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Why am I so sceptical?

Have you noticed that on slow news days the media run more health stories? Picture the scene, journalist told to find something to fill column inches so journalist leafs through BMJ, finds something, sex's it up a bit and submits to editor. Meanwhile, readers sometimes do indeed beleive what they are viewing or reading.
 
Those two papers are, in my opinion, not really newspapers but there must be a market for the **** they recycle....
 
I used to be news reporter back in my 20s, God that was more than 30 years ago now - anyway - we already had the story almost written before we would interview anyone and interviewing was just to substantiate the story that our news director told us to tell. It's all about entertainment - sometimes you get an honest story but those are far and few between - what really annoys me is when the reporter tries to get someone to cry or have some other emotional outburst on camera - that's not journalism that's voyeurism.

Better stop there - I'm starting to pontificate ... LOL
 
Last time I read a newspaper I found the TV guide to be fairly honest and reliable.
Seriously though I have been in a position where I have contributed or have known the real story behind what actually goes to print. It is scary what actually makes it to print and is then taken as gospel by people who are none the wiser.
 

I was just about to reply, "Many of these stories are held on stock, especially the ones with little to no sources or quotes" - pre-written chump feed for the masses to ensure the double-page spread of whatever scandal is being thrown about remains in the centre of the paper.

I used to be quite bitter about the state of the press. These days I tend to think if people want to get their healthcare advice from newspapers populated with pictures of women in bikinis (or less), that's up to them. You get what you pay for.
 
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