Shouting In The Dark

The rise of market Capitalism has seen the fall of some our biggest industries and journalism can be added to that list.

As a former scribe I can attest to how, like shipbuilders, coalminers, steelworkers et al, our jobs left us, rather than us leaving our jobs.

The decline of reporting has been a slow bleed of strength, prevalence and professionalism and I have railed before against the tumbling standards of many reporters and news desks these days (sub-editors long since having been replaced by computer programmes).

The tired practice of asking and at the same time answering questions of interviewees is just one example. You know, "How disastrous is this?" and "How unwelcome is that?"

Tautology is another. "So, here I am, outside OF Mogadishu" and "He met WITH the Prime Minister".

One that has recently caught my eye is the ridiculous practice of bellowing questions from 30 yards away behind a police cordon at someone as they walk into a meeting, court hearing or other such gathering.

"Prime Minister! SHOULD YOU RESIGN AND APOLOGISE TO THE BRITISH PEOPLE FOR YOUR ROLE IN THE COVID FIASCO? PRIME MINISTER? EH?"

What is the fucking point? He can hardly hear, let alone be confidently expected to stop in his tracks and shout a comprehensive and coherent answer across the street. It's just a shabby way of getting a controversial narrative across to Joe Public.

I suppose, in their defence, hacks who have been sent to get a story out of "Man walks into building thirty yards away" feel they have to be, at the least, a tad creative. They can't just spend hours exposed to the elements, smoking, chatting to other hacks about how Arsenal are in need of a creative midfield general and listening to who's knobbing who in the Sky newsroom.

If it were me and I were supposed to make a proverbial silken ladies' loose change holder out of  a porcine auditory organ I would at least be a little more "creative" and informative with my hollered questions, while at the same time answering them for my audience.

"WHAT KIND OF A SHITSHOW ARE YOU RUNNING, PRIME MINISTER?"

"HOW MUCH OF A TWAT IS SUELLA BRAVERMAN, PRIME MINISTER?"

"WHY IS YOUR RWANDA PLAN SUCH A COMPLETE AND UTTER LOAD OF BOLLOCKS, PRIME MINISTER?"

"WHY ARE YOU A CUNT, PRIME MINISTER?"

Then again, maybe that's why I'm no longer a reporter?