IT'S a well-used tactic of any politician who comes under-fire for them to attack the source of their misery - in Tony Blair's case the media.
I'm not really surprised by his slating of journalists by likening them toi 'feral beasts'. But I would have had more respect if he'd done it years ago, not when he's got one foot out of the door of No 10.
The reason that didn't happen was because Blair knows you never bite the hand that feeds you. But because he doesn't need them any more, he's let them have it with both barrels which, to be honest, is a cowardly way to go about things.
However, I don't entirely disagree with the thrust of what he says, but I wish he'd have inserted the word 'national' when slagging the media off.
As a local hack, I've lost count of the number of times I've been tarred with the same brush as a national hack and at witnessed first hand their bull-in-a-china-shop tactics.
They're quite happy to come in, turn everyone over, upset your best contacts, get their story and begger off back to London before you can say M25. For us poor souls in the provinces, life is a lot different.
We get to know people over many years and have built up good working relationships with many. Organisations like the council/hospital/police etc know that from time-to-time they'll get critcised but they accept it as par for the course.
Unfortunately the cynicism in this country (of which the actions of Blair & Co have added to) means that a reporter from the Village Bugle is, in the public's eyes, no different to a News of The World hack. Believe me, there's a world of difference.
Local papers are the lifeblood of communities and research constantly shows they're among the most trusted forms of media.
Okay, from time to time, we make mistakes in print but because of the cynicism of people, a lot are convinced that we've done it on purpose to suite some kind of hidden agenda.
Well, I hate to smash any conspiracy theories but our agenda is simple - to keep readers well-informed and entertained with accurate information. And in the Advertiser's case, we've been doing it week in week out since 1853.
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Rain Man wrote...
David, I find the local press very informative and as for Bliar he wasn't complaining when the same feral press was hounding John Major out of office was he.
Irag, Cash for Peerages, The Dogdy Dossier Dr David Kelly affair, Bernie Ecclestone, come off it Bliar you've been found out and it hurts
Posted by: Rain Man | June 13, 2007 5:11 PM