Sydney has a sense of deja vu

[sharp9]

I reckon that was a fantastic reply from the editor. Full marks to him for responding in the manner in which he was addressed. But more importantly , full marks to him for telling the truth and not being ashamed of it.

The argument that might be applied is that 5% of their readers are Swans fans which compares reasonablly with Bulldogs, Hawks and Saints who are only round the 6-7% mark. Freo fans are under 1%.

His job is not to "print all the news that fit to print," his job is to print what sells.

[Bleed Red Blood]

I hate this kind of talk "what sells papers" we get the age delievered at my (dads) house, but when we buy the paper at my Mums we buy it regardless of what stories are in it, you can't even see the articles in the sport section until you open it.

[Gunn]

Originally posted by sharp9
I reckon that was a fantastic reply from the editor. Full marks to him for responding in the manner in which he was addressed. But more importantly , full marks to him for telling the truth and not being ashamed of it.

The argument that might be applied is that 5% of their readers are Swans fans which compares reasonablly with Bulldogs, Hawks and Saints who are only round the 6-7% mark. Freo fans are under 1%.

His job is not to "print all the news that fit to print," his job is to print what sells.

Firstly, the editor can say what he likes as can the vendor of any product. A person however, that doesn't want to alienate a (pote ntial) customer could at least use neutral non inflamatory language nothwithstanding the customers anger. It ought not be beyond the skill of a trained journalist/wordsmith to answer an angry customer with diplomatic language.

2. You are absolutely right that his job is to "sell" newspapers. We all tend to forget that point. Most of us feel that a "newspaper" should print the news truthfully, accurately and uncoloured. The "journalists" have promoted our misconceptions by pretending to be a "profession" with the ethics, guilelessness and selflessness that being a member of a profession implies. Their problem is that journalists have editors whose job it is to sell newspapers even on 'slow' news days. When it comes to selling newspapers they will never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Just keep the above in mind whenever you see a headline or newpaper column.

[Charlie]

How much do printing presses cost?

[NMWBloods]

A lot!

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by CureTheSane
Why in the hell would you make a newspaper that is 10ft x 8ft and you need a table for 4 just to be able to lay the thing out?

Its a great way to get some extra space on public transport - just start turning on of those pages when someone walks up to the empty seat beside you and then watch them look elsewhere for somewhere to sit!

[chammond]

Originally posted by Gunn
Firstly, the editor can say what he likes as can the vendor of any product. A person however, that doesn't want to alienate a (pote ntial) customer could at least use neutral non inflamatory language nothwithstanding the customers anger. It ought not be beyond the skill of a trained journalist/wordsmith to answer an angry customer with diplomatic language.

2. You are absolutely right that his job is to "sell" newspapers. We all tend to forget that point. Most of us feel that a "newspaper" should print the news truthfully, accurately and uncoloured. The "journalists" have promoted our misconceptions by pretending to be a "profession" with the ethics, guilelessness and selflessness that being a member of a profession implies. Their problem is that journalists have editors whose job it is to sell newspapers even on 'slow' news days. When it comes to selling newspapers they will never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Just keep the above in mind whenever you see a headline or newpaper column.

. . . . or yet another story about bloody Collingwood!

[Charlie]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
A lot!

Sigh... Murdoch media it is.

That man is the most powerful individual (not) in Australia.

[Glenn]

Sounds typical of the insular view the majority of people have to any AFL teams, that dare come from outside of Vic

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Charlie
Sigh... Murdoch media it is.

That man is the most powerful individual (not) in Australia.

It always helps when dad or grandpa or further back has started something for you - Murdoch, Packer, Fairfax, etc.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by Glenn
Sounds typical of the insular view the majority of people have to any AFL teams, that dare come from outside of Vic

That's not really insularity. I look in the SMH to see what they have about the Swans and they have pretty well something nearly every day. If you look in the Courier Mail it's all Lions. The West Australian would have you think that there are three teams in the comp - Dockers, Weagles and everyone else. But the worst is the Advertiser: I'd be surprised if it had mentioned the melee (this week's big news story) because no Crow or Power player was involved.

Newspapers are produced for their local audience. I'd be unhappy if the SMH was full of Dons and Pies articles at the expense of Swans stories. I think it was Tom Hanks who played an editor who exclaimed "But I don't live in the world, I live in New York".

And the staffer's response to the complaint mentioned earlier was fair enough. If the Swans win the flag or even the minor premiership, our recognition will go up a notch. Just as you rarely hear the words Adam Goodes without the prefix Brownlow medallist now. The only US basketball team I know is the Chicago Bulls and I've never lived in Chicago but even I had to read of their success with Michael Jordan (crap shoes though).

So you have to think of it from a news point of view. The news wasn't that the Swans won a final at AAMi stadium last year, it was that the minor premiers lost. We were very proud of beating the Aints - and justly so. But the news was that the Aints lost after winning 14 in a row.