Framing the debate
Headlines can be the bane of a writer’s life. Often – including on this site – an article will go out with a different title to the one the author originally envisaged, as part of the subbing process. Occasionally (if the sub-editor or editor isn’t very good at their job) the title can be one which the author feels misrepresents what they’ve written.
We have no idea whether or not that’s the case with a column in today’s Scotland On Sunday, penned by folk singer Karine Polwart, which goes under the eye-catching headline “Why I’ll vote Yes despite the SNP”. We’ll simply observe that there’s a fairly important word in that title which doesn’t appear at all in the actual article – and that indeed the thing the word describes is not referred to, or even obliquely implied, anywhere in the author’s words – and leave you to arrive at your own conclusions.
Ouch …hangover this morning!!
I attended a wedding last night, and the talk of independence came up at one point. I, of course, said I would be voting ‘Yes’ and stated the reasons as to why Scotland would be fine post-indy. Surprisingly, some folk said they don’t like, or didn’t agree with the SNP, but they did say that they would probably vote ‘Yes’ because Westminster offers nothing. They are absolutely pig-sick with the bankers getting massive bonuses for the 5th year running since the collapse of 2008, and yet, the fraud continues (Libor, anyone!!).
I take heart from that. There is a growing swing towards the ‘Yes’ vote, and it is now coming from the non-SNP wing. Labour supporters have had enough. They want change. They are demanding change, and yet, Lamont, Darling and Davidson continue to patronise them with no reasons at all, yet say that being in the Union is a good thing.
Now…where’s the paracetamol …..groan….
I read that last night and then, thinking that I must be tired, had to Ctrl-f. Nope, it’s got nothing to do with the article.
WTF! An excellent article debased be a nasty negative headline. NO mention of “despite” or as far as I could judge no mention of the SNP. Obviously the devious B—–DS on the editorial staff have been up to their evil deeds. What next “Alex Salmond loves his wife despite her having feet”
Ach! I’m away for a walk tae cool doon.
My usual beef (horse?) with bogus headlines is that there will always be people who only read the headline, or accept the headline and then reject any actual content which contradicts it, or ignore an article if the headline conflicts with their world view. In this case, I’d be happy for those people who don’t intend to vote ‘Yes’ because they won’t ‘vote for the SNP’ to just read and remember the headline. I’d be happier if they went on to read a very good argument for ‘Yes’, but I’d settle for a few people waking up to the difference between ‘SNP’ and ‘YES’.
For those that don’t follow such things Karine Polwart is a wonderful, talented and progressive Scottish folk singer. I suggest you take a look on Youtube for her inspirational song “I’m going to do it all” Adopted by many primary schools across Scotland. Better than that buy/listen to the album “Scribbled in chalk”. Karine sings in a beautiful Scottish accent. (Recommend the last track “Follow the Heron”)
Going by the content of her songs I would certainly expected that she would be a yes voter.
The SoS knows exactly what they are doing. However do they not understand that high profile people that are miss quoted don’t mention it to friends and colleges? It will just make such people wary of what they say or write. And to promote the idea that the MSM is hostile to independence. This sort of behaviour turns such people to the Yes campaign. On one hand keep it up. On the other it makes me so angry.
@ Amanayeman
‘NO mention of “despite” or as far as I could judge no mention of the SNP’
Indeed. In fact a far more accurate title would have been ‘Why I’ll vote Yes because of UKIP’.
Yes, it is one of those instances, seen quite often in the press, but in the Scotsman/SoS especially, where the headline bears no relation to what is printed. It is specifically done in this instance to damage the SNP and the independence cause, but I think they have blundered. What the headline shouts out is that – YES, it is okay to vote for an independent Scotland despite not liking the SNP!
it was also discussed by the usual suspects on the wireless this very morning – there is a groundswell, and it s growing
I read the article and found it very iniring, the headline many actually make it more read as people talk about it.
im my comment about the article on the hoots mans website, I said it was inspiring and it did have a message for the YES campaign that we do want a better society, not just more of the same in a different guise. I did find some of the othe comment about he, very insulting.
Derek Bateman talked about the article on his programme this morning but the headline was what they were talking about. Perhaps the BBC and the hootsman have done us a favour as hopefully, the article will be read more widely? Perhaps the YES website should run it or even on WoS?
This is Karine’s response as posted on Facebook this morning.
“Full text of my wee rant in favour of Yes Scotland in today’s Scotland on Sunday. For clarity, the title is not mine. If I’d wanted to frame my piece as an explicit go at the SNP then I would’ve done so. YES Scotland is not a covert SNP operation. I believe the independents, Greens, socialists, and growing number of pro-Indy Labour and Liberal activists (bless if they’re are any of the latter left) must shape that agenda too. Anyway, here’s to more voices being heard, and more proper heartfelt and visionary exchange between us about what’s WRONG, and why, and what might fix it (whether you think Independence is a possibler answer or not).”
Sure as God made little green apples it’s a foregone conclusion that the Scotsman will take any opportunity they can to take a swipe at the SNP!
Have just posted a comment on Karine’s website asking her to protest to the paper and demand a correction. It seems she’s already aware of the problem but I hope she takes the next step.
The more these bastards are not allowed to get away with this shit, the less chance they have of, eh … getting away with this shit.
No more rolling of the eyes and ‘Ach, what are they like, eh?’ – Let’s take them on each and every time.
Right. Now I”M away for a walk to calm down.
I see the YES website has already posted Karine’s article.
I do like her response on Facebook, thanks for that Heather.
I’m sure this article and headline will have the opposite effect entirely to what the SOS editorial interferers meant it to do
THE SUNDAY MAIL (NOT THE MAIL ON SUNDAY) IS READ BY MORE THAN TEN TIMES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO READ SOS.
IF ANYBODY DOUBTS WHICH WAY THE TIDE IS RUNNING THEY SHOULD READ THE EDITORIAL IN TODAY’S SUNDAY MAIL.
STU CAN YOU REPRODUCE IT HERE?
“This is Karine’s response as posted on Facebook this morning.”
Where can her response actually be found? I can’t see it on the Yes site or on her personal FB page. Facebook links are horrible things.
Do you think their subhuman… sorry, sub-editors are given the specific task of ensuring everything says something negative about the SNP? Or are their views so entrenched that they simply see everything through a prism of anti-SNP feeling?
Either way, things like this reveal the inherent bias of the paper. Never mind the plethora of anti-indy articles – it’s when they’re supposed to be trying to be balanced (as with this series of articles) and yet still reveal little chinks in the armour that prove the bias is very much alive.
“SHOULD READ THE EDITORIAL IN TODAY’S SUNDAY MAIL.
STU CAN YOU REPRODUCE IT HERE?”
I’m on the case, Dave. No need to shout.
🙂
Very heartened by the response yesterday to our Yes street presence in Alloa. Most folk were keen to get info, with very few hostile to our approach. In the space of three hours we actually signed up over fifty names. I really believe we are on our way to independence.
Where can her response actually be found? I can’t see it on the Yes site or on her personal FB page. Facebook links are horrible things.
Her comment came up on my home page in the news feed. it’s also on her profile page. i’m not very good on computers but I’ll try giving you a link to her page.
You can delete the link if necessary if I’m infringing on Karine’s privacy by posting this!!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/kpolwart
Heather – she has posted on twitter.
I have a different take on the ‘despite the SNP I will be voting Yes’ article in the SoS. Alas the circulation of the paper is so low these days but to those who are not supportive of the SNP this might make them think ‘I do want to Yes but would still not consider voting SNP’. It could shift a good few votes our way. If Labour for Independence or LD for Independence can get a purchase on the folk that vote Labour/LD but sympathetic to Indepence, it would produce helpful groundswell of opinion.
The link appears dead to me, though I am not on Facebook, if that makes a difference.
Thanks Marcia .. It was actually the Rev who was wondering where her comments could be found .. maybe I should have “framed” his question in quotation marks!!
Hehehe!!
Cameron. – the link works for me. I reckon you must have to be on Facebook to access it??
If you think it stops there for the Sundays, check this story out.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/17/scottish-history-so-neglected?commentpage=1
Mr McKenna has dropped the ‘Q’ bomb in his article.
The headline bears absolutely no relation to the article at all. When I read the article I could not see or find any reference to the SNP whatsoever. It is just blantantly biased, dire journalism.
The SoS headline was either very stupid, or very clever, depending on the real intent of the editor. It certainly did Yes Scotland a great favour. The message is clear: You don’t have to like the SNP to support an independent Scotland. Perfect.
Yes, the headline is dire. Either they don’t have a sub-editor or that person was told what to write by the editor. Really, a positive piece on someone’s move to vote YES and this ‘newspaper’ trashes the goodwill and respect of the author by giving her a most, and deliberate, misleading heading. The sourness that exists in the Hootsman building is utterly pathetic.
This is the best sentence in Kevin Mckenna’s piece in the Guardian
“It is a consequence of the pernicious neglect of Scottish history by generations of educationists who were acting as wretched Scottish Labour party ("Quizmaster" - Ed)s.”
And time to remember perhaps the words of Don Roberto
“The enemies of Scotland are not the English, for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination”
@Dave McEwan Hill
A great quote and a favourite of mine. I reckon Kevin may be getting a few phone calls from un-named Labour party officials this week. 🙂
macart
And the portents continue to improve. I wish I had noticed “Crafty Roberto” in the 2.30 at Market Rasen. It won at 16/1 followed in second place by a cuddy called “No To Trident” at 20/1
@Dave McEwan Hill
Damn, its always the way. Spotted too late for a flutter. 😀
The real portent, I think, was the last few polls of 2012 and the first one of 2013. The huge dip in the fortunes of the independence vote expected from a year of flag waving did not occur, the core support stayed rock solid. Worse, a leaching of support from solid no to don’t know and undecided became marked. Publishers and broadcasters, who all answer to banks and boards, are taking note. If the best we can hope for is an even playing field from them over the next 18 months then good enough. If one or two go full tilt for support even better. But there is definitely a hint of change in the wind.
Gms on the bbc radio Scotland this morning was so biased, Ian still furious. I think they are deliberately getting worse. I think the producers are want us to take the bait. Does anyone think next weeks rally will change their minds. And after indepenedence where will all those bastards in bbc Scotland hide? They remind me of the collaborators in France when the nazis invaded the country, they were all hunted down one by one!!!.
I would rather that the rally was in govan and marched on bbc headquarters. We really need to get a stronger message put across to them.
Before I say anything else, I am just as pissed off about the press as the next person but here’s how I see it.
The press will always report with impartiality when it comes to reporting on Mr’s Paterson’s cat being stuck up a tree but that’s where it ends.
The press are not the guardians of free speech and balance we assume.
Every MSM provider is a commercial entity driven by a market and hungry shareholders. They will cater for their perceived market and no amount of sabre rattling and foot stomping will throw the top brass off course.
All polls suggest that the country is still sitting on a no vote (whether we agree with them or not) so the MSM will cater for the biggest market.
Now, let’s look at the last set of polls showing a definite swing towards a yes vote. Isn’t it strange how the editorial of the Sunday Mail has somewhat swung with it?
This is not down to a sudden change of heart by the editor or that something profound has happened. It’s the market taking control.
In short, let’s not berate them too much. The key to turning the press in our favour is to manipulate the polls in our favour. This can be acheived by getting out there and getting the punter on the street to buy in to a yes vote. The press will follow the market 🙂
The exception to this rule though is the state funded BBC. It has no shareholders and no market to satisfy. It can produce and broadcast what it likes safe in the knowledge that it will receive a licence fee come hell or high water. It is quite apparent that it has an agenda and this will not change.
Please join your local Yes group if you haven’t already done so, get out their and spread the positive message.
The media (minus the BBC) will follow you!!