"They don't just report the news, they create it": on Meghan, Harry and the Press

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

The much trumpeted story of the Dior deal is such a classic tabloid creation, isn't it.

I enjoyed this Grazia article that lays bare the utter nuttiness.

First the tabloids report the rumours as though they are true.

"Meghan to sign with Dior!"

No sources, just speculation based on Meghan and Harry wearing clothes by Dior a handful of times.

Then when both the Sussexes and Dior report that the rumours are not true, (Dior spokesperson said they are "nonplussed" about where the rumours came from) they spin it into "Meghan Rebuffed by Dior!"

This has also happened with Meghan's much rumoured run for the presidency: Robert Jobson actually wrote, with a straight face, in his book published in April 2023, that she was absolutely, certainly and most definitely going to run for president in 2024.

I mean any critical person would realise that the timelines don't make sense, she would have needed a fundraising Super PAC by the time the book was published, and in any event, Democrats don't normally challenge a sitting president ... but hey ho, Meghan is running for president in 2024 because a "Royal Correspondent" said so (and they are so knowledgeable about the American presidency) and a tabloid published it.

And it's the same with The Tig. She is going to launch it any day now. She wants to rival Gwyneth Paltrow! Story after story, based on nothing but speculation.

Rumour after rumour, speculation published as "news" to create media stories about a woman whose plans are not known to the tabloids because she and her husband made it crystal clear even when they were in the UK that they don't engage with the tabloid press.

And there are no "palace sources" who can speak with any kind of plausibility about the Sussexes, so the tabloids make it up as they go along, whipping up headline after headline, driving their readers into a frenzy over things they create ...

While ignoring the important news, like the damning questions by the judge in the Mirror Group case, who asked why the journalists, among them Piers Morgan, have not come to court to testify in the phone hacking trial ...

Oh no, that's not as important to report on as Meghan's fictitious Dior deal, completely implausible rumours of her presidential ambitions, and the speculated upon plans to best Gwyneth Paltrow!

https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/in-the-news/meghan-markle-smear-campaign-dior-spotify-faking-interviews/

I don't really understand how the hugely successful PR firms that they hire fail to generate positive publicity.
They must feel cursed.

This particular site, is another Sussex hate channel.
Interesting that she would even ask the question.

No doubt, GBebees is working furiously on how to negatively spin it.
If they can't they'll park it and watch to see how they can present how they are eventually 'snubbed', if they don't win.

So predictable.🙄

I honestly would try and avoid clicking on things I know are going to be hateful.

Have a safe flight @MrsMaxDeWinter we also have touched on this but a bigger discussion on what the difference is between 'of interest to the public' and 'in the public interest' too would be worthwhile in this thread. Harry mentions this in his witness statement and it's something that the press use all the time to defend their intrusions, legal or illegal, that's its 'in the pubic interest' but most of the time its just 'of interest'. We don't have an independent press regulator to pull them up on this sadly.

I don't think tis difficult to understand actually, most of the press in the uk are being sued by them. A lot of people doin;t realise even The times is owned by Murdoch. I think its really obvious actually, not only are they suing them but these publications make a lot of money from the royal family coverage and don't want any of them to have the option of leaving. It won;t matter if you have a good PR firm if the media are determined to see you fail, they'll continue the bad press.

Is because lots of people want to read and talk about Meghan. But she is being publicly very quiet so they have nothing real to write about. So the press make it up. Look at how many comments there was on MN about the Dior story.

They did something unprecedented in leaving the royal family for the reasons they did. The press was always an issue from the start of their relationship (all documented), and someone posted the article above about how they can expect no mercy after they left, stated blatantly by some of thevery people driving the negative narrative about them.

Add to that the fact that Harry is suing pretty much all the tabloids, and that hating Meghan and Harry is an entire industry of its own with royal commentators paying their bills by generating negativity, on show after show, day after day, not to mention the YouTubers who are in on the act ...

It's instructive to think about how much appearance money Angela Levin (who has retreated conspiracy theories about the kids), Tom Bower (who stated with his full chest that "It's Meghan I'm after!") etc make on the back of their negative commentary.

I think they are actually doing really well under the circumstances They have many, many people around the world who are rooting for them, shown in small, demonstrable acts of kindness like the Sussex Squad moon Twitter raising 130 000 this year fir Kaboom, in honour of their kids birthdays.

And Harry will win his Mirror court case by the way. It will be a small vindication that will make him even more hated by the tabloids, but ordinary people will see Piers Morgan et al for what they are.

And YES @Iwantcakeeveryday

Absolutely, we must talk about the public interest versus what the public is nosy about. The Dior debacle should embarrass everyone who participated in in. More in three hours, toodles!

So sorry for the gazillion typos, typing on a small device without glasses!!

MdW

great post

I just saw someone ask Andy Cohen about the rumour Meghan didn't conduct her own interviews ( other editors and producers have refuted this ) and he said it was 'an insane rumour' and that he spoke with her directly and that she was well researched and informed.

He didn't say she didn't, but that he was disappointed there was a bit added in about housewives not being great for women but he didn't get a chance to discuss it:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12226051/Real-Housewivess-Andy-Cohen-takes-pop-Meghan-Markle-jibe-Spotify-podcast.html

The headline is sensationalist though (of course), it seems he thought she was good and enjoyed doing the podcast, it was just that one element he wasn't keen on. He didn't seem overly critical?

I think you should watch the actual video of him talking. He wasn't critical of her at all. Quite the opposite.

here it is, oh and she said she had conflicting feelings about housewives, yes so do I! and I watch it!

and apologies to @MarcelProust as I didn't want to watch that before but am unfamiliar with that reporter or channel? Perhaps she was asking a question to get a certain reaction, but she didn't;t get it. I saw the clip on twitter.

They certainly have a big job ahead of them. They need a clear strategy going forward. I'm amazed at how much has poured out in the last few days. It must be very disheartening at times.

A little summary of Mr Morgan and the MGN trial:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/prince-harry-trial-piers-morgan-mentioned-082821515.html

@Iwantcakeeveryday
" For one, I can remember the talk about a rift occurring between ‘the fab four’ (that was Prince William, his wife Kate, Prince Harry & Meghan), and the hoo-ha about Meghan Markle supposedly making Kate cry before her wedding to Harry over bridesmaids dresses. We printed that story, when yes, in fact, it was the opposite scenario that took place.
Yes, we had official sources, but those sources were telling a different version of events to protect their own royals, or were deflecting and creating entirely false stories to bury other stories (negative stories, but true stories) that might come out about the royals they were responsible for."

Camilla Tominey revealed this story in the Telegraph. She said she had two separate sources for this story, neither official.

Good summaryMrsMaxDeWinter You're such a great poster!😊

Wow, that's a lot of accusations towards Morgan. Did not know it went so deep. The press is not really reporting on this. I thought he was mentioned just 4 times.

On this occasion you are actually praising a tabloid newspaper where a few thousand readers voted H as best in show? That's a bit odd surely?

It's like this YouGov one which was recently published. How valid is this ?

YouGov is owned by Tories, and Camilla's nephew.

No chance in this life that Camilla would be more popular than Harry and Meghan.

As you have confirmed then as crap as the Daily Express 😂 with a poll of a few thousand.

the royals are boring and we haven't got anything newsworthy to say about them'.

I remember the Diana years and the bombardment of negative articles about her and Charles. After she died, a tragic and untimely death, everything went calm and peaceful in the press. Bits of tittle tattle gossip but nothing of any seriousness. Honestly, boring felt such a bloody good way for a country to be run. I'm big on boring now.

I love that the RF, to all outward purposes, get on. I'm sure there are spats - they're family, after all. I love that all is peaceful.

My wish for Harry and Meghan is that they can find a path where they just talk about their own business and they become boring too. I'm sure they'd feel more peaceful, top. I do believe that that's what Meghan would like.

And let boring reign.

Yougov is pretty reputable and unbiased, I think.
They did a poll earlier this year. The old Queen is still the most popular member. 😢 Aw, I miss her.

Harry and Meghan came above Andrew but that's it. Camilla was a 10% above Harry and 15% above Meghan.