Someone wrote on Facebook yesterday that instead of continually reporting about the economic meltdown, the Press ought to be writing about fields of kittens and bumble bees instead. An excellent suggestion - although some of you might remember that I wrote here some time ago about the demise of the bumble bee and how it heralds the end of the world. According to Einstein, if bees disappear from the world (and it would seem they might, if we're not careful), then mankind has two years left on the planet.Notwithstanding that, I prefer to talk things up, rather than down - unlike those bloody doom-merchants at the BBC. I always switch on to the 'Today' programme on Radio 4 in the mornings, but I'm considering changing to the levity of Terry Wogan's programme instead. This morning's newsreader seemed almost to be revelling in the details of the latest developments (recession, unemployment figures etc.). It's as if the editorial bosses enjoy piling on the misery, day by day. We're only just taking our first, faltering steps into the sunlight following the sheer horror of the banking collapse last week, and we're just beginning to feel cautiously optimistic that the worse may be over, when wham! They hit us with more black portents. Don't they realize that by deliberately labouring these points they cause further nervousness within the markets, and very soon everything will start to topple once more? Do they know nothing about collective psychology?
I'm not advocating a total 'head in the sand' approach by any means, but for fuck's sake – can't they head up the news with something more positive and then slip in a bit of bad news at the end as a rider? I'm convinced that these news wallahs actually choose to broadcast these omens of catastrophe with malicious relish. I think that HM The Queen should quickly pass a law that forces the BBC to begin all news broadcasts with such items as: "A field of kittens has recently been discovered just outside Oxford..."
So, Tally Ho everybody! Don't listen to those harbingers of misfortune – they're just pathetic souls who probably spend their tea-breaks stabbing compasses into each other for entertainment. I can even report my own good news today – as I write, the plumbers are actually here, in my apartment, sorting out my leak. I shall soon be having my first shower in five weeks! Hurrah!
2 comments:
I'm surprised at your lack of understanding of our impoverished and long time doomed industry. We, the press, have been facing crisis for decades; of course we'll revel in the failure of another. Especially one that doesn't hold dear any of the things we do and yet has a reasonable hold over our agendas. And one that can cry on the state for help when things go wrong while if we follow the same course follow censorship and restraints on our creativity. Down with the fat cats! Long live the independent press!
I have argued for the removal of censorhsip for decades - well, that was until the NOTW hacked into Max Mosely's life (an odious man, I am sure - but he deserves some privacy as we all do). But surely, reporting on the failure of one industry does not ameliorate the shortcomings of your own? All I am saying is that the press's continual efforts to obfuscate the psyche of the nation is a misue of your responsibilities. Now, how about that field of kittens...?
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