Janet Street Porter on the mumsnet 'mafia'

[atlantis]

It seems Ms Porter doesn't like mumsnet

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1251003/JANET-STREET-PORTER-This-smug-Mumsnet-mafia-wont-vote.htm l

No we are not all middle class. I don't wear Boden, I wear River Island (when they have size 16 in which isn't often).

That is interesting aitch.

My dad is an old-time journo, and he goes on at length about how the quality of bog-standard journalism (local paper crime rpeorting as well as national paper stuff) has plummetted just because of the laying off of staff under the current financial pressures that papers face.

it was rather trying too hard with the paper origami though, wasn't it? not cool, just sad. why can't it just be left and forgotten like grown ups would do?

let's just say i wish i'd chosen a different career path...

I buy two papers a day. I think fora and blogs are really poor for news - it's impossible to distinguish fact from crank fiction. We are going to have to start paying for news online, if we prefer online to a proper paper.

Aitch is right about the forum (fora?) being more accessible, hence more quotable/interesting material online rather than being a monopoly by the paid journalists.

But what a disappointment about JSP. She used to be quite sharp and witty. Yawn yawn. An article about mothers following the stereotype that all we discuss is baby barf and breastfeeding.

Wasn't she editor of the independent?

sure, but the bbc is free...

although lord only knows my hopes are pinned on murdoch's micro-payment plan. perhaps everything will go to micro-payment, including the licence fee? it's like we're in the wild west.

"Politicians should forget Mumsnet and instead target women over 40, many of whom are single and divorced."

Co-incidentally just the demographic that JSP fits into! I reckon she's just narked that Dave, Nick & Gordy aren't popping round to her kitchen for a webchat!

It is quite funny all this Mumsnet-bashing in the press, and I agree that the focus on the "Mumsnet election" stuff may well be over-egged, but I can't stand the undercurrent of "why on earth are politicians trying to engage with mothers?!" as if we're some kind of underclass.

well, if i want something to occupy myself with of a sunday morning, i have a choice between Boden-buying, volvo-driving and having a good bitch on Mumsnet...

why would i ever want a paper?

i know, it's BONKERS, isn't it? didn't they have mothers?

actually wrt jsp that's not such a good point. doesn't she have a tricky thing going with her mum?

true about biscuitgate, that was mortifying and entirely self-inflicted.

do you mean 'why are they not also canvassing netmums and bounty?'

Just popping in from the beach but can I just point out there was a great big wink after the Boden dress code ref - was meant to be self-parodic - but there you go. Jokes than need to be explained are invariably bad jokes. Am planning to avoid all attempts at humour from now on .

All the bad press is self inflicted.
Biscuits
Boden
Ranty swearing
Yummies

MNHQ are saying the largest proportion of their userbase is AA/AB earning truckloads. Hence Boden, Joules and Mark Warner advertising.

I feel v sad everytime I see the Surestart ad. I console myself with the hope MN gave that space for free.

well by that argument Swedey they should be giving labour party ads for free

is that how it works? wouldn't the ad people just put in the demographics and the ads pop up for mnhq to accept or decline? this is the more uni-educated etc end of the parenting website market, no point in denying it.

and i loathe the swearing and the bumsex and the aibu etc, so don't post on hit. i'd never heard of joules or mark warner or boden until i came here, and certainly don't buy from them. i personally think it's very honest mkting on here, because you get the ads and also all the comments on the threads as to what the products are actually like. you don't get that in the fash mags, they're hand in glove.

It was v bad manners of JSP to communicate her refusal in such a way. But I'm old fashioned perhaps.

Justine Perhaps Gordon will show up in a pair of brightly coloured Boden board shorts because of eyesight difficulties?

I don't so much mind about the polical parties' ads. As they aren't funded by the taxpayer. But Surestart advertising spend comes straight out of their budget. And it's public money.

I just don't get why JSP was invited, it all comes across as a bit desperate to me.

While there are of course common working class types like myself on here this is on the whole a middle class website where people do try to outponce each other while the likes of me watch on in amusement.

Maybe next time MN has a party, MNers should get to choose (or at least vet) the guestlist. I think the majority of us wouldn't have thought JSP an ideal fit.