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)

@Violetparis

What was your best scoop ?

Ha that would be too outing. I'll tell you how it happened though. It was an hour before the paper went to print and the story I'd been working on got killed (I think we'd been waiting on the main person to comment and when they did it just killed the story).

So I was properly on the clock and desperately trawling social media to try and find anything to write about - I stumbled across a tweet about a certain project (sorry I can't be more specific) that I thought was mildly controversial.

Managed to call everyone I needed to to get quotes and write it up in about 60 mins and when it came out the next day it was followed up by everybody - there was weeks and weeks and weeks of coverage. It wasn't a bad thing necessarily - it was the type of project that very much needs publicity but unsurprisingly they weren't thrilled about the angle.

A few years later, working for a much milder publication, I met the PR who'd been responsible for the project I'd written about at that time. When I told her that had been my story she was mildly horrified (but took it quite well).

Talking of crisis management why do you think Prince Andrew has made such an almighty mess of managing his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal given he has access to the best PR money can buy?!

[quote Notredamn ]Thank you. Ohhh I've got another one, you know how everyone says 'never believe what you read in the papers'? Is it really the case that absolute rubbish is often printed or are the people who say it just annoyed that something came out about them and they just want to discredit it? [/quote]

In my experience everything is based on at least a nugget of truth. The angle may not always necessarily be accurate - a good example is when they say people like JKR have a "controversial" opinion that people can't change sex. That's literally not controversial. People can't change sex. But by whacking "controversial" on it it becomes a story. Whereas "woman acknowledges humans can't change sex" isn't a story.

"Are you suggesting then that anyone whose career choice meant that at the top of their game they became well known is fair game to be under scrutiny? Is that how you justify yourself?"

@IslaMann I don't need to "justify myself" because as far as I'm aware Britain is still a democracy with a free press. So I'm allowed to write about whatever I want within the boundaries of the law.

And that isn't what I said - you could be the fastest runner in the world but stick to running on a treadmill or round your local park. But if you pursue celebrity - knowing full well what it entails in the modern age - then how can you complain about it when you achieve it.

@heartonastring

Gosh, some of these questions are really intense. I don't believe the op is responsible for the whole of the media's practices. Give the op a break.

Really interesting thread op, how did you come to choose this as your career path?

I really love writing and it turns out I'm quite good at digging. It's actually not my first career - I did something soulless and corporate before - but managed to "pivot" mostly by being a bit bolshy and networking. Unfortunately most media jobs come via recommendations rather than applying outright, which is one reason there's so much nepotism

@AprilONeil

"Are you suggesting then that anyone whose career choice meant that at the top of their game they became well known is fair game to be under scrutiny? Is that how you justify yourself?"

@IslaMann I don't need to "justify myself" because as far as I'm aware Britain is still a democracy with a free press. So I'm allowed to write about whatever I want within the boundaries of the law.

And that isn't what I said - you could be the fastest runner in the world but stick to running on a treadmill or round your local park. But if you pursue celebrity - knowing full well what it entails in the modern age - then how can you complain about it when you achieve it.

I think you're conflating the pursuit of excellence with the pursuit of celebrity here TBH. I'm really not sure that celebrity is the motivating factor for a lot of athletes so much as the price that has to be paid to be able to compete at the top level. I guess for those that choose to stay in the public eye and become broadcasters/Strictly fodder it's fair enough but those trying to reach the top of their sport or field aren't necessarily doing it to become famous on your terms.

@igot20joe

Is it true that all blind items are true?

Ours were but I can't speak for websites like CDAN. A lot of them had to be quite vague for obvious reasons!

But if you pursue celebrity - knowing full well what it entails in the modern age - then how can you complain about it when you achieve it.

You can't say Mo Farah 'pursued celebrity'. The only he consciously pursued was the bloke in front.

@lolawasashowgirl

This is a really interesting thread! Please don't be put off OP by some of the more aggressive questioning on here. I think your 'Faustian bargain' post is spot on

Thank you. I knew I would get some shirty responses but I appreciate the kind words!

@iklboo

But if you pursue celebrity - knowing full well what it entails in the modern age - then how can you complain about it when you achieve it.

You can't say Mo Farah 'pursued celebrity'. The only he consciously pursued was the bloke in front.

Yeah you're right, he's a recluse.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2018112264873/exclusive-olympic-champion-mo-farah-dedicates-gold-medals-to-children-full-story//?gl=1zju9ytga*YW1wLUs4aUVlT1VHWjdzUXE1cTVvbTgySGI3VXNnZXFjMjNzdldGeXhyT2ttbS1WbWVfdTREU2FPajhxbWliS2s1cHU.

I never said he was a recluse. But he didn't take up sport to become famous. It wasn't his end game.

@workshy44

Loving this thread ! Who looks better/ worse in real life of the celebs you have met ?

I feel a bit bad saying who I thought doesn't look as good Can't remember who looked better - I think maybe Helena Bonham Carter but I might be biased because I love her.

@iklboo

I never said he was a recluse. But he didn't take up sport to become famous. It wasn't his end game.

But he's happy to play the celebrity game. Because ultimately it benefits him because that's how he can get sponsorship and licensing deals. We're back to Faustian bargain.

@lolawasashowgirl

Talking of crisis management why do you think Prince Andrew has made such an almighty mess of managing his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal given he has access to the best PR money can buy?!

Honestly it's baffling. I think it's largely arrogance (apparently he thought that Newsnight interview went really well before it aired ) and he's always been quite spoilt.

It's a difficult one with royals (or I suppose any celebs really) in that you can give them advice but there's nothing you can do if they don't take it except sit back and watch.

Are there any consequences to you as the writer, if you write something about somebody that turns out to be untrue?

I have a really quality story about myself I'd love published. How could I do it without losing my anonymity?

@waltzingparrot

Are there any consequences to you as the writer, if you write something about somebody that turns out to be untrue?

Absolutely! For a start there's the press regulator, which can fine the publisher, you'd get fired (even Boris got fired when he made up a quote while working for The Times) and you could also be sued for libel.

It's a huge no no although obviously sometimes mistakes happen (eg a story turns out to be wrong by mistake rather than malice).

That's why it is so rare that journalists make up stuff. Like I said, the angle may sometimes be misleading but the nub of it will usually be true.

What's your opinion of Harry and Meghan, and how they've been treated by the British press?

@OhioOhioOhio

I have a really quality story about myself I'd love published. How could I do it without losing my anonymity?

You can do "real life" stories anonymously although it's rare because papers usually want names and photos to accompany the copy. It would have to be a huge story and there be a reason for you to be anonymous (eg if you were the victim of a crime).

Could you help me?

@AlwaysOnAbloodyDiet

What's your opinion of Harry and Meghan, and how they've been treated by the British press?

I'm - probably unsurprisingly - with the press on this one. Meghan didn't get any worse press than Kate did for years - or Camilla or Charles or so many members of the royal family frankly. Not exactly proud of it but I've even written some snide pieces about Kate's family and their various business ventures myself in the past before Meghan came along.

People seem to have conveniently forgotten Kate had over a decade of very negative press. Just Google "Duchess Do-little" for example. However Kate, Camilla et al wisely kept quiet, kept their heads down, and waited for the storm to pass, which it has mostly as they're all pretty popular now.

The problem is Meghan and Harry have extremely thin skin, they obsessively read everything written about them instead of ignoring it, and they've broken the cardinal rules of royalty which are a) don't use the position gifted to you by the public to shamelessly advance your own careers and b) keep quiet on political topics because as soon as you speak out you'll alienate a portion of the public and leave yourself open to charges of hypocrisy (eg preaching about climate change then taking private jets. Whereas if you don't say anything about climate change publicly then no one can call you a hypocrite for taking a private jet).

@OhioOhioOhio

Could you help me?

Are you a celebrity or have you slept with a celebrity?

No.

@OhioOhioOhio

No.

You can PM me if you want and I can suggest routes to try if I can't help

Thank you.