Alex Salmond taking over Scotsman

[Haggis_trap]

Small steps - this could be game changing.
Smart move ?

Alex Salmond bids to chair Johnston Press newspaper group

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-41848331

[Toepoke]

Mentioned this on the newspaper thread yesterday.

Scotsman editor is certainly not impressed...

http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/frank-o-donnell-protecting-the-scotsman-s-independence-is-paramount-1-4603601

 

[Haggis_trap]

5 hours ago, Toepoke said:

Scotsman editor is certainly not impressed...

Probably for political reasons - Plus he would be the first one to pick up his p45 ;-)

However all media sources are biased.  Open deceleration of interest more honest than pretend neutrality.

Christen Ager-Hanssen  was on radio this morning - talked some good sense about how to revive and make money out of print media in digital age.  Plus there is surely room in the market for a pro-indy respected title ?  The National, whilst welcome, is often seen as party political broadcast and lacks heritage.

 

[Toepoke]

I heard the Norwegian chap too. Certainly sounded up for it.

I think if the Scotsman became pro independence it would probably mean the end for the National.

 

[Parklife]

39 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

it would probably mean the end for the National.

 

Fingers crossed. An embarrassing publication. 

[Haggis_trap]

15 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Fingers crossed. An embarrassing publication. 

So long as *all* the other titles on shelf are anti-independence the National plays important role.

As mentioned above : a declared bias / position is more honest that pretend neutrality.
It is important to realize all media sources have their agenda.  The National is no more biased in its political outlook than the Telegraph or Guardian.

[PapofGlencoe]

The National is a joke and i'm pro-independence.

A broken record with a deaf ear.  Boring as well.

I wouldn't buy a paper because I agree with the editorial stance but for the quality of the writing - often opinion pieces I disagree with plus extra, non-political content.

I think Salmond wants to maintain a genuinely respected newspaper scene in Scotland.  You need serious journalism like the Herald, Sunday Herald, P&J etc.  Scotsman has declined and needs revived.

 

[Parklife]

45 minutes ago, Haggis_trap said:

So long as *all* the other titles on shelf are anti-independence the National plays important role.

As mentioned above : a declared bias / position is more honest that pretend neutrality.
It is important to realize all media sources have their agenda.  The National is no more biased in its political outlook than the Telegraph or Guardian.

So the defence is "but, but, but what about all the other biased papers with moron journalists"? 

Belter. 

[Haggis_trap]

13 minutes ago, Parklife said:

So the defence is "but, but, but what about all the other biased papers with moron journalists"? 

Belter. 

^ Yip : the National is openly biased towards specific political goal.  It is not a secret and they don't hide it .  Actually they advertise it is as their unique selling point.  Of course it is an "echo chamber" - but if you don't like it then don't buy it. 

Your sticking head in sand if you believe any media source / political commentary or opinion piece is entirely unbiased.  Almost all are written with target demographic in mind.  Indeed the ones that pretend to be neutral are the most dishonest.

Personally my main complaint about the National isn't the open and honest bias in favor of independence.   Rather I am not huge fan of the metro style / simplistic short story format  - after 5 minutes there is not much of a read (... though I could make that accusation against other titles too).

Edited November 3, 2017 by Haggis_trap

[Parklife]

6 minutes ago, Haggis_trap said:

- but if you don't like it then don't buy it. 

I don't  

I'd maybe think about it if they had some decent journalism or analysis. I'm pro-Independence but i'm able to look at issues objectively and criticise pro-Indy parties/Politicians when required. The content in The National is nothing but cheer leading. 

6 minutes ago, Haggis_trap said:

Your sticking head in sand if you believe any media source / political commentary or opinion piece is entirely unbiased.  Almost all are written with target demographic in mind.  Indeed the ones that pretend to be neutral are the most dishonest.

I've not referenced any other publications. So you've just plucked that assertion from your bahookie. 

[Haggis_trap]

^ The fact remains - all media sources are biased and aimed at target demographic.
At a very basic level there is nothing wrong with a title that is a cheer leader for Scottish independence so long as that bias is openly declared.  The left-wing (guardian) and right-wing (times / torygraph) have had their own titles for hundreds of years. 

Which title do you believe deals with topic of Scottish independence entirely subjectively and consistently ?  I would say none of them... Maybe that is why media sales are in permanent decline and more people are looking to blogs / internet for their opinion pieces ?

 

[Haggis_trap]

p.s politics by its very nature is about "cheer leading" a specific cause, agenda or ideal.

 

[Parklife]

47 minutes ago, Parklife said:

So the defence is "but, but, but what about all the other biased papers with moron journalists"? 

Belter. 

What i do not require is educated on the political bias of the media  Thanks none-the-less. 

I'll just refer you back to my first post, quoted again above.  

I have higher goals for the Independence movement than just being the same but on the opposite of of the fence from everything pro-Union. Clearly you and other folk in favour of the National do not. 

5 minutes ago, Haggis_trap said:

^ The fact remains - all media sources are biased and aimed at target demographic.
At a very basic level there is nothing wrong with a title that is a cheer leader for Scottish independence so long as that bias is openly declared.  The left-wing (guardian) and right-wing (times / torygraph) have had their own titles for hundreds of years. 

Which title do you believe deals with topic of Scottish independence entirely subjectively and consistently ?  I would say none of them... Maybe that is why media sales are in permanent decline and more people are looking to blogs / internet for their opinion pieces ?

 

 

[DoonTheSlope]

Apart from after the Scottish cup win I can't say I've bought a paper for years other than the sun when on a long bus or train journey.

When Kenny Millar was writing for them his stuff on Hibs was more often than not spot on, maybe due to the fact his brother is/was working for Hibs. Next transfer window we'll see though

Tin hat on

Edited November 3, 2017 by DoonTheSlope

[Haggis_trap]

10 minutes ago, Parklife said:

What i do not require is educated on the political bias of the media  Thanks none-the-less. 

I'll just refer you back to my first post, quoted again above.  

I have higher goals for the Independence movement than just being the same but on the opposite of of the fence from everything pro-Union. Clearly you and other folk in favour of the National do not. 

 

^ Now we are just going in circles :-) 

If you are so easily offended by open and declared political bias in favor of independence then the unionists really have got you fooled.  Politics has always been a game of advocacy and cheer leading specific agenda.  This is nothing new ;-)

This doesn't mean I cant personally be critical of the independence movement / SNP <etc>  that is entirely different issue to media bias.  On the rare occasion I buy newspaper it could the National, Guardian or Telegraph.  I do so knowing what to expect from each.

[Parklife]

5 hours ago, Haggis_trap said:

^ Now we are just going in circles :-) 

If you are so easily offended by open and declared political bias in favor of independence then the unionists really have got you fooled.  Politics has always been a game of advocacy and cheer leading specific agenda.  This is nothing new ;-)

This doesn't mean I cant personally be critical of the independence movement / SNP <etc>  that is entirely different issue to media bias.  On the rare occasion I buy newspaper it could the National, Guardian or Telegraph.  I do so knowing what to expect from each.

Now you’ve just made up that I’m offended. I never even intimated that, never mind said it. 

I merely said I hope The National disappears as it’s an embarrassment and it’s easy for critics to use it to demean the independence movement. 

[Haggis_trap]

Quote

I merely said I hope The National disappears as it’s an embarrassment and it’s easy for critics to use it to demean the independence movement. 

^  You never answered my question about which title treats the issue of Scottish independence objectively.  The key selling point & statement made by the National is its declared bias in favor of independence.  For that point I am alone I am in favor of it.  Unlikely it will change anyone's vote - however there is clearly a market for it so good on them.  It is patronising to pretend all those reading it aren't aware of the blatant editorial position :-)

Either way : this topic is about wee fat 'eck taking over the Scotsman.  I think I would an interesting and progressive shift for the independence movement (... assuming you still believe printed press still holds sway in the internet era!).  Mainly because the Scotsman has long history and heritage.  Interestingly Christen Ager-Hanssen 's main motivation seems to be making profit from digitising some of their content / information - so the brand could become very different if modernised.

Edited November 4, 2017 by Haggis_trap

[Gala Tartan Army (Borders)]

The Scotsman ,or "Britisher" been a disgrace since The Barclay Brothers and Andrew Neil took it over . They lost readers like snow off a dyke as they slagged off anything remotely Scottish. John "Bulldog" Beattie was one of the worst offenders slagging us off when  we were on strike .

I still buy it but judging by the  editorials and letters page it  is still  targeting the English settler and Scottish Tory readership.

Change has to come soon , or the paper will go bust !