tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post135639440701770927..comments2023-06-08T10:33:07.787+01:00Comments on The Sun - Tabloid Lies: Letter writers turned into "Islamic fanatics".Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13292436411579226284noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post-84642388226418639772009-01-08T23:48:00.000+00:002009-01-08T23:48:00.000+00:00The man behind the 'Richard Tims' mask is... the S...The man behind the 'Richard Tims' mask is... the Sun's informant and quoted expert Glen Jenvey!<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2009/01/glen_jenvey_has.asp" REL="nofollow">http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2009/01/glen_jenvey_has.asp</A>Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292436411579226284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post-90014065185667668282009-01-08T14:57:00.000+00:002009-01-08T14:57:00.000+00:00CD: I agree with a lot of this, but the more we ho...CD: I agree with a lot of this, but the more we hone our focus on this particular tool, the sharper its edge will be. I'll make a post about it really soon, and all readers will be welcome to contribute.<BR/><BR/>Back on topic:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2009/01/in_search_of_ri.asp" REL="nofollow">Here's my breakdown of everything posted under 'abuislam' in the Ummah.com forums.</A><BR/><BR/>Quite revealing in places. The author is clearly posing as a Muslim, but at one stage they call someone who is obviously a woman 'brother'. Not entirely the same as posing as a Catholic and calling a Sister 'Father', but equally devastating as a giveaway.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292436411579226284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post-49101951966873022322009-01-08T13:41:00.000+00:002009-01-08T13:41:00.000+00:00Kev Tomes said: "I understand how tabloids, in fac...Kev Tomes said: <BR/><BR/>"I understand how tabloids, in fact all papers, exaggerate and embellish their stories. They have to in order to sell papers, they are businesses after all, but this goes far beyond simple exaggeration." <BR/><BR/>I can see Mr Tomes' point; up to a point but would urge you to continue 'nit-picking' because I respectfully disagree that such falsehoods are unimportant. <BR/><BR/>Exaggeration and embelishment has become part of the journalistic DNA in this country and it's corrosive. OK, I can see that a one-sided kiss and tell on a premiership footballer is of far less importance than this story but dishonesty permeates at all levels and is worth pointing out. <BR/><BR/>It poisons the public space and should be challenged. <BR/><BR/>I used to work as journalist - at a very lowly level on a little local weekly. I never made anything up or misrepresented anyone but when I told people what I did they assumed I was an habitual liar in my work life. The worse we did was pushing things and across journalism there is a 'what can we get away with saying' culture - driven by competition with the worst offenders. You're even taught to write that way - never write £250,000 when you can write quarter-of-a-million, because it sounds bigger; if 30 people were involved in an incident write dozens because it sounds bigger.<BR/><BR/>I think they (I'm no longer a journalist) should be challenged wherever possible. Yes, they are businesses, but I believe newspapers even have some commercial priveliges granted by the state in defence of something that is important - a free and open press. <BR/><BR/>If I wanted to suggest an improvement to your site it would be to somehow get more in the papers' faces, really I just want your voices to be more widely heard. <BR/><BR/>Cheers, <BR/><BR/>The Cardiff Drunk.The Drinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06141069644806867122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post-32749577612929241672009-01-08T12:45:00.000+00:002009-01-08T12:45:00.000+00:00Thanks, Kev. Valuable feedback, and greatly apprec...Thanks, Kev. Valuable feedback, and greatly appreciated.<BR/><BR/>Editors:<BR/><BR/>Kev raises an interesting point regarding editorial policy. We do risk turning people off if we do not stick to the clearest examples of outright deceit. Speaking as someone who loves documenting and drawing in wider detail, I know this will be hard to accept in some cases, but every editor is free to make longer posts on their own personal weblogs.<BR/><BR/>I'll make a promise here to schedule a discussion about this point (that was raised at the very launch of this site, but could do with some 'how are we doing so far?' input IMO) in the hope of bringing this thread back on topic after my little ramble.<BR/><BR/>And on that note...<BR/><BR/>I'm digging through some detail on this story this afternoon, having a closer look at some previous fishing expeditions by this same person using the 'abuislam' sock-puppet. I'll post a link here as soon as it's done.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292436411579226284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796962133576484410.post-7863212660221122342009-01-08T11:32:00.000+00:002009-01-08T11:32:00.000+00:00Dear sir, I have only been following your blog for...Dear sir, I have only been following your blog for a few weeks, and have not yet gone through your vast archives. <BR/><BR/>To be honest, at first I was a little disappointed, believing your blog to be little more than the same old nit-picking and generic anti-tabloid arguments that I've seen again and again. <BR/><BR/>Then this article turns up, completely changing my perspective. <BR/><BR/>I understand how tabloids, in fact all papers, exaggerate and embellish their stories. They have to in order to sell papers, they are businesses after all, but this goes far beyond simple exaggeration. This is nothing less than a terrifying example of dangerous fear-spreading hate mongering journalism. <BR/><BR/>Were I to spread this same story via pamphlets on the street outside my local library or university building, I have no doubt that I would I would be arrested, rather quickly, for several hate crimes and incitement charges.<BR/><BR/>This is truly horrifying, and I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I am now glad I didn't listen to my origional doubts of your website and stuck to it. <BR/><BR/>Thank you once again.Kev Tomeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07475544410731623008noreply@blogger.com