An hour of honesty at the Daily Mail
Image: Crowdwish.
Have a good look at the picture above. If you click on it, you should get a larger version.
The sign it depicts was erected on the wall of the Daily Mail offices in London yesterday by an organisation calling itself Crowdwish (@crowdwish – “The most popular wish of the day actioned. Today, tomorrow and forever.”) and the tweet accompanying this picture stated: “For one – very satisfying – hour the sign below adorned The Daily Mail offices this afternoon.”
The blogpost accompanying the picture explained that it was in response to a wish that the media would focus more on the good things that happen in the world.
“The fact is that bad news sells; negative events cause spikes in TV ratings, sales of papers to rise and increases in traffic online,” the article continued – and this is fair comment; Vox Political‘s own highest reader figures have been generated by disasters like the passing of the Gagging Law.
The article explained: “Man’s (and women’s) most primeval survival skill is to stay out of harms way; to be alert to threats or danger, and our brains are therefore hardwired to be highly responsive to negative stimuli. Bad is stronger than good because bad is inherently more threatening.
“As a result the media cater very directly to that powerful physiological reaction, giving us more of that which we fixate on and respond to, resulting in a slant towards negative news.”
The article went on to quote a specific example: “a very comprehensive list of all things that the Daily Mail have claimed ‘may’ cause cancer. The list includes water, soup, wearing flip flops and switching on the bathroom light at night.
“It’s more hilarious than offensive but led us to want to have a cheap laugh at the Mail’s expense this afternoon, it being Friday and all.
“So we made a faux-marble sign that we thought displayed a more accurate depiction of the Mail’s true editorial values, and sent someone – dressed as a workman in hard had and Hi Vis vest – to fix it to the side of their building in Kensington.
“Amazingly, it was a full hour before somebody noticed and removed it.
“Yes, we know the Daily Mail is an obvious target, and no, we don’t think it was very grown-up.”
It must have felt good, though.
Anyone wishing to keep an eye on Crowdwish’s future activities – or who wants to make a request – can do so via the address above.
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I couldn’t care a jot on the crap on what the Daily Mail believes or attempts to make so many of us believe in. It’s some what like Lucifer’s bible How come you think they are so important ? Pleases move on big boy!.
If only we had two million more like you – and they all gave up reading that rag at the same time!
Until then, it’s important to fight what the Daily Mail says when it comes out with its right-wing propaganda.
The daily mail is without honour sir
Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog and commented:
A highly amusing stunt, and the fake plaque does indeed sum up the Mail’s incredibly reactionary attitude. Amazingly for a newspaper that seems extremely hostile to any kind of feminism or female liberation, it was originally aimed at women and has a high female readership. But if this accurately describes the Mail, you have to wonder what a plaque would say about the Sun, Torygraph or the Times. Would they even be allowed to say it, or would it immediately be banned under the obscenity laws?
I’m amazed that someone from the daily mail actually noticed it in an hour – they are so far up their own backsides that they only see what they want to see, and then report a load of lies anyway!
Good one Crowdfish :)
A good sign?
Reblogged this on Jay's Journal and commented:
A good sign?
[…] Have a good look at the picture above. If you click on it, you should get a larger version. The sign it depicts was erected on the wall of the Daily Mail offices in London yesterday by an organisat… […]
It’s not bad news that sells, in the case of the Mail, it’s the division judgement and fear it sows.
How about the rest? Newspapers are not fit for toilet paper, and the Bent Broadcasting Corporation, Sky, CNN, etc., just as bad, brain washing the masses who wish to be subjected to brainwashing.
About time people saved their money in not buying newspapers.
I agree – they should be reading Vox Political instead! ;-)