Mental Health Warnings

[poliphilo]

I'm all for freedom of the press, but maybe newspapers ought to come with warnings (printed across the front page in banner headlines) like those that are now mandatory for cigarette packets.

For example:

This paper is owned by tax exiles and contains Conservative party propaganda

or

This paper is written by and for left-wing people living in Islington

or

This paper is howlingly right-wing and once supported Hitler and Oswald Mosley.

or

This paper is owned by Rupert Murdoch (nuff said)

Most of us buy our newspaper for things other than its political bias; we buy it for the footie or the women's page or the arts coverage or the pictures of celebs- but the bias comes attached- like a virus- and- unless we're extremely self-aware- it'll infect us. I think we should be alerted to the risks we run.

Comments

[raakone.livejournal.com]

At the very least, require that the front have an indication as to where the "information" is, which would be somewhere that can be read even if the paper has a band or tape holding it shut, or is in a plastic bag (some places do sell newspapers in plastic bags). The info would be about the slant, but also about what entity or entities either own it, or are the "primary supporters" (in the case of any theoretically "non-profit" paper, this would be even more important. But it would also let you know what companies or parties are paying the bulk of the revenue, so that the buyer can be informed).

Is it true that there's one newspaper in the UK that lets you know what party is in power just by looking at the title? (Next to the title is a picture of a warrior, if the Conservatives are in power, he's holding a sword and shield, if Labor is in power, he's chained up. Methinks said paper is either pro-Conservative, or anti-Labor)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I remember when the Express- and it's owner Lord Beaverbrook- were powers in the land. It was my granny's paper of choice and I used to like the Giles cartoons.
I hardly ever see it now. It seems to have been totally eclipsed by the Mail.

[raakone.livejournal.com]

I looked up Beaverbrook, very interesting man, and his title was almost "Lord Miramichi", but he was advised against it because it would be hard to pronounce, and his title ended up with a very Canadian ring to it.

Didn't know he was around 'till the 60's!