In Defence of Journalists…
I never thought I`d end up in the position where I was defending the Scottish Press Corp, yet here I am.
They are also professionals doing a job and are, on the whole, even handed. I also know journalists who are simply anti-politics and will try and trash everyone involved in it. Whereas the likes of Douglas Fraser, Robbie Dinwoodie, Brian Taylor, Glenn Campbell etc etc if they have a piece which gives your particular side a bit of a poke in the ribs its generally because they(we) deserve it or have questions left to answer.
Some so-called cyber-nats (if they actually are nats and not simply flamers or stirrers) seem to take any story which has any criticism of the SNP as evidence that the journalist behind the piece is some form of Labour ‘fellow traveller’.
Which, in short, is total pish.
I`m always particularly taken with the criticism of Douglas Fraser, some recently put on his blog which was hilarious, as being anti-SNP. Perhaps folk have forgotten the near full week of coverage that the Herald gave to the McCrone secret oil papers.
The Journalist who broke the story? You guessed it – Douglas Fraser. Does this make him pro-SNP? Anti-SNP? Honestly it doesn`t matter a jot as what it makes him is a bloody good journalist.
And as to Alf Young, who I must confess to having no time for, if you cast your mind back to the time after the release of the McCrone papers the Herald reported a number of other uncovered papers including some involving Alf Young when he worked for the Labour party, in the 1970s, in less than flattering terms – again it was Fraser who broke this story.
Did Douglas Fraser shirk from running the tale since it involved Labour – No.
Did Douglas Fraser shirk from running it since it involved an Editor at the Herald – No.
Did Alf Young try and stop the story even though it would cause him a degree of embarrassment? –No.
The story ran.
As to the TV reporters I think Brian Taylor is a fantastic analyst…his politics? Couldn`t tell you. I’ve been to many European events he has been at and made interesting contributions too. I`ve heard Labour folk claim he’s a nat, nats claim he’s a Lib Dem etc etc. Perhaps what us partisans like me have to recognise is that we’re the odd ones who are partisans and have found a political party that we can sign up to that broadly represents our political views.
Most everyone else has leaning towards direct views and different personalities that aren`t fixed to any one party. The folk who make up the press corp are no different.
So to all those supposed cyber-nats out there if you fancy putting your own brand of loony views on the internet…get a blog (like the rest of us loonies)…and try and at least engage in debates rather than simply abuse.
2 viewpoints:
Well said. These so-called cyber-nats get right on my wick.
As to Brian Taylor's politics - he's a United supporter so there's not much hope for any sense out of him, is there?
For the avoidance of doubt (given the subject matter of the post), my tongue is firmly in my cheek.
Speaking of the professionalism of Journos...watching Holyrood Live and seeing a Journo who is a well known member of the Labour pary describing John Swinney's performance as 'masterly'.
Not exactly the action of someone guided by his party card as opposed to his press card.
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