To Think That Journalists Need A Reality Check?

[CurryLover55]

Just read a Daily Mail headline “ Elderly Woman Gunned Down”. You would assume at least in her 80s. She was 61! Only 6 years older than me & I am far from elderly thanks very much! Bloody cheek!

Well the important part is that she was shot surely ...

61 is not even old let alone elderly, yanbu.

Who gunned her down, anyway?

It's the daily mail, I would have thought 'Gunned down Granny' was more their style but I still agree with you.

God, yes. 61 is young. And the poor woman.

I'm surprised it wasn't 'Elderly Woman, Who Lives in £325,000 Swindon Home, Gunned Down'.

Because "women gunned down" doesn't have the same emotion to it.
Same like you don't get man/woman killed, you get mum/father of x killed.

It's all about clickbaits and emotions.

Agree though that 61 isn't elderly!

And of course the fact that she was gunned down on her own doorstep is absolutely the most important thing & horrific

The United Nations defines "elderly" for developed countries to be 60+

Retirement Homes for the "elderly" in the UK almost always have a lower age limit of 55, but some are 60.

The NHS and ONS tend to use 65+ as elderly.

journalists need a paycheck and many don't care how they get it, many mislead, steal stories and twist the truth to suit the political wind.

You expect accuracy from a UK journalist? Well there's a first time for everything.

Don’t tar all journalists with the same shitty Daily Mail brush.

"Woman below state retirement age gunned down" doesn't have the same ring.

This depends on your age. I remember years ago a woman I knew complaining about the TV news talking about this elderly couple who had been murdered. They were in their sixties and she was outraged. I agreed with her, but secretly I thought sixties was elderly.
As I get nearer to it, sixties starts to look quite young.

You know that 79,700 of the UK’s 80k journalists don’t work for the DM or Mail Online, don’t you? Most of us are decent, hardworking people who want the best for the communities we work in. I’ve never made up any bullshit to put in the paper I work at, or twisted something to make the story something it isn’t, or lied.

Plus, calling someone over 60 ‘elderly’ is a grey area (pardon the pun) really, isn’t it. I think over 60 is the right ballpark. I’d probably put it at 65 myself but it’s subjective really, I guess.

I'd be doubly pissed off if I'd been shot then read that report the next day calling me elderly at 61. Four foot snakes!

Plus, calling someone over 60 ‘elderly’ is a grey area (pardon the pun) really, isn’t it.

Lousy pun... I'm 60 and still natural blonde.

In the context of a newspaper headline it's lazy ageist stereotyping. Was 'elderly' really the most appropriate adjective to describe her? I doubt it.

I'm nowhere near 60 but don't think it's 'elderly' or even a 'grey area' consideration as there is nothing to consider, it is not old. I would say old age is more like 70 now and elderly 80. I don't think I'm the only one to think this.

Very tragic for the person in question.

However, a pp says 61 isn't old. What is it then? Certainly not middle age and not yet elderly. It is old and that's ok. You dont have to feel it or behave it, but 60 is definitely not young.

You rely on/expect high standards of journalism from the Daily Mail?🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

Obviously you must be very old and past it OP. The DM think so at least 😂

YABVU unreasonable to lump all journalists together like that.

You know there are very accomplished people writing very good quality work for all manner of esteemed publications? That some journalists risk their lives to get news out of war zones? That some win prestigious prizes for their work?

Maybe you don’t. Some Mumsnetters have very strange ideas about journalism that seem to come from reading too much Daily Mail and nothing of quality to balance it out.

You're going to upset a lot of journalists with an attitude like that OP. 60+ is considered elderly, you don't have to feel it, or act it, but it's still elderly.

@LaurieFairyCake

Well the important part is that she was shot surely ...

Oh don’t worry about stuff like deadly weapons and bullets and blood. OP will tell you what to worry about.

Elderly doesn’t mean doddery and frail, just significantly older than the median, which in the U.K. is 40. It’s not an insult

Oh for goodness sake - ok I should have put SOME journalists! It was one paper so I wasn’t referring to all journalists.