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Different kinds of news

Posted on July 16, 2015 by

Last night we ran a piece about a story in last week’s Daily Record in which a Scottish Labour official was given free rein to make an extended political attack on the SNP in the guise of a “business student” from the University of the West of Scotland, without his Labour identity being revealed, on the flimsy basis of a petition about college cuts with a few hundred signatures.

As it happens, another UWS student also has a petition doing the rounds at the moment. But it got treated rather differently by the Scottish press.

scotsmanbeattie

John Beattie is a PhD student and community activist from Govan, an SNP voter who was also involved in the Yes movement. A petition he organised demanding the new Southern General Hospital in Glasgow revert to its original name (having subsequently been renamed the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital) recently made the news and has so far gathered almost 12,000 signatures.

But it was a different petition from the same author that caught the Scotsman’s eye. Published on the Scottish Government website, it calls for a direct funding boost for foodbanks, to be provided either from the government’s 2014 underspend or from a 1p increase in income tax. (At the time of writing it’s had 120 signatures.)

Scotsman journalist Shan Ross rang Beattie to ask him about the petition, telling him “that she had previously covered stories on foodbanks and that it was something she personally thought was very important”.

But when the article appeared in print, it focused instead on a couple of mild critical comments it had attracted from SNP supporters who felt (ironically, as it would turn out) that it gave Unionists a stick to beat the party with.

fbab

We spoke to John Beattie, who told us:

“I was asked what the reaction to my petition had been. I said mainly positive but I did get backlash from SNP supporters. She asked for some examples and I gave them. Next thing I know this is the main emphasis of the story.

The story didn’t even mention the details of my petition, nor anything about the difficulty accessing and signing petitions nor did it even tell people the title of it or where they could find it.

I got very angry and emailed the Scotsman’s editors, deputy editors and news desk. Unsurprisingly, I have not yet received a reply. I feel I have been deceived.”

The letter he sent the Scotsman is below:

“Dear Sir,

I am writing to you in regards to an article in today’s Scotsman containing myself and my food bank petition.

I feel very let down by this article. When I was first contacted, I was led to believe the content of my petition would be the main emphasis of the story.

One of the questions I was asked was about the reaction to my petition, which I said it had generally been positive but I did receive backlash from SNP supporters and when asked, I gave a few examples of this.

This seems to have been rather naive of me and in no way did I think this would be the main emphasis of the story. I feel betrayed and let down by this.

I did not think for a second the whole story would be twisted in the manner it was. I anticipated there would be some backlash to my petition and I’m big and ugly enough to deal with that. But I was led to believe the story would focus on the difficulty people have signing petitions on the Scottish Parliament website and the problem this causes for many people.

I feel you have taken my story and unfairly and unjustly twisted it in a particular manner which has not done my petition any good at all. The article barely even mentions the details of my petition nor does it even promote it. 

I want this article taken down with immediate effect. 

I look forward to hearing from you

Best wishes

John Beattie”

The contrast between the Scottish media’s treatment of the two petitions is striking.

One was created for the purposes of bashing the SNP by a Scottish Labour official, whose party affiliation was concealed and who was allowed to fulminate at length without any counterquote from the other side. The other, whose purpose was to raise funding for starving people and was in no way party political, was sidelined in favour of an absurdly overblown attack on “cybernats”.

We’d be pretty upset if we were John Beattie too. Indeed, we know just how he feels – last year we were forced to threaten legal action against the same newspaper for similarly distorted reporting, eventually securing compensation of over £6000.

It’d be a nice gesture if the Scotsman were to make a donation to the Glasgow South West foodbank by way of apology for the shameful way it’s treated John Beattie. But we wouldn’t advise its volunteers to hold their breath.

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  1. 16 07 15 15:17

    Different kinds of news | Speymouth
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  2. 16 07 15 15:36

    Different kinds of news | Politics Scotland | ...
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121 to “Different kinds of news”

  1. Camz
    Ignored
    says:

    Circulation dropping month on month. On-line comments generally owned by SNP baaad people.

    In a couple of years no one will care, as the only folk buying it will be those that will never consider a different source of news.

  2. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    Apt name for that excuse for a journalist, that’s “Shan” Ross.

  3. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    That article in the Scotsman is one of a long list showing it is not a newspaper. It would interesting to see at what point that happened.

  4. liz
    Ignored
    says:

    This is why I don’t read any of the papers anymore. Anything interesting gets on here anyway with the full story not just the bits they want you to know.

  5. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone getting involved in trying to argue the case for Indy on the proud scotchman site will end up in the loony bin. It’s like talking to the brain dead. Drives you insane.

  6. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    They reached a level, then limbo danced under that waving their arms with plenty of clearance.

    The press CANNOT be trusted.

    And I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting on an apology were I Mr Beattie.

  7. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Sup with the devil…

  8. Iain Gray's Subway Lament
    Ignored
    says:

    Imagine how ‘proud’ Shan Ross must be to have passed this trash off as ‘journalism’ and cashed that cheque for a nice days ‘work’.

    Press low-lifes trivialising the work of food banks by only caring about them as a means to launch yet another ‘SNP bad’ story for their dimwitted readers.

    Not a huge surprise the failing Hootsman is losing readers hand over fist and cutting jobs almost as quickly. Those trying to cling on to a job won’t be helping their case by producing dishonest and misleading attack pieces on the SNP that are so easily demolished. Unless of course those ARE the only ‘qualifications’ the scotsmans editors are looking for. Dishonest tabloid trash hacks who hate the SNP and all those scots who voted for them.

  9. Training Day
    Ignored
    says:

    No matter how many electoral hammerings their representatives take, no matter how derided and despised they are, the Unionist MSM will never change. They can never change. They serve the interests of the British state and no doubt will continue to do so post-independence, if there are any of the rags left by then, and anyone left foolish enough to buy them..

  10. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    I feel sorry that he had to discover the hard way about the so called news cover we have.

    He won’t make that mistake again.

    If we had a proper media, John Beattie would have read the true “facts” of the alleged overspend. A balanced budget does not run an overspend!

  11. Col
    Ignored
    says:

    A friend of mine a few years ago approached the Daily Retard regarding advertising I think it was so when they said they wanted to run a short story on his company he was delighted. Boy did he regret it! He was shocked to find that they had completely twisted what he had told them and ran with a negative story about the new company. I think they did it because they visited the company office and saw SNP mugs and some other stuff with the SNP logos on. Be in no doubt that most journalists are truly the scum of this earth and more often than not have an agenda!

  12. N_T_C_W
    Ignored
    says:

    “You’re making the SNP Government look bad”

    A frightening approach to politics. Who cares what the government does, so long as we’re aiming for independence let’s toe the line, and countenance no criticism.

    That’s why Scotland’s going to hell in a handcart – Police Scotland a sorry creation, school performance plummeting, lack of funding for tertiary education, major road and rail works occurring at the same time and causing travel chaos etc etc..

    But let us speak no evil.

  13. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    “Cybernats target Scotsman gorgeous pouting journalist Glenda Slag” Hootsman headline tomorrow.

    See, its dead easy being a sneaky creepy liar, sorry UKOK journalist.

  14. Jake Gittes
    Ignored
    says:

    Thankfully less than 25,000 see the thing every day. The only curiosity is that their core readership, preaching to the contented Brit Nat suburbs of Edinburgh are an inadequate funding model to ensure it’s commercial survival.
    The cash strapped and heavily indebted Kamakaze management at Johnston press seem unaware of this as they hurtle to bankruptcy. Do we care….. not really.

  15. shiregirl
    Ignored
    says:

    Crappy, unprofessional reporting with bias for whatever the reporter wants to focus on – and magnify/distort to entice readers.

    I was also reading how Caroline Lucas, Green MP wrote a very good piece on how schoolgirls need compulsary PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) lessons at school for the Torygraph, prior to presenting the bill in Parliament (no sure we got that at school….)

    Rather than focusing on the story, The Torygraph put a picture of scantily dressed actresses from the St Trinians film and gave it the headline

    “Britains slutty, slaggy schoolgirls need David Cameron to sort sex education. Fast.”

    You could not make it up. MSM journos only have their own needs and ambitions in mind. What happened to journalistic integrity and telling the truth? That’s why I don’t buy a newspaper now.

  16. Mosstrooper
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone who thinks that the MSM will give a fair reporting of ANY story particularly where the SNP are involved no matter in how trivial a manner should report immediately to their nearest REALITY CHECK Clinic.

  17. Helpmaboab
    Ignored
    says:

    An atoning payment to the Glasgow Southwest foodbank is a fine idea. I wonder, however, whether The Scotsman could afford it.

    Only this week its parent company, Johnston Press, issued yet another profit warning amid redundancies and other cost-cutting. If Johnston press doesn’t collapse entirely the Scotsman will be disposed of beforehand.

    Nasty, gutter-press tactics like this will only hasten its demise.

  18. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m truly shocked at the level of abuse the cybernats have stooped to here the boundahs 🙂

  19. Donnie McVittie
    Ignored
    says:

    Today the bbc in Scotland are leading with a lack of GPs in Scotland story.

    I don’t suggest the story has no substance, however the story comes from research by labour.

    My points are:

    How does the the story get from a labour strategy group to being number one bbc headline – i.e. Process, protocols and communications.

    Who in bbc decides to go with story?

    Right of rebuttle by Scottish Government – story suggested it was bbc research, half way through story it becomes apparent it is labour research and Richard Simpson is interviewed. The SNP spokes person Maureen Watt is left defending a crisis story uncovered by bbc. My point being Maureen Watt when interviewed needed to know this was a labour story, if she knew this she could dismiss the story but say we know of GP hiring issue and have multiple strategies to bridge the gap, etc.

    I see no difference between this and the record’s student story, or even our old pal Carmichael. Key to any story is the source, it provides those who would report it with the reasoning behind the motivation and if the story is genuine or politically motivated. Basic journalism!

  20. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    In 1996, when I was still interested in manufacturing, I was one of many in a team who built the world’s fastest newsprint paper making machine at that time, in Aylesford, Kent. It cost about £1/2 billion to build.

    The machine boasted a web of paper about 9.2m (30ft) wide & ran at about at about 1,700 m/min (63 mph), 7 days a week unless it was down for maintenance & the annual summer overhaul.

    When I worked there, it employed around 450 people. At the start of 2015, it’s headcount was down to 230. It was declared insolvent in March 2015 & the assets put up for auction.

    Of course, few predicted the effect upon newsprint demand in the mid 1990’s when web page content was by today’s standards, limited, slow to download & when it finally appeared on your 14 inch CRT screen, was mostly rubbish anyway.

    But the ability to watch two fat Germans, covered in jailhouse tats, having a knee trembler while fixing a plumbing leak, from the privacy of your bedroom, initiated the beginning of the end for print publishing.

    But even the one lucrative porno industry these days is suffering because so much on line content is provided free of charge (I found that out from a guy in a pub).

    So, if a guy with a penis that looks like a stale baguette can’t making a living these days, what chance do an increasingly small club of middle aged, grumpy, bigoted bastards at The Scotsman have?

    I think the meds I’m on are helping. Does it show?

  21. R-type Grunt
    Ignored
    says:

    The Scotsman newspaper should be sued under the Trades Description Act. On two counts. Vile bastards.

  22. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Macart wrote: “The press CANNOT be trusted.”

    Indeed!
    They are, without doubt, the No1 reason why Scotland remains in servile chains. They must be exposed at every opportunity. This bit of news which seems to be slipping under the radar also needs to be spread far and wide and the public informed.
    http://newsnet.scot/2015/07/westminster-snub-for-scottish-government-over-future-of-the-bbc/
    __________
    John Beattie, the community activist from Govan, was done up like a rotten kipper by the filthy UKOK Hootsman. That rags demise cannot come soon enough but i can’t help but wonder why he was so naive? Looks like John is just one of those very trusting people who likes to see the possibility of good in everyone but was used as bait, hook, line and sinker by that rag. Never mind, John, once bitten and all that!

  23. Stephen Ross
    Ignored
    says:

    I can’t help but feel that Mr Beattie has been a bit naive to even entertain the Scotsman in the first place, I appreciate his heart is in the right place and no doubt hoped the article would have generated more signatures for his petition, but surely as an Indy supporter and yes campaign volunteer he should have known the Scotsman doesn’t do “journalism”

  24. Muscleguy
    Ignored
    says:

    Signed the petition using firefox on my android phone no problem.

  25. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    One good thing, reading about Mhairi Black’s maiden speech, the response across the world by Youtube views and the response on the BBC, we have a score of:

    Jackie Bird-0, Mhairi Black-6,500,000

  26. Peter A Bell
    Ignored
    says:

    There is an important lesson to be learned here.

    NEVER talk to reporters on the telephone or face-to-face.
    ALWAYS insist that reporters submit their questions by email.
    NEVER speak off-the-cuff.
    ALWAYS have a carefully prepared statement.
    NEVER assume that questions are benign.
    ALWAYS be aware that your answers are going to be passed through the filter of a political agenda.

    If at all possible, seek advice from someone with training/experience in media relations.

  27. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ G H Graham (3.09pm): LLF 🙂 Can i have some of those meds?

  28. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    @Helpmaboab
    Yes they did indeed issue a profit warning – but that didn’t stop the hefty increase in the take home pay of the CEO.

    http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/14/johnston-press-profit-warning-advertisers-cut-spending

    If I were a shareholder I would be mad as hell.

  29. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ G H Graham 3.09. Noo thats jist put the tin hat oan Iain Grays visits tae Subway.PMSL

  30. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    When I began my apprenticeship, at HM Dockyard, Rosyth, I lived on the north west outskirts of Edinburgh. It was then a semi-rural area. It get to my job I had to be on a bus before 05:30AM, to get to the rail station to catch a steam powered train across the Forth Rail Bridge, to Rosyth,(no road Bridges back then).

    Obviously it was a fairly time consuming journey and there were no transistor radios back then. So I needed a decent read to stop me twiddling my thumbs. I was, even then, a news addict and political geek and, having just given up my paper round decided upon the finest, internationally renowned, broadsheet newspaper in the land.

    The Scotsman became part of my trademark description. Many year’s later, and then living in Fife, I overheard a neighbour being asked by someone on the street who was looking for me, but who didn’t know my name, describe me thus. He’s a wee lad, wears glasses, smokes a pipe and usually has his head buried in The Scotsman. The visitor was directed right to my door.

    Now, if anyone was to describe me thus, I would be black affronted. Mind you a do not smoke a pipe now either.

  31. Melanie McKellar
    Ignored
    says:

    Putting the article aside and focusing on Foodbanks I have a thought.
    If people donated money instead of food wouldn’t this give the charities more buying power, the correct articles would be purchased (cutting down on any waste) and most importantly a gift aid form can be completed and the UK government would be forced to pay in 25% tax relief?

  32. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Different kinds of news locally? Press and Journal liars of Aberdeen huge daily attack headline

    “Changes to Scotland Bill pledged” with giant photo of Fluffie and his out stretched hands holding nothing.

    “Scottish secretary Fluffie Mundell pledged yesterday to introduce significant changes to the Scotland Bill…” endless waffle from P&J shill on what a champ Fluffie really really is, absolutely nothing on what Fluffie’s changes might be. And why would they report that anyway, its teamGB all the way.

    Also daily Salmond absolute rotter headline, something about ISS and they’re now trying to get wealthy old tory fart readership to join up and fight against ISS, with another bad SNP headline, “SNP’s poll tax claim is a complete myth.” cant be arsed reading on why.

    And finally usual P&J fury at wind farms “SNP ‘helped to’ Blanket Landscape with Windfarms.” All for just 80p a day.

    Must be murder for P&J hacks trying to work out how on earth there’s any SNP MP’s at all, with all the work put it trying to get everyone to not vote SNP.

  33. Robert Knight
    Ignored
    says:

    This seems like a basic misunderstanding of who journalists are, how they work and what they do.

    When talking to a journalist everything is considered fair game and may form the basis of an article. You must specifically say “off the record” if you don’t want it included, but it is far preferable to simply keep your mouth shut.

    Whatever a journalist tells you they are writing about at any given moment is subject to change. For instance, if they find a better “angle” for the story and a better “angle” to slide a dagger between your ribs, they will generally take the opportunity without compunction.

  34. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    As others have already posted, Mr Beattie has been a bit naïve, if well intentioned. Hopefully a hard lesson was learned in all this.

  35. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Just as well, hardly anyone reads the Scotsman. That will save John Beattie’s blushes. Another title might be appropriate. ‘Mad Maddox makes it up’.

  36. JimF
    Ignored
    says:

    @ N_T_C_W (2:42 pm)
    “A frightening approach to politics.”

    Indeed so.
    Not something to be countenanced from any side.

    The tiresome SNPbad agenda pushed by the MSM seems to have engendered a bunker mentality in some.

    As reported.

    The story here though is that (yet again) what’s reported can’t be believed.
    There isn’t a credible print media.

  37. Scunterbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m well past the point of being at all surprised, never mind shocked, at this kind of warped MSM filth. EVERY SINGLE time, during the last several decades, when I’ve had first hand knowledge of something that later appeared in the papers (any of them), there was some major aspect of the printed story that was factually incorrect.

    Maybe journos are all just frustrated novelists, and see it as a badge of honour to be as ‘creative’ as possible in their writing. Maybe we should pay for an advert on every newspaper’s front page, just saying: “All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”

    Anyhow, don’t get mad, get even: http://www.inform-scotland.org/

  38. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T noticed a BBC weather tweet for the Davis Cup match. Apparently it’s England v France featuring the Murray brothers! Nice one.

  39. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    This type of behaviour is just par for the course now and no doubt accounts for their sales plummeting. You see it on television every night too where they ‘pluck out’ the negative side of an (SNP) issue and make a meal of it. The other side of the coin of course is omitting to mention crucial points such as on STV News on Tuesday night they covered EVEL but didn’t bother to inform the Scots that many English issues impact on Scottish affairs. This left the viewers (some) with the impression that the SNP are just being difficult and petty. Brainwash, brainwash!

    Another was the broadcast of Mhairi Black’s Maiden Speech by the BBC / Jackie Bird. VERY little was shown of Mhairi but a big deal was made of the Speaker reprimanding the SNP MPs for clapping and at that cut out the Speakers, Eleanor Laird, (kindly) comment about William Wallace and the fact that she was born in Elderslie. They’ve become an absolute embarrassment now such as Time magazine is running a story about Mhairi and over six and a half million people have watched the video of her speech so far. Does not tell them something?

    They must all think that we came up the Clyde on a banana boat. They don’t seem to realise that more and more people can see right through them.

  40. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    Just as an aside a friend of mine namely Storm Lee was interviewed by a journalist from the above paper about his forthcoming finalist appearance on X factor. A jovial enough straightforward interview turned in to a front page Evening News story proclaiming he was gay! Yet that was never discussed. Don’t trust the press.

  41. Clint24
    Ignored
    says:

    This sort of reporting boils my … you know what. The thing is, this sort of poor reporting has been going on for a long time.

    It reminds me of a time when I was working for ‘a defence company in Edinburgh’ back in the 80’s. Every summer we (50+ of us some years) ventured, mainly around the many drinking establishments in the Grassmarket area of the capital raising money for the Malcom Sargent Fund for cancer in children. Over the years we collected many thousands of pounds for this cause.

    On year, one of the organisers received a phone call from The Sunday Post enquiring into the good work we had done over the years. They had read about it in our company newsletter apparently and wanted to applaud the good work we were doing in the name of charity.

    As we all waited with baited breath to see the article in the Sunday Post, we were astounded (remember this was back in the early/mid 80’s) to see our efforts mentioned only in their ‘As We See It’ commentary column on page three.

    The thing is, there comment went something along these lines. ‘Workers don’t realise the damage they are doing to their health, binge drinking in the name of charity’. A Sunday Post Doctor Says.

    Utterly appalling slant on the story and suffice it to say I have never bought that gutter rag since.

  42. Jack McKenzie
    Ignored
    says:

    So…the Times, Scotsman, Daily Record, the Telegraph all make up stories denegrating the Scottish Government/SNP (Frenchgate, Royal subsidies) whilst at the same time are actively under reporting on crucial issues such as Mundell/Tories ignoring amendments to the Scotland Bill, the withdrawal of Green Energy subsidies, and the impact of Osborne’s budget on Scotland’s working poor (the non-working/disabled poor don’t exist).

    I have garnered the impression that Westminster wants to fuck us over, and not even ‘Scotlands Champion’ seems all that angry about it.

    The seeds are sown then. I am amazed at how Tories/Unionist establishment have extremely short memories. They learned nothing from the imposition of the poll tax.

    And the establishment should consider it’s treatment of the Irish (well before 1916) as it continues to stick 2 fingers up to the Scots, and their elected reps at Westminster.

    History is indeed repeating itself in ways that not even enlightened Tories (who want to tone down EVEL) can prevent from happening.

    I hope the casualties are kept at a minimum.

  43. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Classic UKOK bollox there in rancid The Graun. Perfidious Albion and its internal power pillow fights. No idea who this dude is but he has a bright future ae a BBC propagandist-

    “We believe that this green paper would appear to herald a much diminished, less popular, BBC. That would be bad for Britain and would not be the BBC that the public has known and loved for over 90 years.

    “It is important that we hear what the public want. It should be for the public to decide whether programmes like Strictly or Bake Off, or stations like Radio 1 or BBC2, should continue.

    “As the director general said on Tuesday, the BBC is not owned by its staff or by politicians, it is owned by the public. They are our shareholders. They pay the licence fee. Their voice should be heard the loudest.”

    unless ofcourse its the sweaties. The nice cringy ones are ok but that SNP and YES lot can go and take a flying fcuk to themselves.

  44. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    @Peter A Bell

    That’s damned good advice!

  45. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    People have to learn that no journalist that works for any Brit Nat rag can be trusted. I have seen what they did to two friends decades ago who gave interviews in good faith and then found themselves being trashed in those rags.

    One friend who also suffers from bouts of depression got so badly abused that it drove them to the brink of suicide. Brit Nat journalists are scum of the planet. It is another reason why I hate the Brit Nat Press and Media. It is not a recently acquired thing. They have been doing that to people for a long time.

  46. Gerry
    Ignored
    says:

    I think that John should now get some kind of response from the scotsman in the next day or so. There are a few potential legal problems with this article and contact has been made with Johnston Press’s legal representatives to explore the issue further.

    I’ll certainly update you as to any progress. i am not in direct contact with Mr Beattie but would appreciate it if anyone who may hear of a response materialising could let me know. Thanks.

  47. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder who holds the Johnston Press junk Bonds these days and why were they never called in.

  48. jcd
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s probably been said already but wtf did he expect?

    You’d think that someone who had been active in the Yes campaign would know better than to talk to any of these scum, if that is you were expecting to get a fair hearing.

    Personally I wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire neither would I allow them in my house, wouldn’t want the place defiled.

  49. Morag Towndrow
    Ignored
    says:

    Certainly not John Beattie’s fault. It’s a pity that believing one can trust a reporter, and assuming the best of people, even people in the media, become liabilities.

  50. Fergus Green
    Ignored
    says:

    Its about time we crowdfunded a Wings takeover of the Scotsman. Even if Stuart may be reluctant to become the editor, there are others who could step up to the mark. Lesley Riddoch for example.

  51. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Ashley Highfield, chief executive of Johnston Press, received a £1.65m pay last year, including a £645,000 bonus.

    Johnston Press reported a pre-tax loss of £23.9m last year,with the share price tumbling southward since Ashley took office.

    Ashley Highfeild was a big cheese in the Establishment mouthpiece the BBC,although looking at his time at BBC he did not achieve much apart from wasting millions of UK citizens money.

  52. Sinky
    Ignored
    says:

    Donnie McVittie at 3.08pm:

    On BBC Radio Scotland this morning reporting of the Labour / BBC investigation into GP services on basis of 300 replies they conflated this into two million patients not getting to see their GP!

    On Petitions, still time to sign petition to put Scotland in control of Scottish Broadcasting 2500 more signatures required.

    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/574/697/105/put-scotland-in-control-of-scottish-broadcasting/

  53. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T – apologies.

    Is it just my imagination or has Cameron backed himsefl into a corner over EVEL? With the latest announcement of “major concessions on extra powers” being touted by Govt. Ministers?

    Cameron has made an election promise to Middle England that he’ll deliver EVEL but there looks to be a fair number of blue Tories (as well as red Tories) who will not back the proposals. So there is a distinct possibility that for Cameron to get EVEL through he will need to get the SNP to abstain–thus these latest little ‘offerings’.

    But we’ve all been here before, aven’t we. And we all should know the mantra by now–NEVER TRUST A TORY. Regardless of any promises, promises they make to Sturgeon and the SNP, once the get their own EVEL through the HoC they will trun on the SNP and go back on every promise made–that’s how they work. Let us not be fooled by them again and again.

    If they give any pomises to Sturgeon/Robertson and write them in blood, we should STILL vote against the blue Tories. ALWAYS.

  54. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Never trust a smiling journalist 🙂

    Here’s the Telegraph at it, dredging up a story from a labour source last week.

    https://archive.is/AZnhl

  55. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    How ‘The Scotsman’ newspaper can call itself by that name is a true enigma …because it sure does its damndest in trying to beat any sense of hope from the Scottish people.

    On a daily basis, this raggity-rag of pulp, scourges the nation by belittling the people of Scotland at any opportunity by its usual shrieking of ‘Too Wee; Too Poor; Too Stupid’.

    You have to ask yourself if there is a weekly prize of a doner kebab or 4 cans of Tennants amongst the ‘journalists’ for the person who can come up with the most downtrodden story of the Scottish nation for that week!

    I mean …seriously …WTF is their daily mission in that place? What is it like to go about the nation, find a story, twist it in a bitter way, and then gleefully post it as you know that you have just stabbed your nation in the back again?

    I mean …can they not see what the hell is happening to their nation from the Machiavellian antics of Westminster? Do they not want to be remembered as journalists who fought for integrity, right and justice for their country. Do they not realise the high-esteem they would be held in, if they actually delivered ‘proper news’?

    Well …it seems apparently not.

    I seriously hope that when they retire and look back at their career, that they realise that what they wrote was shameful, derogatory and ugly. I hope they realise that their career was a ‘joke’ …and it was actually on them.

    ‘Journalist’ …aye right! Your having a f****** laugh!!!

  56. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    I think it was the late Tony Benn, who made a point of plonking a dictaphone on the desk, whenever he was being interviewed. He did this, apparently, as he got so sick of journalists basically making things up.

    A good policy, now that most so-called ‘journalists’ are just paid liars, with zero personal integrity.

  57. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Sinky wrote:
    “On Petitions, still time to sign petition to put Scotland in control of Scottish Broadcasting..”

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    Och, your hearts in the right place but do you truly believe that?

  58. highseastim
    Ignored
    says:

    The only two newspapers that come through the door of my house are The National and Sunday Herald, used to read the Press and Journal and Northern Scot, but since the referendum campaign, neither will ever cross my door again.

  59. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    @Stoker
    I’ll assume you’ve been on the HYS saying that having their own BBC Scotland hasn’t stopped the rise of the SNP so it should be scrapped and let the Scots get the same BBC as the rest of us?

  60. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    As Robert Peffers said, the Scotsman was a fine paper, particularly in the 70s and 80s. Then Andrew Neil took over and that was that. I gave up on The Herald in July last year after an Ian Wood story that was utter futtocks. Like heedtracker I used to take The Grauniad often. And I gave up on it after Will Hutton, whom I used to respect, came out with this BS ten days before the Ref when considering a Yes win,” It is the death of the liberal enlightenment before the atavistic forces of nationalism and ethnicity——a dark omen for the 21st century. Britain will cease as an idea.” How could he write such tripe, or was he just being a cynical liar? I miss George Monbiot but that’s all.

    It’s great never have to read their faecal outpourings anymore but I don’t know how The Rev can stand it.

  61. Dal Riata
    Ignored
    says:

    A hard lesson there for Mr Beattie.

    The advice given out by Peter A. Bell (above) should be memorised by anyone who, for whatever reason, may come into contact with the press – ESPECIALLY the UK’s unionist press.

    The UK’s pro-Union MSM – most notably its print section – is a vile, unscrupulous, immoral, dirty bastard of a thing. Those who are employed there as ‘journalists’ are low-life scum.

  62. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    We are at least 100% certain that there is nothing within the UK
    media that you could consider might have a genuine relationship with reality.

    I wouldn’t trust the date on the front page.
    That Rag is on its death bed and the last gasps are a horrible sound.

    RIP Soon!

  63. Dal Riata
    Ignored
    says:

    Claud Cockburn, from back in the day when journalists actually were “journalists”, put it well: “Believe nothing until it’s officially denied”.

  64. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ handclapping (5.55pm).
    HYS? Nope, never been near it.
    Made quite a few complaints to the BBC but never been on HYS.

  65. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    I signed the petition regarding broadcasting. Every little helps, you never know until you try.

    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/574/697/105/put-scotland-in-control-of-scottish-broadcasting/

    I have also wrote to Mhairi Black (my MP) to arrange an interview with her regarding broadcasting.

    I am not a license fee payer but I do think that the least we can get in Scotland is a three hour breakfast programme, seven days a week.

    Plus more Scottish football and other Scottish sports coverage.

    I will consider paying for a TV license in an Independent Scotland.

  66. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    N_T_C_W at 2.42

    Ah. I see you are somebody who believes the continuous shite fed to the dafties in the anti-SNP press

  67. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Right thats it –

    BBC Scotland now conflating their own research with that of Scottish Labour.

    Rev have a close listen to Reporting Scotland news tonight

    sure thats what I heard.

    If thats the case its dynamite / no ?

  68. John
    Ignored
    says:

    Gordoz, just coming on to point out the Reporting Slabland report.
    The GP they got to speak has an interesting LinkedIn profile too.

  69. Albaman
    Ignored
    says:

    The B.B.C. has selective programming ?,
    You bet your life it has, this morning I tuned inti “call Kay” (Stevan Jardine standing in), I was somewhat late, about 09-20hrs, and there was this woman who phoned in, and layed into the B.B.C. via Steven Jardine,pointing out that Jackie Bird talked over the Reporting Scotland piece about Marhi Blacks maiden speech.
    Anyway, this evening I thought I’d listen to the first section of the program which I had missed, ah well, not quite as easy as that, yes on the “I player” I can listen to Good Morning Scotland, and also, from 12-00hrs, John Bettie, but surprise , surprise , ” Call Kay” has a technical fault, and will not download.
    Selective programming ?, you bet there is.

  70. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    The unionist media is becoming increasingly desperate – a good sign. The bbc has given up all pretence of political neutrality – everyone in Scotland knows where the bbc stands.

  71. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Cheers John : glad it was not just me !

    Rev – please have a look at Reporting Scotlands first story tonight shocker – GP / NHS yet again.

    Blatant / Blatant / Blatant

  72. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Aye! The labour party did the survey I heard early this morning on GMS and now it’s turned into a BBC investigation has found…etc etc.

    Like Wilson & Keppel and Betty could be queen.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq7DGvfnr3U

    PS
    Hear is a good read with a profile of some of our finest.

    https://archive.is/XjN10

  73. george
    Ignored
    says:

    well done john beattie for trying to make a positive difference; well done rev for setting this straight

  74. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Scotland are skint.
    Scottish Labour are skint.

    Yet between them they can muster up enough fees to cover the costs of a shite survey into Scottish GPs and then cover the costs of broadcasting it. Must have cost a few bob.

    It was another non-story but it done the trick. It got the headline story that the Scottish NHS is in crisis and that the SNP are bad.

    The “Bastards of BBC Scotland” pining for those good old days when Scottish Labour were king.

  75. broonpot
    Ignored
    says:

    Off Topic

    The BBC Reporting(Distorting) Scotland report at lunchtime and this evening about their latest NHS Scotland crisis interviewed Labour MSP Richard Simpson but “forgot” to say he was an MSP. He was introduced and subtitled as Dr Richard Simpson Labour Research.

    Presumably to trick the average non-political viewer that he took part in the BBC “investigation” as a medical researcher.

  76. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    “38 Degrees Logo
    Make sure 38 Degrees emails reach your inbox: add action@38degrees.org.uk to your contacts. If you would like to unsubscribe click here.

    Dear Numbnuts

    Our BBC is under attack. Today, the government announced plans to cut popular programmes, undermine its funding, and – worst of all – challenge its independence. [1]

    If we lose the BBC, we’ll be left with the likes of Rupert Murdoch controlling our news. The same media baron who’s had countless closed-doors meetings with David Cameron. [2] Unlike other parts of the media, the BBC is fiercely independent – and that’s exactly why the government is trying to dismantle it. [3]

    The government thinks it can tear our BBC apart by stealth – slowly slipping in cuts and changing the rules. But if hundreds of thousands of us create a huge public outcry now, we can show David Cameron it’d be a political disaster to destroy our BBC.

    Click here to sign the petition to save our BBC now – it takes 10 seconds to sign:”

    Nice. Like the “our BBC”

    The blue tories aren’t changing anything BBC, in Scotland the red and blue tories own the BBC.

    But where do I sign to have likes of Jakey Bird smirk UKOK rule Britannia at me, day in day out for the rest of this farce union?

  77. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    caz-m wrote:
    “I signed the petition regarding broadcasting. Every little helps, you never know until you try.”

    AYE, and so did many others, including myself, when the petition was first launched. And as far as i know, just like the rest of the Smith Commission submissions, it bypassed the negotiating room and was sent straight to the comedy props room 101 for safe storage.

  78. The Man in the Jar
    Ignored
    says:

    @call me dave

    Thanks! Always a bit of time for Wilson, Kepple and Betty.

    IMO still the funniest thing ever to be committed to celluloid since the move camera was invented. 🙂

  79. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s the rest of 38 degree thing.

    “38 Degrees members have worked together to fight for independence in the media before. In 2011 we stopped Murdoch from taking over BSkyB and boosting his influence further. [4] And one of the first campaigns 38 Degrees members won together stopped BBC 6 Music from being shut down. [5]

    These recent cuts and threats may seem small. But the BBC’s Charter is up for review next year, and the government seems to be building up to a huge attack that could cut to the heart of our BBC. So it’s vital we show the government that thousands of us are ready to rally around the BBC, and speak out against these cuts now.

    Let’s show the government they won’t get away with destroying our publicly-owned, world-renowned broadcaster. [6] Click here to sign the petition now:”

    SKY and the BBC are two cheeks of the same hard right arse. But at the very least I wont go to jail for not buying SKY. Going to jail for not paying for the BBC in Scotland creep show was never up for debate.

    Tory boys just kidded on that decriminalising non payment for BBC grot was a possibility but its just another day in teamGB, lies, waffle, sock puppetry, stuffed shirts, hundreds of thousand of high pay salaries for upper middle class UKOK life.

  80. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    We started out aiming to look after Scotland – now we have to educate and enlighten all of the British Isles, so be it.

  81. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    @Petra

    Thing about the BBC is
    They don’t care that WE can see right through them

    As long as their target audience doesn’t

    Like half my very nice but dim, damn elderly neighbours

    Talking to one yesterday who didn’t even know the SNP won the GE and were also the Scottish Government

    But here’s the thing, HE VOTED !!!

    Don’t need to tell you what

  82. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Tinto Chiel

    You don’t have to miss George Monbiot – most, maybe even all, of his Guardian articles also appear on his own website:

    http://www.monbiot.com

  83. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Wilson Kepple and Betty

    I believe there were four Betty’s over time

  84. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    HuffPost sneaks in an nasty attack via New Statesman. You see if you’re a woman with no children of your own, you’re really not fit for high office.

    https://archive.is/hSGtc

    To be fair to New Statesman creeps, that childless Sturgeon attack on Salmond and Sturgeon was well aired by the BBC in particular, during their ferocious Bettertogether campaigning.
    Very nasty, very dirty, very BBC.

  85. Cazador
    Ignored
    says:

    Apologies for the pedantry Stu, but the petition’s not on the Scottish Government’s website. It’s on the Scottish Parliament’s one. An important distinction that’s all too often missed.

    Aside from that minor criticism, great stuff as usual!

  86. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    A bit surprised there is anyone left in the SNP who expects the newspapers, especially the Scotsman, to do an honest article.

  87. arthur thomson
    Ignored
    says:

    On the subject of how the media distort the truth, I went on the net to let a friend hear Mahairi’s maiden speech. I just clicked on what I thought was the first link, which turned out to be a report from the Guardian containing a video of the speech. Except that it had been fillited, so anyone who unknowingly listened to it got no real idea of the power of the speech and would wonder why it was so popular. I found another link but only because I knew the truth and wanted my friend to know it. We really are in the middle of a propaganda war. Let’s win it.

  88. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr. Jim,

    In all fairness, if they watch BBC Scotland all the time, it would have been easy to overlook that.

  89. North Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    All day on radio Scotland and “surprise surprise” main story on
    ” Reporting North Britain” the propaganda channel continues with the
    unrelenting never ending attack on the health service in Scotland.
    The “anti Scottish government agenda continues unabated” The SNP
    should insist now at Westminster that control of broadcasting in Scotland
    is immediately devolved to Holyrood and that all ” licence fee revenue” raised
    in Scotland is available to be “spent” in Scotland .It is time for the “Westminster
    London lead propaganda war against Scotland ” to be finally brought to an end
    Including the suppression of our culture ,heritage and aspirations .
    This blatant and biased broadcasting corp. requires to be answerable to
    The people of Scotland.

  90. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    As I sit here in Maryland, head rocking uncontrollably like Angus Young, arm twitching like OJ Simpson’s arse at his murder trial, I overheard Bill O’Reilly commenting on two subjects in America that sounded like facsimiles of Britain;

    1. There is no real “news” anymore. Broadcasters & publishers are now driven to provide content to promote an agenda.

    2. Despite a booming stock market & a recovery in house prices (assuming you think a huge rise in cost of the most expensive purchase you will ever make is a bonus), wages for the average worker remain stagnant.

    The BBC’s agenda is the most obvious; maintain the status quo & continue to secure political support. Thus it remains in possession of authority to extort money from people through the TV License fee, from which it uses money to publish propaganda to further the neo conservative agenda.

    A massive shift in wealth accumulation has occurred since 2008. Corrupt banks who maintained cosy relationships with quangos & chief appointees, successfully persuaded the government to bail them out. With our money. Yet they continue to reap huge, incongruous bonuses while the general public are burdened will all the risks.

    Quantative Easing has done little to help small businesses. Instead, the Bank of England has issued billions in debt to banks who wrote IOUs to the treasury in exchange for currency they will never pay back.

    This money is used to purchase equities, property portfolios, commodities & gold. Thus, the price of stocks has risen dramatically.

    And because these investments have increased in value, the bankers get a handsome cash & equity reward. You and me get fuck all.

    Has anyone noticed the flaw in this model?

  91. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Stop Press

    Scotsman says tourism is up 10%

    Herald says tourism is down 10%

    Or is it the other way round

    Cameron has a meeting with the Head of the BBC every week and tells him what to do. Cameron appointed a Tory fraudulent banker as a head of the BBC. HSBC. They were letting people tax evade and letting crooks launder money through a Swiss subsidiary. Green was appointed to Cameron’s cabinet. Green was up in front of a committee the other day. They just get away with it.

    Channel 3 & 4 could be cut and programmes put on 1 & 2 instead of repeats.

  92. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dr Jim & @The Man in the Jar

    Aye well, that was entertainment from the 30’s to the 60’s 🙂
    Err..not that I was around then of course.

    Not so popular today just like the labour party

    PS
    I counted 10 Bettys altogether after you raised the issue looking at the wiki page (never knew that).

    PPS:
    Here are some real gems in among the Dross for the black and white movie fans, have a search spot the faces.

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX9_I-EOJPdFuOjcI2zkmTck55homHEBE

  93. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ heedtracker says at 3:58 pm ”Scottish secretary Fluffie Mundell pledged yesterday to introduce significant changes to the Scotland Bill…”

    Fluffie thinks he’s smart when he’s got the backing of a few hundred of his cronies at Westminster. He’s still to face the all-party Devolution Committee at Holyrood who supported the proposed amendments (100%) and explain why every amendment (so far) has been kicked into the long grass.

    In saying that I’ve just been reading (now borrowed) my neighbours Sun newspaper and wonder if he’s doing a U-turn? It states that ‘Mundell yesterday promised new powers for Holyrood including ending vetoes. He will bring substantive amendments to the Scotland Bill in the autumn …. officials were rewriting clauses.’ Nats MP Pete Wishart said ”Vetoes should never have been in the Bill in the first place.’ Have I missed something? Anyone on here aware that the ‘vetoes’ had been dropped?

    And a mention of EVEL. ‘The Government (Chris Grayling) revealed it has changed its proposals. All MPs will now be free to vote in decisions that affect block grants to devolved administrations in Scotland, N Ireland and Wales. He had listened to concerns of SNP and Labour after a shock Government defeat (290 votes) in a debate on the issue last week.’ This is followed by a great spiel from Pete Wishart getting right into their ribs (too lengthy to type here). The Sun also mentions that ‘although areas are devolved Holyrood funding is affected by spending decisions in England because of the Barnett Formula.’ An improvement on Daily Record spin.

    @ Robert Louis says at 5:39 pm ”I think it was the late Tony Benn, who made a point of plonking a dictaphone on the desk, whenever he was being interviewed. He did this, apparently, as he got so sick of journalists basically making things up.”

    Robert I never go into a meeting on my own if there is more than one person there, always take my dictaphone no matter what (yes plonk it in front of the person … depending on who it is) and even have a small personal covert camera that I use on occasions. I’ve had to replace them over time, they’re dirt cheap now and totally invaluable.

  94. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    G H Graham says:
    16 July, 2015 at 7:50 pm

    On the news tonight: MPs are to get their 10% pay rise. (The only time I have seen the HoC packed since the GE).

    Why, you ask? “Because we’re worth it!”. Such high quality MPs don’t come cheap, you know.

    Yep, we are all in this together.

  95. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    On the subject of misrepresenting, anyone remember this little gem from the BBC?

    http://tinyurl.com/pnctw26

  96. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    It will still be a criminal offence to watch live broadcast TV without a TV license.

    So, if a young mother with three kids (payments are being stopped for the third child) is down to the choice of paying her monthly TV license bill or buying food for her kids, what does she do?

    If she buys the food, she could go to jail.

    What a world we live in!

  97. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Harman decides to stick her left toe into the water …too late.

    https://archive.is/aqwW9

  98. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve just read Stephen Daisley’s supposed piece on Mhairi Black

    In my life I have never come across such avoidance of truth While pretending to praise young Miss Black he then brings up the bilge which was thrown her way by people exactly like himself
    Pretends to condemn it while making sure he condones it by highlighting and naming all his pals involved in the shit more than he actually tells the story he said he was going to tell in the first place

    Which was about Miss Black, but of course it wasn’t was it
    It was about Stephen Daisley an odious Oink hiding behind STV and pretending to be a journalist

    Now we’re not all great writers or journalists or authors
    But another thing we’re all not, is gullible idiots

    Don’t, just Don’t Eh?

  99. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra, yes UK.gov’s meant to be masters of tactics routinely outsmarting all comers but its hard to see where the tactics are with EVEL, let alone their Scotland bill/Vow shyste or even them bottling it over fox hunting. It looks like its up the BBC and the rest to keep everyone in the dark if you’re not that interested and completely flummoxed if you are.

    UKO.gov smoke and mirrors.

  100. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T
    Rejeka 0 V Aberdeen 1

    Link for the 2nd half.

    http://neolive.net/25227/1/Watch–HNK-Rijeka-vs-Aberdeen-FC–/

  101. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks, crazycat for the Monbiot link. TBF Suzanne Moore was also pretty good too.

    About to leave my shack in the Madonie mts. for Old Alba and watching BBC WS in all its ghastly UKOK glory. Ageing Lovely Boy shrill shill Tim Not- So-Nice-But-Dim still sticking it to Tsipras and The Left. Surprised he hasn’t called him the Greek Salmond.

    God, what a revoltingly smug, metrovincial channel. Ghoulishly fascinating in a boakfest way.

    Great living in The Last Colony, eh?

    Not for much longer, pop pickers.

  102. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    27 years since I was in Rijeka.

  103. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    N_T_C_W

    A few questions
    a) Do you like Germans?
    b) Do you find body art attractive?
    c) Do you have a taste for stale baguette?

    We can arrange a discreet introduction via a Wings contact.

  104. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Dr Jim says at 7:30 pm ”Petra … thing about the BBC is They don’t care that WE can see right through them. As long as their target audience doesn’t. Like half my very nice but dim, damn elderly neighbours. Talking to one yesterday who didn’t even know the SNP won the GE and were also the Scottish Government. But here’s the thing, HE VOTED !!! Don’t need to tell you what.”

    You’re right Dr Jim the BBC knows full well that there are thousands, more so hundreds of thousands, of people like your neighbours and some of mine too (not so elderly) out there hanging onto their every word. I think however that over the last couple of years or so they have become disconcerted about the growing numbers of people that can see right through them now and will not be too happy about us passing the word around such as on sites like this …. also people like Professor John Robertson facing up to them. The Internet and youtube are also chock full now of examples of their blatant bias and propaganda techniques … a damning indictment.

    I’m sure they’re not too pleased either knowing that we’ve got a better idea of who is who exactly and their relationship / s to say Labour Party politicians and so on.

    I’m optimistic of things changing in the near future for example if politicians such as Mundell and Cameron state that ‘Scotland will be the most powerfuly devolved Parliament in the World’ we should go ALL OUT to petition them by using words to that effect and listing other countries and states that have had broadcasting devolved to them. Maybe even march up and down outside Westminster with placards, lol.

    We HAVE to get broadcasting devolved to Scotland. It’s absolutely crucial that we do and I’m sure that many who visit this site would agree. We should get our heads together to see what we can come up with for example (for starters) what about fundraising sky write messages or use Air advertising … airplane or helicopter trailing a banner and flying as close to Westminster or Buckie as would be allowed (one company charges around £500 an hour). Contact foreign media and do this every week for a month or two. You never know someone might broadcast it. Get it onto youtube and give them a right showing up.

  105. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    Late in so only skimmed / speed read your comments , sorry .

    I’m gonna give John B the sympathy vote as his main objective was to raise the issue , not for his benefit, but for the benefit of a charity . The treatment he received is beyond belief perhalps Stuart will keep an eye on this journalist , expose another “misunderstanding”

    I have always thought Scotland is badly under reported in our MSM
    Off the top of my head I mention 2 names , I’m sure with a few mins I will recall hunners.
    What do you know about these superstars ?

    Kim Little ?
    Peter Nicol ?

    I admit it is a biased selection as they are both from Eiberdeenshire.

    In my opinion their success entitles them both to be a household name.
    I wonder how many , even on here , will need to google them to learn .
    I trust you get my point.

    Sorry OT
    I had to drive ooer the Lecht today and whilst traveling between Dulnain Bridge and Carrbridge I spotted at the corner of my eye a big painted sign “………The Wee Blue Book ……”
    Sorry to say I was tight for time so did not stop .
    Anyone here able to verify ?

  106. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Hold the front page!
    Harman drew her left toe out the water, see last sentence below.

    From the Herald…. whose new on-line layout I don’t like and if I still don’t like it next week I’m cancelling my subscription.

    ……………………………………………………..
    Harriet Harman has caved in to Labour MPs’ demands to be able to register a vote against elements of the Government’s welfare squeeze in a bid to quell a mounting revolt over her support for a tax credit curb.
    Under pressure from three of the four leadership contenders to reverse a decision not to oppose a reduced benefits cap and a two-child limit on tax credits, the interim leader will table a “wrecking” amendment to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.

    But she has made clear that, if it fails, MPs will then be expected not to vote against the progress of the legislation to detailed consideration, renewing warnings that Labour must “listen to the public concerns about welfare”. 🙂

  107. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    The Sun is lying there was no vote last week. Grayling just took it off the table until after the recess because there was so much opposition. 20 Tories would have opposed it, or voted against it if there was vote. Some Tories don’t want to break the Law. There was not going to be a vote because Cameron knew he would lose. He was trying to uses another scheme. ‘Standing Orders? To get it implemented, without a vote. Just like the unelected HoL is being allowed to change clauses in the Scotland Bill.

    Borderers who voted for Mundell should be black affronted. Mundell gets £130,000 salary + expenses. Imagine.

    Evil EVEL exists already. Scotland, alone, has only influenced the vote in Westminster 0.6%. Not even 10%. Cameron just used it to win an election.

    Changes have been made to stop women going to jail for non payments of TV licence.

  108. SOG
    Ignored
    says:

    Someone way up there posted…

    “Today the bbc in Scotland are leading with a lack of GPs in Scotland story.”

    Down here in the South of England there’s a shortage of GPs. Are they blaming the Tories for this?

  109. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Radio Scotland 10 O’Clock news was turned over to an unknown
    Un-elected Editor of the Tory Party web site to tear into SNP
    and their despicable threat of voting on the destruction of English Foxes.

    Was there a comment from SNP on this topic?
    Was there hell. It was a broadcast by the Blatant Biased Corrupt
    BBC.

  110. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    caz-m

    Someone caught watching live TV with no TV license fee is subject to a means tested fine. It is rarely £1,000 despite the threats issued on behalf of the BBC.

    Only when the defendant refuses to pay a fine previously determined by a court, would they face a judgment that requires a mandatory prison sentence.

  111. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotsman loose with the truth? – some things never change:

    https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/the-shame-of-the-press/

  112. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    G H Graham 10.21pm

    Thanks for clearing that up, still a VERY harsh punishment.

  113. Phil Robertson
    Ignored
    says:

    “The contrast between the Scottish media’s treatment of the two petitions is striking.”

    As is yours. There is an ad hominem approach that results in a complete lack of discussion of the two ISSUES, namely the loss of 100,000+ college places and the tension between promoting an anti-austerity ticket while running a £200 budget underspend.

    Why this shyness about discussing the performance of the Scottish Government?

  114. MJT
    Ignored
    says:

    @Tackety Beats

    I mentioned Kim Little on a radio show I did on Sunny G Radio a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been following her since she was at Arsenal Ladies and kept a close eye on her at Seattle Reign last season. She was shortlisted for BBC world player of the year..she didn’t win but hey ho there you go, I thought she should have won.

    She was top scorer in the Women’s Soccer League, and second in assists and won MVP of the month three months out of six. The games are streamed on youtube in full after the matches (at least they were last season.) She’s an amazing player. She was also one of two Scots to make the GB Olympic team. She doesn’t get as much coverage as she ought cos she’s surely an inspiration to any girl who wants to take the game up, and guys too cos she’s skillful, has great vision, can score from inside and outside the box.

  115. majestic12
    Ignored
    says:

    This is what I wrote to 38 Degrees regarding their petition to save our wonderful BBC:

    “Dear 38 Degrees,

    Having been forwarded your petition by a friend, I feel, as a supporter of previous 38 Degrees initiatives, that I have to say something.

    If you believe that the BBC is independent of state influence, that it is fair, accurate, informative and unbiased in its coverage of news and current affairs, then you at 38 Degrees are either woefully naive or wilfully disingenuous.

    In respect of impartial political coverage, the BBC, particularly in Scotland, is a national disgrace.

    Man cannot live by period dramas alone.”

    I have experience with being interviewed by news and current affairs programmes (not about politics) and the BBC were absolutely the most sleekit and dishonest. Curiously I received the fairest hearings on SKY and certainly on SKY News which is live, of course, and undistortable.

    I tired of the media quickly, though, and just proceeded with my research which was published in more sympathetic outlets. The media always has an agenda and it rarely involves accurate reporting.

  116. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks MJT @12.55 , you verify my point in you last sentence .

    I am grateful to you giving her some exposure on your Radio show.
    Does the Beeb or STV ever do likewise ?

    True Kim is known , but as you say, nowhere nearly as famous as she should be.

    Peter Nicol too was a World No 1 and at the top of the sport World wide for years yet seldom got more than a few lines in a paper. Even the P&J were scant with their reporting.

    Unfortunately , by the time I posted here , Wingers had generally moved to the next thread.

  117. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker says:7:35 pm

    “HuffPost sneaks in an nasty attack via New Statesman. You see if you’re a woman with no children of your own, you’re really not fit for high office.”

    I followed up on this Heedtracker – on the basis that I would be able to support your indignation. I read the article in The Huff followed by the piece in the New Statesman.

    To my reading, and certainly with respect to the article in the New Statesman, it seemed a pretty good examination of the facts, the difficulties and the unfairness and sexism – and absolutely the opposite of your “your (sic) note fit for high office” quote summation.

    So we disagree – again!

  118. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    The Scotsman ceased to be a newspaper the day Thompson Org. sold it to the loathesome Barclay brothers who installed Brillo Pad Neil in the old Scotsman Building.

    The job of turning it into a 100% full blown unuionist propaganda rag was completed whehn it was subsequently sold to Johnston Press.

    While making Births & Marriages available in their useless on-line edition Death Notices are only available to those who purchase the print edition and it’s a safe bet that fact is responsible for a goodly % of the few thousand remaining purchasers.

  119. tartanarse
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s a bit naïve. It’s the Scotsman.

    Hello, you’re an SNP fan, can we write a story for and about you in order to highlight something that you and no one else is interested in? We promise that the story won’t be twisted to suit our normal anti SNP agenda and that in this instance for no reason whatsofucking ever we’ve randomly picked you.

    Response. You are the Scotsman. Go and take a flying fuck to yourself, I’d rather dip my knob into lava than talk to your British servile rag and any of it’s non human staff.

    Same for BBC, DR and all the usual suspects.

  120. Tom Platt
    Ignored
    says:

    The “Scottish” media are digging their own grave with this anti-SNP rubbish that they print. We would be much less aware of it without the Rev’s efforts. If I am looking for an additional purchase to the National or the Sunday Herald these days, I will not now consider a purchase of The Scotsman or Scotland on Sunday at all. Even the Scottish Sun has apparently a much healthier towards SNP.

  121. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Tom Platt.

    Try the iScot. It’s a monthly magazine,

    http://iscot.scot/



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