Where Are All The Journalists?

[Mr Blek]

Guys, I've got it.

PODCAST!!!!

Not a bad idea. Publish it on many sites as possible through bittorrent links. Hell, I'll help seed it.

[BuyingBear]

"I bought this stinking iPod and now I can't afford a house, I could had two of those 'move in for £95' Barratt jobbies"

ed. crap, somebody has beat us to it by a few years.

Edited February 11, 2006 by BuyingBear

[Mr Blek]

There was this semi-bearish article published by the BBc in 2004:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3701070.stm

[Guest Winners and Losers]

They are slowing starting to come out of the woodwork. Wait and see. Very soon they will have no other choice as it becomes plainly clear that there is not going to be a spring bounce and that prices are not set to rise, and nor should they, for some time to come.

[Alfie Moon]

Personally I'm amazed that there hasn't been a major news story in the national/local newspapers (sunday supplements) about the numerous websites/forums that have sprung up about house prices in the UK and internationally. HPC being the prime example, but there are notable others such as Consa's **********, the Motley Fool forum, firstrung, and so on. The US, France, Spain, and Australia also have similar websites. It wouldn't take a half competent journalist long to put together an interesting and attention grabbing news article together about these websites and the counter discourse that they produce about the economic dynamics and spin of the housing markets in the UK and elsewhere. If this was combined with one or two interviews to provide additional information, and possibly case studies - hey presto you've got an excellent article to sell. When contacting a newspaper editor/journalist it can be helpful to send a brief sketch of an idea for an article with which they can then add the flesh to the bones if they want to pursue it.

Here is a list of newspaper contacts (it is possible that some of the details are not completely up to date). Note that at the bottom there is a link to a website for finding/contacting freelance journalists in the UK:

NewsDesk email addresses:

editor.it@dailymail.co.uk (Daily Mail)

letters@standard.co.uk ( The Evening Standard)

et.press.releases@telegraph.co.uk (The Daily Telegraph)

editor@express.co.uk (The Express)

home@guardian.co.uk (The Guardian)

newseditor@independent.co.uk (The Independent)

morsta@geo2.poptel.org.uk (The Morning Star)

news@the-sun.co.uk (The Sun)

news@observer.co.uk (The Observer)

NewsDesk Contact links:

(These publications prefer you to complete an online form)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/shtml/contact/e4.shtml (Contact The Mirror)

http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/reso.../contactus.html (ContactThe Times)

Letters-Desk email addresses:

Letters@dailymail.co.uk (The Daily Mail)

letters@standard.co.uk ( The Evening Standard)

editor@express.co.uk (The Express)

letters@guardian.co.uk (The Guardian)

newseditor@independent.co.uk (The Independent)

dtletters@telegraph.co.uk (The Telegraph)

letters@the-times.co.uk (The Times)

letters@mailonsunday.co.uk (The Mail on Sunday)

morningstar@fsmail.net (The Morning Star)

letters@observer.co.uk (The Observer)

letters@the-sun.co.uk (The Sun)

stletters@telegraph.co.uk (The Sunday Telegraph)

Snail Mail/Telephone/Fax addresses:

The Daily Mail

Northcliffe Newspapers

Northcliffe House

2 Derry Street

Kensington

London

W8 5TT

Tel: 020 7938 6000 Fax: 020 7937 4463

The Evening Standard

Associated Newspapers

Northcliffe House

2 Derry Street

Kensington

London

W8 5TT

Tel: 020 7938 6000 Fax: 020 7937 8980

The Daily Telegraph

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5DT

Tel: 020 7538 5000 Fax: 020 7538 6242

The Express

United Media

Ludgate House

245 Blackfriars Road

London

SE1 9UX

Tel: 020 7928 8000 Fax: 020 7620 1654

The Guardian

The Scott Trust

119 Farringdon Road

London

EC1R 3ER

Tel: 020 7278 2332 Fax: 020 7837 2114

The Independent

Independent Newspapers

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AP

Tel: 020 7293 2000 Fax: 020 7293 2435

The Mirror

Mirror Group

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

W14 5AP

Tel: 020 7293 3000 Fax: 020 7293 3409

The Morning Star

Peoples' Press Printing Society

Cape House

First Floor

787 Commercial Road

London

E14 7HG

Tel: 020 7538 5181 Fax: 020 7538 5125

The Sun

News International

1 Virginia Street

London

E1 9XR

Tel: 020 7782 4100 Fax: 020 7488 3253

The Times

News International

1 Pennington Street

London

E1 9XN

Tel: 020 7782 5000 Fax: 020 7488 3242

The News of the World

News International

1 Virginia Street

London

E1 9XR

Tel: 020 7782 4000 Fax: 020 7488 4433

The Sunday Mirror

Mirror Group

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

W14 5AP

Tel: 020 7293 3000 Fax: 020 7293 3939

The Independent on Sunday

Independent Newspapers

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AP

Tel: 020 7293 2000 Fax: 020 7293 2435

The Mail on Sunday

Northcliffe Newspapers

Northcliffe House

2 Derry Street

Kensington

London

W8 5TT

Tel: 020 7938 6000 Fax: 020 7937 4463

The Observer

119 Farringdon Road

London

EC1R 3ER

Tel: 020 7278 2332 Fax: 020 7713 4250

The Sunday Telegraph

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5DT

Tel: 020 7538 5000 Fax: 020 7513 2504

The Sunday Times

News International

1 Pennington Street

London

E1 9XN

Tel: 020 7782 5000 Fax: 020 7782 5658

To find freelance journalists go to the following webpage:

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/aboutus.shtml

[Guest Bart of Darkness]

A lot of journalists aren't really journalists, they just rewrite press releases that are spoon fed to them, of late they've also taken to plagiarising web-blogs. At one stage Alistair Campbell used to hand out pre-written stories to lazy journos.

Indeed. Had Watergate taken place in 2006, the only way that a modrn day Woodward and Bernstein would have gotten anywhere with the story would be if Ron Ziegler had sent them a press release with everything they need to know on it (with no big words).

Meet William Mark Felt at an underground garage 1401 Wilson Boulevard at 2.00 AM? no chance mate. Why can't he keep normal office hours like that nice Mr. Ziegler?

[Alfie Moon]

Perhaps there needs to be a media attention grabbing stunt to kick start the media's interest in HPC and similar other websites? One way of doing this would be to put forward an HPC candidate in one or more areas (preferably London where the national media are situated) for the Local Elections on 4th May this year.

I have outlined this idea before - I will edit this post later to include the link to the relevant thread if I can find it. As I said before, the aim of putting forward HPC candidates would not be so much to get votes but rather to get publicity through the media attention it would generate. The media love novelty stories to report during the boring election season. It could be worth a try.

[BuyingBear]

Perhaps there needs to be a media attention grabbing stunt to kick start the media's interest in HPC and similar other websites? One way of doing this would be to put forward an HPC candidate in one or more areas (preferably London where the national media are situated) for the Local Elections on 4th May this year.

It's a leap of faith to assume we still have a democracy in this country, elections are but a mere luxury.

[Londoner]

Where Are All The Journalists?, HPC is the story of the decade

Which decade are we talking about here?

[Guest Bart of Darkness]

Which decade are we talking about here?

With that in-depth knowledge at your fingertips you must surely be a journo in disguise.

[Fancypants]

Whereabouts in Ghana? I was based there for a while. Fantastic country - no real big bang sight-seeing but a wonderful place to visit and work.

were you? Nice one, please tell me more (PM if you think more appropriate as we don't want to go too wildly off-topic)

her family is in Koforidua, we will be sticking mainly to the coast, probably go out to Cape Three Points for the eclipse, otherwise - keeping an open mind. Would welcome your thoughts

[coolaftershave]

Perhaps there needs to be a media attention grabbing stunt to kick start the media's interest in HPC and similar other websites? One way of doing this would be to put forward an HPC candidate in one or more areas (preferably London where the national media are situated) for the Local Elections on 4th May this year.

I have outlined this idea before - I will edit this post later to include the link to the relevant thread if I can find it. As I said before, the aim of putting forward HPC candidates would not be so much to get votes but rather to get publicity through the media attention it would generate. The media love novelty stories to report during the boring election season. It could be worth a try.

What about putting up a candidate for London major? That would definitely get some publicity our way.

How much would that cost? There are 3000 + members on this site. I am willing to donate a £10...

If the founders set up a paypal account we could all donate. If a donate button was included in the html on the front page that that would assure us it was a genuine donation. Hmmm £10 each... that's £30,000.

CAS

[Guest Charlie The Tramp]

Where Are All The Journalists ?

The last one retired 25 years ago.

[Alfie Moon]

I agree that the quality of journalism in the UK has taken a nose dive generally, however there are still journalists who 'seek out the real story', do some critical analysis and think for themselves. IMO this includes Robert Fisk of The Independent and George Monbiot, who is usually worth a read, in The Guardian. It is a great shame. I think following the housing market and HPC over the last couple years has made me all the more acutely aware of how dire British journalism has become, from the quality broadsheets downwards. Sometimes you wonder if a couple years experience at the Daily Sport now qualifies you to apply for and secure a senior position on a broadsheet paper.

You can just imagine it:

Daily Sport Journalist being interviewed for a position at The Times is asked,

- So, what has been your biggest scoop?

- Well, I did that 'Bloke returns home from work to find that his house has turned into a parsnip - but it's ok Phil and Kirsty say it's still worth £268k' front page story a while ago.

- Impressive ... perhaps you'd like to take on our post of 'Property Editor'?

Edited February 12, 2006 by Alfie Moon

[Mr Blek]

I don't think the problem lies just with journalism.

The problems stems from the top. The elite that control the papers can dictate to the population on how to vote, where to invest their money etc. Its not democracy. I would argue the case that we don't have a free press at all.

[Lord Luggage]

I agree that the quality of journalism in the UK has taken a nose dive generally, however there are still journalists who 'seek out the real story', do some critical analysis and think for themselves. IMO this includes Robert Fisk of The Independent and George Monbiot, who is usually worth a read, in The Guardian. It is a great shame. I think following the housing market and HPC over the last couple years has made me all the more acutely aware of how dire British journalism has become, from the quality broadsheets downwards. Sometimes you wonder if a couple years experience at the Daily Sport now qualifies you to apply for and secure a senior position on a broadsheet paper.

You can just imagine it:

Daily Sport Journalist being interviewed for a position at The Times is asked,

- So, what has been your biggest scoop?

- Well, I did that 'Bloke returns home from work to find that his house has turned into a parsnip - but it's ok Phil and Kirsty say it's still worth £268k' front page story a while ago.

- Impressive ... perhaps you'd like to take on our post of 'Property Editor'?

Not just newspaper journos either - the TV reporters are just as bad. Witness the outrageous spin and babble that Gordon Brown got away with on Sunday AM this morning - Andrew Marr, formerly the BBC's Chief Political Editor, let him get away with murder. In the post-Hutton era, the BBC's journos are terrified of asking a penetrating question or, more often, pressing a politician or other VI to answer a question rather than using it as an invitation to give the usual 'on message' spin.

There are notable exceptions, George Monbiot was mentioned above, and the likes of Paxman are still ranting like gooduns, but the majority of TV people (not just limited to the BBC - Sir Trev McDonut has become a hype-driven, Daily Mail screeching, dumbed-down joke) have had their nuts well and truly spliced-through.

By the way, have you noticed how much that favored tactic of the Republican / Evangelist, "tell the biggest lie you can in the loudest possible voice for as long as possible, and you'll get away with it", is becoming more and more prevalent in UK politics? GB this morning a prime example.

Time to bring back the likes of John Pilger on World In Action and give Crash Gordon, Tony B. Liar and Gorgeous George Bush some real stick.

Cheers

LL

[RobertPaulson]

these 'journos' are probably loaded to the gunnels with inner london btl.

they dare now break the market.

do me a favour! Have you any idea how much the average journalist earns? I'm sure there are individual cases where the above is true (i.e the main property writers for big papers), but as soon as concrete evidence of a crash comes out - something like the LR data continuing to fall and accelerating through the 'spring bounce' period, then they WILL be all over it like a rash as it will sell papers. Expect the mail and the express to take great sadistic joy in blaming it all on over-indebted 20 somethings who's stupid behaviour crashed the economy and ruined the 'hard work' and 'investements' of its doddery little england readers in their houses.

At the moment I would imagine that no-one on the main paper wants to call it early because of the potential for egg on the face. But lets be honest, Rosie Millard complaining to the editor about her portfolio going down and the income from estate agents in the property section will not stop this becoming front page news if we start to see big falls everywhere.