to ask why the Sun and the Mail newspaper are so hated on here?

[missnamechange]

I have name changed for this as i am a regular MNer and i know i really ought to know this but i don't

i read the Sun every most days, i like the vacuous celeb gossip and their easy to understand way of writing (again - ) and the womens section, and the problem pages

what's so bad about it?

Bit much complaining about comedians jokes about disabled people, when the Mail itself is in big trouble for making up disabilist stories for the front page of the Mail on Sunday! You know, the one they run regularly about how ADHD is "naughty child syndrome" and they all have motability cars and are raking it in in DLA?
Is that the kind of stance millions of your citizens are in tune with?

Neuro, that "le snub" story is just in the usual dumbed down vein which even BBC's Newsnight sometimes takes part in e.g. their story about the "Sarko smackdown". It's not unique to the Mail and the Sun

The Sarko Smackdown

TBH, claig, I suspect a person with a disability would rather hear one of Gervais' crappy non-jokes than see the Mail publish yet another article about benefits claimants faking disabilities for huge amounts of money and a free car.

I think it's pretty clear which inspires more disabled-bashing.

Arse, x-post with Neuromantic. With whom I agree. Clearly.

Seems pretty unique to me when scanning current front pages.

But even if you are right, how does that negate the fact that its simply not true. And worse, they contradict themselves in their own linked video? How is that not insulting to their readers intelligence?

who said I have to have a balanced opinion?

Balance is about equal weight. It's about weighing up the evidence and seeing what you find. Only you or I can say for sure that's what we're doing.

I find your comment 'insult to our intelligence' interesting. Again I'm not arguing that the Mail, The Sun, The Mirror and Closer etc don't insult our intelligence.

It's just that I would argue that The Guardian, The Independent, Channel 4 News, Dispatches and many others do that too.

And, again, I speak as a Left-wing person but with a liberal, questioning slant.

Anyway. I'm doing the dinner now. So if I don't get back to you I'm not ignoring you. I respect your views and enjoy the conversation.

Don't you think that Gervais and Carr care about coverage in teh tabloids which millions read and comment about. Don't you think that it puts pressure on the TV bosses to explain why they are on TV shows?

What about Ross and Brand, don't you think that the press played a part in them losing their tax payer funded BBC jobs?

Sorry, 'balance is not about equal weight'

You give equal weight and then you make a decision. And I've made mine. Therefore I no longer need to be balanced, I can play to my biases, I can embrace them. I'm perfectly happy at what being rabidly anti-DM/Sun says about me.

I find that at least the Guardian et al assume I have some intelligence, which is a step above both the Sun and DM, and at least allows for some actual news.

[Doesn't read thread] YABU

Yes, I'm sure that 'edgy' comedians do care about the free publicity they get from their oh-so-controversial statements that bumps up their ratings...

The majority of teh Mail's stories about benefit cheats are of cases similar to this

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028803/Annunziatina-Attanasio-Benefits-cheat-weak-walk-pictured-WATERSLIDE.html

Don't you want these things reported? This money should have gone to people who are disabled.

Personally, I am glad teh tabloids tell us about Carr and Gervais. TV companies don't treat it seriously enough. At least some papers take a stand.

'Yes, I'm sure that 'edgy' comedians do care about the free publicity they get from their oh-so-controversial statements that bumps up their ratings...'

They end up apologising, because it harms their ratings. Just read the comments made by the public in the papers.

The Times is read by the people who run the country.

The Daily Mirror is read by the people who think they run the country.

The Guardian is read by the people who think they should run the country.

The Morning Star is read by those who think another country should run this country.

The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country.

The Express is read by people who think the country should be run as it used to be

The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who think it is run as it used to be

The Sun is read by people who don't care who runs the country so long as she has big tits.

(An old statement, but maybe still a kernel of truth...)

You keep deflecting questions, claig.

And no, I don't want them reporting stories like that in the way that they do.
and if you want to know why, read the proud-to-be-facist comments from the readers that accompany it.

The Daily Mail is one of the most feared papers on that front, due to its vast readership and the fact that it is in tune with millions of our citizens.

I agree with you Claig but we're probably not approaching this from the same angle.

Anyway, back to the dinner

Neuro, they're not fascists, they are millions of ordinary people and they are mostly disgusted by these type of "jokes".

'And no, I don't want them reporting stories like that in the way that they do.'
Well that's your view and others disagree with you.

Did you read any of the comments? Under the "benefits cheats" article you linked to? If they are ordinary people then count me out of being ordinary.

Disgusted by Ricky Gervais but fans of Jim Davidson and Roy Chubby Brown. Enlightened types for sure.

No I didn't read the comments.
People have all sorts of views, but they are still ordinary people. The Mail is read by millions, but they don't all have teh same view and they are not all Davidson and Chubby Brown fans.

They may not be as enlightened as you, but not everybody can be.

I find that at least the Guardian et al assume I have some intelligence, which is a step above both the Sun and DM, and at least allows for some actual news.

Really? Then I presume you don't read any of the witless witterings of G2 apart from the blameless Simon Hattenstone and avoid the inventive newsgathering techniques of Laurie Penny in the op ed section.

I can't comment on the Independent much these days. I gave up after too much Robert Fisk and frequently wondering what colour the sky was in their world after enduring their arrogant off-piste cover stories.

Oh, and of course, that marvellously imaginiative boy Johann Hari. But I've already mentioned Laurie Penny.

I don't really think there is much overlap between the Mail's target audience and Ricky Gervais'. Michael McIntyre maybe.

I loved the Office, but thought Extras was crap and haven't watched his latest one. But everyone has a diffferent view.

Though one or two of teh Extras episodes were good and quite thought provoking, but not as funny as the Office.

Actually I don't, limited, no.

So neuro despite what you claim, you don't read widely, you don't have a terribly good grasp of the media and you aren't interested in having an open mind while maintaining your own core views.

You don't answer direct questions even when politely asked.

You and tyr are neck and neck atm. Anyway, me dinner's ready.