Then they came for the Telegraph, and there was no one left to speak out. Did Margaret Thatcher license Militant, or even The Guardian? Would a Government veto over the ownership of newspapers be an acceptable proposition in the United States? If there is a Labour Government, then what is so "influential" about the Telegraph?
If the Emiratis and the Chinese can own absolutely anything else that they happened to fancy in Britain, soon to include even England's NHS, then why not a couple of small circulation newspapers? Of which other private business might the staff be allowed to choose the owners? I had heard that we now had a King Charles, but who died and made Charles Moore King? And if the Telegraph is this important, then why not save the indispensable voice of the "free" market by nationalising it?
And whatever happened to proprietors having no overall control?
ReplyDeleteIf you mean no editorial control, then whatever, indeed? Why does it matter who owns it if "nobody tells me what to write"?
DeleteWhy does it matter who owns it if "nobody tells me what to write"?
ReplyDeleteBecause it’s editorial freedom wouldn’t survive a takeover by the kind of countries that don’t have a free press, that’s why.
These people would have us believe that they were highly employable and entrepreneurial. Why would they not just go elsewhere, or set up on their own?
DeleteNewspapers are more than their employees-the Telegraph is a respected newspaper with centuries of heritage and therefore excellent sources, and that can’t be replicated by any one journalist.
ReplyDeleteThe Telegraph just broke the story that brought down the DG of the BBC as they broke the MPs expenses scandal and the Times broke the story of Muslim gang grooming (all stories the BBC etc wouldn’t touch).
That’s why they’re so important.
This newspaper clearly is not more than its employees, who are apparently so important.
DeleteIf there is a Labour Government, then what is so "influential" about the Telegraph?
ReplyDeleteThat's as stupid as saying "if there's a Republican administration, what is so influential about the New York Times?"
And of course having newspapers that disagree with the government of the day is the essence of a free press.
Donald Trump does not (yet) think that he should decide who was allowed to own The New York Times, and nor do the writers on that paper.
DeleteI’m personally happy we’re preventing some Arab despotism crushing our free press.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am happy that you are happy.
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