British Newspapers: Difference between revisions
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The UK press is collectively known as "[[The Artifact|Fleet Street]]", although most of them have now left that particular London locale in favour of Canary Wharf.
* ''Daily Telegraph'' - Known as "[[Private Eye|The Daily Torygraph]]" for its trenchant support of the Conservative party. Well known for its crossword and sports coverage (especially of cricket). Also had a major scoop when it recently exposed the MPs' expenses scandal, which was quickly picked up by all other newspapers. Formerly owned by [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Conrad Black]], currently owned by [[Creepy Twins|the Barclay Brothers]]. Has a traditional reputation for being close to Britain's secret services and being willing to print planted stories for them. Remains firmly wedded to the actual broadsheet format, presumably for fear of [[Strongly Worded Letter|overloading the Royal Mail]] should they ever dare to change anything.
** Also somewhat notorious for its habit of putting 'fruity girls' on the cover at the slightest provocation (most commonly female students celebrating their exam results) and its obsession with Liz Hurley (another nickname is "The Daily Hurleygraph").
* ''The Times'' - One of the UK's oldest newspapers (founded in the 1780s), currently owned by [[Rupert Murdoch]]. A neutral-to-conservative-leaning paper which, unlike ''The Sun'', is editorially independent and therefore doesn't necessarily have to toe the Murdoch line. Famous for its cryptic crosswords, and also the origin of the ubiquitous [[Useful Notes/Fonts|Times New Roman typeface]]. Occasionally referred to abroad as ''The London Times'' or ''The Times of London'' to distinguish it from other papers which imitated its name.
** ''The Sunday Times'' - sister paper to ''The Times'' and also owned by Murdoch, but they were founded independently. Remains in broadsheet format with several supplements, making it a heavyweight in more ways than one. Publishes the famous annual ''Sunday Times'' Rich List, a league table of the UK's richest people.
* ''The Guardian'' - Formerly ''The Manchester Guardian''. AKA "The Grauniad"<ref>
** ''The Observer'' - Sunday-only sister paper to ''The Guardian''. Basically the same, but even more smug. Also leans more towards the arts.
*** ''The Observer'' does have some reason to be smug - it is oldest Sunday newspaper in the entire world.
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* ''The Financial Times'' - Business and economics broadsheet, mostly incomprehensible to anyone not working in management. Seems to be holding up better than most in the great general decline of newspaper readership. Has been printed on pink paper rather than white since 1893, originally because it was cheaper. Curiously enough, it sells more copies outside of Britain. (Old joke: [[Double Entendre|What's big, pink and hard in the morning? The Financial Times crossword.]])
* ''Daily Express'' - AKA "The Daily Sexpress" since its owner is Richard Desmond, a porn baron,<ref>
** For an example of the advertising for his own channels: in the issue after Desmond acquired [[Channel Five]], ''[[Private Eye]]'' observed that they mocked ITV's paltry audience share of 13.6% and praised Five's groundbreaking share of 5% in the same article.
** Probably better noted for being out and out racist, on occasion making the ''Daily Mail'' look moderate by comparison (and the rest of the time, not far away from the ''Mail'''s general tenor), regularly running front page stories demonising immigrants and/or minorities, often on a very very flimsy basis. Essentially, the ''Mail'' off its medication.
** Had a [[Kick the Dog|Crowning Moment of Tastelessness]] when it ran an article attacking ''the grown-up survivors of the Dunblane massacre'', for the heinous crime (a [[Moral Event Horizon]] in the paper's eyes) of...having pictures of them drinking on their Facebook pages.
* ''Daily Mail'' - [[Bloc Party|Says the enemy's among us,]] [[Waxing Lyrical|taking our women and taking our jobs.]] Ultra right-wing, populist, nationalistic, xenophobic, isolationist often [[You Can Panic Now|hysterical]] and notoriously obsessed with the immigrants and house prices and, lately, campaigns against same sex marriage and claimants of state benefits. Infamously supported fascism in a big way in the 1930s (hence the common "Daily Heil" nickname); prior to [[World War II]], it openly advocated an alliance with [[Adolf Hitler]] and claimed German Jews seeking refuge in Britain were "exaggerating" the bad treatment they claimed to be getting from Herr Hitler's sound and firm government. In the Mail's opinion, they were just economic migrants taking advantage of Britain's lax generosity, (and besides we have far too many Jews in Britain as it is.)
Currently, it likes to present itself as [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBT6OSr1TI the voice of the "silent (moral) majority"]. It provoked a protest march from [[Emo]] kids due to some [[Cowboy Bebop at His Computer|shoddy journalism]]. Has an Irish edition that is similarly populist in its editorial policy, humorously leading to [http://www.layscience.net/node/507 scare stories and editorial campaigns printed in different markets that contradict one another]. Notable for having some pretty controversial columnists on its staff; Richard Littlejohn is usually the most commonly cited example. After its flirtation with the British Union of Fascists (until the events of 1939-45 made this unthinkable even for the ''Mail''), it will now always support the Conservatives, although its tone verges into BNP territory a lot, leading to the occasional condemnation of the latter to (unconvincingly) make itself appear moderate (in 2012 it raised some eyebrows by publishing a column endorsing the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the French presidential election).
Some journalists, notably the ''Guardian'''s Paul Davies, have pointed out the ''Daily Mail'' isn't right wing as a rule; it's just slavishly devoted to its huge market, the white 30+ middle class. If this market is resentful towards bankers (most recently), the Tories, etc., then the ''Mail'' is not afraid to bash bankers and the Tories. So it all comes down to the bottom line in the end. The ''Mail'' is very similar to ''The Sun'' when at its worst, but likes to pretend it's more upmarket. Obsessed with [[Karen Gillan]], [[Katie Price]] and [[Kim Kardashian]]. Only escapes being considered 'gutter press' due to tradition, but is even losing that battle, with its journalists famously trying to distance itself from their editor, Paul Dacre. Saving graces are that it sometimes does some pretty interesting historical articles (thanks to the presence of respected historian and ex-war correspondent Sir Max Hastings on the writing staff), and often has very nice nature and landscape photographs. The crossword isn't bad either.
** Another common theme in the ''Mail'' is that just about everything causes cancer, or cures it, possibly both on different days, and actually has a segment on ridiculous health theories, usually involving cancer, fruit, or fruit that gives you cancer. This is why it is nicknamed "The Daily Hypochondriac".The comedian Russell Howard created [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTu7GLfrmUI the Daily Mail Cancer Song] to [[We Didn't Start the Billy Joel Parodies|the usual tune.]]
** Also expect a similar obsession over house prices as well, how they are at their worst for years and too many people can't get on the property ladder. Almost as if they cycle through [[Captain Obvious|3 or 4 pre-selected topics a day...]]
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** The ''Evening Standard'' has something of a reputation for provincialism, in particular any other news story being overruled by something about a strike on the [[London Underground]] (for example, [[Worst News Judgement Ever|"TUBE STRIKE CALLED OFF; page 93, global thermonuclear war breaks out]]). Currently has added an obsession with the evils of squatting. Also subject to [[Memetic Mutation]] is the distinctive way its sellers shout out its title, "Eeeeevngggg-Stendeddddd!" That's all in one syllable, if you didn't know.
* ''The Sun'' - AKA "The Currant Bun" in one of the better known pieces of Cockney rhyming slang, or "The Scum" if you're not feeling as kind. Famously, home of the [[Page Three Stunna]], although it's not the only tabloid to do so. Also known for [[Sex Sells|using topless women]] to [http://www.bloggerheads.com/page_3.asp sell propaganda]. Solidly conservative-right when it comes to politics, its populist working-class stance means this position is usually dressed-up as standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the common man, often unconvincingly. Supported the Conservatives under [[Margaret Thatcher]] and [[John Major]] before deciding to back Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005 (in spite of spending much of this period attacking Labour Party policy in its editorials), it now supports Cameron's revitalised Conservatives. One theory for the paper's changing party allegiance (unusual in a British newspaper) is that the paper doesn't want to be seen to back a loser—or rather, Murdoch is trying to get UK media ownership regulations relaxed. It may also have something to do with the Labour party's hard swing to the right during Blair's leadership.
** A useful tip would be not to buy/read or [[Berserk Button|talk positively about ''The Sun'' around Liverpool]], due to a particularly disgusting article they [[Blatant Lies|fabricated out of whole cloth]] which accused Liverpool fans of attacking victims of the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster. You'll find it difficult to do this anyway; most newsagents in Liverpool refuse to stock it and nobody will take it, even with a free DVD or magazine stuffed in to lure them to buy it, nor can they even give it away for free. Twenty-two years on and the ''Sun'''s circulation in the city has never even begun to recover. It was ''that'' offensive.
*** At one point the ''Sun'''s editor apologized, but later after he'd left the paper he recanted, said he'd been pressured into the apology by Rupert Murdoch, and stood by the original story.
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** [[Roma]] or [[Irish Travellers]] won't thank you for doing so either, what with their "Stamp On The Camp" campaign that was trying to have both communities reclassified as some sort of vermin infestation or something. Nor has their treatment of refugees, women, Muslims or... *sigh* Just don't admit to liking it around anyone who isn't a white, heterosexual working-class male under the age of forty, alright?
*** And over twenty-five; anything below and you're a hoody, a vicious criminal or slacking off in school thanks to all the exam boards 'dumbing down'.
** All of the above make the arrests of the weekend of the
** Former editor Kelvin McKenzie (the one responsible for the above-mentioned Hillsborough article) conveniently summed up the average ''Sun'' reader: "He's the [[British Pubs|bloke you see in the pub]], [[Godwin's Law|a right old fascist]], [[Politically-Incorrect Villain|wants to send the wogs back]], [[Council Estate|buy his poxy council house]], [[Red Scare|he's afraid of the unions]], [[Dirty Commies|afraid of the Russians]], [[Heteronormative Crusader|hates the queers and the weirdos]] and [[Drugs Are Bad|drug dealers]]. [[Viewers are Morons|He doesn't want to hear about that stuff (i.e. serious news)]]".
** The Sun now publishes an edition every day except Christmas Day.
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Most of the nicknames mentioned, incidentally, were coined, or at least popularised, by ''[[Private Eye]]'' in its "Street of Shame" page.
Most national newspapers also put out a Scottish edition with a few vague attempts at localisation. This is influenced by the fact that political "left and right" are a bit different in Scotland than in the rest of the UK (particularly England). Someone who was fairly centrist in London terms would be seen as rather right-wing in Scotland. Naturally, the Tories are often barely a blip in Scotland, with races being between Labour, the Lib Dems, and the SNP (which is more leftist than Labour). One notable effect of this is that while ''The Sun'' is now solidly Tory in the rest of the UK, the Scottish edition now maintains an uncomfortable neutrality. Yes folks, that's local opinion (and its effect on sales) winning out over the influence of [[Rupert Murdoch]].
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* ''The Sunday Post'': Tartan, Heather and Shortbread in Sunday newspaper form. Published in Dundee and home to iconic Scottish comic strips ''The Broons'' and ''Oor Wullie''. No daily edition, because no one could take that level of "[[Bonnie Scotland]]" sentiment on a daily basis. Published by D.C. Thomson, better known for comics such as ''[[The Beano]]'' and ''[[The Dandy (comics)|The Dandy]]''.
* ''The Belfast Telegraph'': Published in Belfast (obviously), a conservative and moderate Unionist daily broadsheet. Currently the best selling Northern Irish based newspaper.
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** Ironically, ''The Impartial Reporter'' is viewed in some circles as the local Protestant/Unionist newspaper; a second newspaper in the area, ''The Fermanagh Herald'', is more geared towards Catholic/Nationalist readers. This duopoly in local press according to where you stand on [[The Irish Question]] is mirrored in other cities and towns in Northern Ireland; its second-largest city has weekly papers ''The Derry Journal'' and ''The Londonderry Sentinel'' - have a guess which community each paper targets!
Tabloid sized newspapers available free at railway stations and from street vendors. Or from the seats of trains, which is where they usually end up - letters to the ''Metro'' have on occasion encouraged people to do this and complained about train staff removing the papers. On the Manchester trams, there are notices encouraging people to leave the ''Metro'' on the seat. Conversely on Manchester area trains and the [[London Underground]] there are posters warning that doing so is littering.
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* ''The Evening Standard'': see "Mid-market tabloids". Turned into a freesheet in October 2009, after ''The London Paper'' closed down, prompting the closure of ''London Lite'' too.
Many of these papers have Sunday editions, some of which are quite different (especially ''The Observer'', which is considerably more moderate than ''The Guardian'', & the ''Mail On Sunday'', which is held to be a bit more credible than its daily counterpart). These papers often have a [[Sunday Leaked Document]]. There are also Sunday only papers, as mentioned earlier, not to mention numerous daily regional papers around the country from the ''Western Mail'' (Wales) to the ''Eastern Daily Press''. Most places in the UK also have at least one local newspaper, where newspaper journalists traditionally start (and in most cases end) their careers. These are generally published weekly, often on a Friday, although it can be on any day. These papers generally (or at least stereotypically) deal with mind-numbingly parochial topics such as road repairs, coffee mornings, local council affairs, etc. Perhaps best summed up with Linda Smith's favourite newspaper headline, "Worksop Man Dies Of Natural Causes". The ''Rochdale Observer'' (a typical example, best-known outside the titular town for being name-checked in ''[[Waterloo Road]]'') once ran a front page story about a ''food fight'', describing a chicken leg "arcing gracefully through the air" and featuring two interviewees arguing about the airspeed velocity of a Black Forest gateau. One said it was doing 10
* [[Monty Python and the Holy Grail|African or European]]?
** [[Ba Dum Tish]]
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* The ''[[Framley Examiner]]'' - a parody of English local newspapers, based in the fictional town of Framley and its surroundings (with names like Whoft, Effing Sodbury and others) A very British equivalent of ''[[The Onion]]''.
* ''The Spectator'' - The right-wing weekly news magazine, which dates back to the nineteenth century (although it sometimes naughtily claims descent from a famous unconnected early magazine of the same title from the eighteenth century). Now owned by the Telegraph Group. Generally open to all strains of right-wing thought, from the libertarian to the Neo-Conservative to the old school up-the-aristocracy, and editing the magazine gets you a lot of cred in the Conservative Party (e.g. [[Boris Johnson]]). Likes to criticize [[Political Correctness Gone Mad]].
* ''New Statesman'' - The left-wing weekly news magazine, popularly known as "the Staggers" because of its perpetual financial precariousness. Lost a lot of prestige thanks to a recent period when it was owned by a slightly corrupt government minister and became slavishly [[Tony Blair|Blairite]]. Now seems slightly confused and looking for a role.
* ''[[The Economist]]'' - A weekly magazine (although it calls itself a newspaper) owned by [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|The Economist Group]]. Known in the US mostly as that magazine whose name you throw around if you want to sound smart whether or not you actually read it. Covers foreign affairs and economic matters from a classic liberal perspective (as opposed to American liberal). In the British media, it is considered to be economically quite hard-right-wing but socially
* ''The Week'' - Weekly digest of the week's big news stories, with a fairly dull middle-market middle-wing middle-brow viewpoint. The news and politics magazine for people who aren't all that interested but think they should be making an effort.
* ''[[Private Eye]]'' - a fortnightly satirical magazine edited by Ian Hislop of ''[[Have I Got News for You]]'' fame. Notable for having better investigative journalism than most of the proper papers, with the twin results of breaking many scandals earlier than anyone else, and being the subject of countless libel suits (Hislop frequently publishes the letters threatening legal action, and occasionally describes himself as "the most-sued man in British legal history"). Slightly split personality as the news pages tend to be quite left-wing while the cultural coverage tends to "all modern art is a con trick and all pop culture is trash" conservatism.
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