As the FT reports his morning:
About a decade ago, I helped make a BBC documentary on the Barclay Brothers, working with John Sweeney. I admit that their family's loss of control of these papers would cause me no distress, but it is important to note two things about this report.
First, Lloyds has not yet taken control.
Second, if it does, the Telegraph will survive, as will the Spectator. It is the parent company that is in trouble, not the operating companies.
So, what is most likely is that The Telegraph and Spectator will get new owners. So, the real question of the morning is how will the fit and proper status of those new owners be appraised?
I happened for once to agree with a member of the Windsor clan yesterday, when the Duke of Sussex told a court that the state of our press has much to do with the state of this country, which would not be in the mess it is in but for the dire state of the press that had failed to hold ministers and others to account.
Who could do that job whilst owning these right-wing rags? The Telegraph was once a worthwhile paper, even if I did not agree with it way back when it was my father's paper of choice when I was a teenager. Now it is amongst the worst of the gutter press.
Is there anyone who could make money and save this paper from itself, those who use it to peddle falsehoods and a readership who appear to lap such nonsense up?
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How about it being taken on by the government and a Citizens’ Jury is sorted out to oversee it? -Probably should be done with all the loss-making newspapers (which is all of them?) … ?
Like you Richard I was impressed, despite being a lifelong Republican, by the written analysis submitted by Prince Harry of the utterly corrupt coalition of right-wing newspaper owners, the rich and the Tory party that permanently control and run this country entirely for their own benefit.
However, while you can understand the man’s anguish at being labelled just another Royal thicko, you have presume that it was written by somebody for him. Much like the written statements of Rupert Murdoch.
The cross examination and his live TV performances suggest, overall, that he has depth of his own
Dare I say that we need a new regulatory regime of some sort for all media outlets?
The late great Robin Williams thought that politicians should be like racing car drivers and other sports people with their clothes having their sponsors sown or printed on to them so that you could see who was funding them. Parliament would be like brand catalogue – but at least we could see eh?
Every news outlet should have statement about their political bent and declaring it maybe?
But I go back to a fundamental in this in that anything approaching fascism should not be tolerated – perceived threats should be based on facts and any dialogue turning one social group against another should be silenced and prosecuted – their should be no means of persecution at all from any political perspective – it just gets in the way of facts big and small and proper discussion and resolution.
I feel that all media organisations should only be owned by a collective of their journalists / writers / presenters.
No individual should be allowed to own a media organisation, no foreign (non UK passport holder or tax payer) person or organisation should be allowed to own a media organisation.
Their political standpoint doesn’t matter, so long as those doing the writing / presenting are the owners.
Harry Windsor appears to have thought a lot about the problem. Isn’t he in need of a job?
No, perhaps not a good move, after all 🙂
But he and you are correct, in my book.
Actually, I was wondering if the company that owns Kleenex or say another toilet roll manufacturer might step in and take it over – it’s about all the Telegraph is good for these days.
I can’t stand the press reviews on TV that continually lead with right wing views. This is usually followed up within the programme. I read The Morning Star for some balance. They are not allowed to be part of this charade due to “low circulation”. Why not Byline Times or other views from online.