socially inept so I've also walked past say footballers and haven't had a clue. I did used to take pictures of them if someone told me they were famous (yes I'm embarrassing I know) if you were somewhere famous is it of any value to have a picture of a celeb? Ie can I sell these pictures?

Thanks for starting this thread OP!

I am fascinated and following with interest

@AprilONeil

I think one think to add about Farrah and JKR - Farrah could have stuck to running round his local park, but he chose to become a professional athlete in the full knowledge many professional athletes become celebrities.

JKR could have stuck to writing stories for her daughter but she sought out publishers so that as many people as possible could read her stories (and boy did she succeed).

So yes, they both to some extent courted celebrity ie being celebrated for their hard work and talent.

Ugh. You’re just the worst. Exactly the sort of person I thought would do this job.

So why is the OP the worst then? I think if you're going to insult him / her you could at least have the gumption to explain why

Tistheseason17 I'm being thick - VB and EL or DB and EL?

How did you get into the job op?
Also does your job mainly attract more middle class, wealthy people due to variable job security?

@TheSpottedZebra - the latter ;)

Grow up

"I haven't heard anything completely insane that I can think of - no sex dungeons or anything like that.

I suppose the most salacious one I heard was (and I have to make this as vague as poss plus remind you it's completely uncorroborated (but seemed believable)) - a certain well-known person slept with his well-known daughter's friend(s) which is why she barely speaks to him"

Its Steven Tyler isn't it 🙃😆🙃

Great thread OP - thank you.

prisscalledwanda
Thank you! Could the DM have made the whole thing up ie published pictures of a tent and cottage that has nothing to do with Boris? Or would that get them in trouble? Thank you again smile

I’m really baffled by this rumour. No paper would deliberately print made up pictures. The editor would be sacked when it was found out and the paper would be ruined. Remember how Piers Morgan got sacked from the Mirror over pictures he printed that turned out to be fake.

And why would they print faked pictures of something that would be easily disprovable - if Boris was not in Scotland camping then he could prove it, no problem. Or is the suggestion the paper was conspiring with Boris to claim he was in Scotland when he wasn’t and faking pictures? Why would any paper agree to do that? They’d just print the fact they’d been asked to, which would be a much better story!

Oh no, Tis poor V

Odd one, but did you ever meet Atomic Kitten and what was your impression of them?

It's all rumours. I think she must have already put up with a lot.
I am pretty certain there was also a rumour about another child.

Honestly, it's interesting to read gossip and as OP states it is very much linked to sociological changes in how we live that makes it interesting. The only people who know the trusth about anything are those involved and even then it is their view of the truth!