The Speccie

[midclegs]

Are hiring. So many of you are brilliant writers so thought I would share.

I'm reading The Spectator is growing - and hiring via the Spectator app app.spectator.co.uk/2020/07/10/the-spectator-is-growing-and-hiring/content.html

The Guardian and NYT are now full on Maoist publications. Their articles read like struggle sessions of the CCP circa 1973. Unsurprising, as BLM and their ilk are just run of the mill Maoists and Trots.

I feel like I should name checkmany of the clear sighted articulate posters on here, but RedToothbrush really does stand out, for her comments on the Brexit board too.

@AbsintheFriends

I'd love to see RedToothbrush's writing published for a wider audience. If it isn't already. (Though actually, we know that MN FWR does have a massive audience.)

I agree. I find myself nodding along and the look at the username and I know it's RTB. I think she's brilliant on FWR and the brexshit threads.

@Billi77

I love when people try and make a far right propagandist mag sound cute by calling it ‘The Speccie’

I love it that you feel so threatened by the truth, you have to accuse a paper of being a far right propagandist mag. Watch out pet, the next thing you know, your misogyny will be showing.

Fascinating that the Spectator's readership is increasing. I wonder how many new readers came via MN FWR. I did.

@Wasabiaddiction

Online reach is higher at the Guardian because it is free. A paywall would kill them

It absolutely would. I pay for access to The Times and The Spectator. I buy print editions of the Friday Guardian for arts review and the Saturday one for book reviews and recipes but I wouldn't miss anything else in The Guardian.

Until a couple of years ago I bought the print edition every day.

Douglas Murray tweeted a few days ago that their readership is now higher than the FT and The Guardian.

Wow, well done them!

Well deserved too, their articles are excellent. Far deeper in content and actual journalism than most printed papers these days.

@MsSafina

The Guardian and NYT are now full on Maoist publications. Their articles read like struggle sessions of the CCP circa 1973. Unsurprising, as BLM and their ilk are just run of the mill Maoists and Trots.

I understand where you are coming from here.

But both do zero to create an opportunity to reflect on real economic inequality and it's causes. All the identity stuff is a distraction for that.

They are very much petite bourgeoisie publications.

@Billi77

I love when people try and make a far right propagandist mag sound cute by calling it ‘The Speccie’

That is patently nonsense. The Spectator is mainstream U.K Conservative and conservative thinking.

It does however amuse me, having long given up being a lefty, to see the praise being heaped on media outlets such as The Spectator, The Times, Spiked and even The Daily Mail , previously considered pariahs by MN liberals.

Now these outlets are being praised because of their commitment to not being shut up and discussing issues the lefty/ liberal media either don't or do so or in a biased manner. These media outlets always did of course but there's none as blind as a liberal who knows she has right on her side.

They have really caught my attention during lockdown and the BLM protests.

They come across as reasoned and thoughtful. I’ve been very disappointed by the BBC who have seemed superficial and lazy.

The Guardian has really changed. I think Owen Jones has a lot to answer for. It's said that the culture there is toxic and his name keeps cropping up.

Like the BBC, there is too much enmeshment with Twitter culture 'purity' and not enough with reality and journalistic freedom and quality.

See also: New York Times, resignation of Bari Weiss.

People like Owen Jones are usually symptoms rather than causes.

I wonder how many people here now have subscriptions to The Times as a result of them enabling the sharing of articles to non-subscribers. It hooked me.

The Guardian has really changed. I think Owen Jones has a lot to answer for.

Little OJ may be an arse but if it only takes one stroppy idiot to ruin a whole newspaper then you have to question the quality of the leadership and editorial commitment to journalistic freedom. Are the adults no longer in charge?

@nauticant

People like Owen Jones are usually symptoms rather than causes.

I wonder how many people here now have subscriptions to The Times as a result of them enabling the sharing of articles to non-subscribers. It hooked me.

Yes, I have a subscription there too, and I doubt I would have other than sharable articles.

It's a similar principle to the so many free articles a week thing, I think.

OJ is a bit of a puzzle. His writing is no great shakes. (Though I feel that way about a lot of articles in popular newspapers - I find myself thinking, I know two dozen people who could have written something better Why did they hire this person? I thought it was difficult to get a good job in journalism these days, they should have all kinds of choice.)

But in an organisation that was healthy he wouldn't be able to thrive, I think.

Are the adults no longer in charge?

Doesn't look like it, not at the Guardian, nor at the BBC.

I love when people try and make a far right propagandist mag sound cute by calling it ‘The Speccie’

Yeah, it’s about as far right as you can possibly get. I mean, look at all the far right and al right contributors...

I remember when Owen Jones first appeared on Question Tome that he seemed relatively articulate for the token left-wing commentator and a refreshing counterpoint to the usual panel pundits like Kelvin MacKenzie, David Starkey, Melanie Phillips, Isabel Oakshott, et al.

And he wrote Chavs and became a 'darling'. Untouchable. In normal times that would settle and perspectives would readjust sensibly; but instead his cultboy thing was magnified on Twitter.

And yeah, Viner should have put her foot down long ago, especially over his misogyny.

The Guardian has really changed. I think Owen Jones has a lot to answer for.

I think OJ must have quite a lot of influence. Janice Turner made that comment the other day about him snitching on his colleagues - it suggests his view carries some weight. God knows why.

I'd love to see a breakdown of the Guardian's readership. Obviously a lot of us loathe OJ and have stopped reading the paper because of him and others like him. But how many people stick with the Guardian for the precise opposite reason? Because they think he's the only left-wing voice in national newspapers? (My guess is: not many. And they probably only read the paper online. But I don't know.)

Owen Jones is a columnist though, and not a journalist.

Suzanne Moore, who I admire, tweeted this today; twitter.com/suzanne_moore/status/1283395540252860416?s=21

"Sadly every day I get messages and emails from women who no longer subscribe to the Guardian. I am seeing it a lot on here today."

I think I remember a Times or Spec article talking about the pile-on she had a few months ago from Guardian employees and how it wouldn't have happened at their paper. (Sorry, I can dig it out later).

One of the things I like about the Speccie is that within days you can read articles from different journalists with polarised views on the same matter. It keeps you interested.

I now hesitate to click on links to Guardian articles because I don't trust them. DH has a subscription but he knows that I don't agree and why.

During Covid I've been doing some of the shopping, including his daily Times, for an elderly neighbour. I drop it off, and pick up the one from the previous day and sometimes read it. On the whole I've been impressed.

At this rate I'll be subscribing to the Speccie. I used to canvas for Labour. I've voted Lib Dem for years and I've gone off them (Joe Swinson, Layla Moran...) I've not got more right wing in the past 10-15 years, and I still get enraged by tax-dodging and the extent of inequality, but other things matter too, including women's rights and personal freedom - including the freedom to say things that other people might not like.

I nominate CharleyParley and Barracker (as well as those already named!)

...but if they are looking for a seasoned journalist, I think Julie Birchhill who I think is freelance would be an excellent choice.

Interesting (and gratifying) the The Spectator in expanding while The Guardian are begging on twitter for subscriptions and culling staff.

Go woke, go....?

Julie Burchill already writes for the Spectator.

The Spectator gives me the best range of opinion each week - that I just can't find anywhere else in weekly print.

During the Dominic Cummings lockdown debacle, the Spectator ran several pieces for and against his actions and his wife Mary Wakefield is commissioning editor. I can’t see the same happening at the Guardian if there were similar circumstances.