9 Comments
User's avatar
David Cairns's avatar

Spot on, Jonty. Distance lends perspective on such corruption. And, sadly, in the USA the MSM media (which might expose that corruption to public gaze) has been either bought by Oligarchs and/or (mostly) cowed.

That’s happening in the UK, too. Media independence from oligarchy matters. Time for new management and a new broom at OFCOM

Paul Young's avatar

David, your last sentence nails it - the media owners have, and have for decades, a great deal to answer for!

David Cairns's avatar

Thank you Paul. What disturbs me is how little concern there is about the quiescence of our regulators and, equally, of the media that should be exposing it.

Time for Leveson II.

Simon Carne's avatar

Good discussion on media confidential podcast with Rusbridger and Barber plus someone who knew the details of regulation.

James McAnespy's avatar

If it helps, the Irish media are able to report neutrally, and will report objectively on what’s going on in global affairs. RTÉ.ie and thejournal.ie are both completely free and Irish Times and The Irish Independent have free podcasts

They won’t cover (much) UK domestic politics obviously, but they provide more context than UK outlets in my experience

Paul Young's avatar

It's because they're all drawn from the same pool - or should I say pond?

David Cairns's avatar

Agreed. The general principle of regulation is to turn “poachers” into “gamekeepers”, which has some merit. Where it goes wrong is to allow the “gamekeepers” to return to being “poachers” (the revolving door) and also, when “gamekeepers” to write their own terms of reference for when they again become “poachers”….

James McAnespy's avatar

If only we had a government with a 100+ seat majority of MPs who would have been happy to regulate a hostile press ahead of a program of much needed political reforms… alas that boat has sailed and now we’re a continent reacting to the imperialist contusions of a pair of rogue nations playing craps with the entire economy and thousands of lives

Jane Lennie's avatar

We never hear of these thieves getting justice.