Newswipe With Charlie Brooker - Series 2 Page 8

Quote: sootyj @ February 24 2010, 7:36 AM GMT

Really? More militarisitc than Suez, Kenya, the dirty wars in Ireland, Borneo?
That's just historical ignorance.

As for authoratarian? Labor's problem is they pass laws on spying, Thatcher et al just went ahead and did it. (bugging CND, agent provocateurs at miners strikes, torturing people in Ireland etc etc).

As for corrupt. Oh c'mon we're persecuting people for fiddling the minutaie of mortgage claims, kit kats and ride on mowers. Is the tough legislation that now exists on massive bungs and dodgy directorships that were common place in the previous government.

Probably the wrong place to discuss this really. But Blair took this country into 5 wars, so the most militaristic is certainly accurate. I'm not sure what government in recent history competes with that.
Authoritarian: undermining trial, first trial without jury for 400 years, right to be tried only once removed, strongest anti-terror laws ever introduced in peacetime, etc etc. I think you would have to go back to Henry VIII for anyone who interfered so much in the legal system. Maybe New Labour have surpassed him.
Corrupt: first two lords (both Labour peers) removed for 400 years, first speaker (labour) ousted for over 300 years, most undemocratic government since WWII, unelected prime minister and a cabinet full of appointees ie Lord Mandelson, Lord Sugar, Lord Adonis, Baroness Kinnock none who have been elected at all etc etc.
I think my descrition of New Labour is thus entirely accurate. I would actually be funny if it were not so sinister.

Yup and some of my friends/relatives will cheerfully regurjitate what ever Jeremy Kyle, Mathew Wright or Nick Ferrari splurge out. It's hard to be %100 neutral and maybe there is a slight leftist leaning. No broadcaster can be a %100 neutral.

But it's also the BBC who asked Brown if he was going blind and was on happy pills. Pilloried the government over expenses and the Iraq war.

That's why it such a brilliant conspiracy, it's as if.... it doesn't even exist.

Never seen Ferrari on TV, but not sure what is rightwing about the other two named. I think of Wright as being Leftist and Kyle seems to represent Labour's core heartland. If you think they represent "The right" you are seriously uninformed about politics.
The BBC asking inane personal questions of Brown is part of the trivialisation process of politics actually. As I said, the Iraq war bit is a liberal obsession, especially at the BBC which has an almost visceral vendetta over the treatment of Greg Dyke. Not seen any pillorying of the government on the BBC, and their recent commission "On Expenses" on BBC4 appears designed to shift the blame almost totally onto Speaker Martin's shoulders.

Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 24 2010, 6:45 PM GMT

Probably the wrong place to discuss this really. But Blair took this country into 5 wars, so the most militaristic is certainly accurate.

1951-64 Conservative government involved UK in 5 wars; Korea, Malaya1, Malaya2, Suez. And c'mon you're equating Sierra Leone and Kosovo as wars?

The UK suffered one fatality in Kosovo, it was one of the most impressive examples of military humanist intervention ever.

That said Thatcher could be seen as one of the least militaristic PMs ever. Which might mean something.

Quote: Cheesehoven @ February 24 2010, 6:45 PM GMT

Probably the wrong place to discuss this really. But Blair took this country into 5 wars, so the most militaristic is certainly accurate. I'm not sure what government in recent history competes with that.
Authoritarian: undermining trial, first trial without jury for 400 years, right to be tried only once removed, strongest anti-terror laws ever introduced in peacetime, etc etc. I think you would have to go back to Henry VIII for anyone who interfered so much in the legal system. Maybe New Labour have surpassed him.
Corrupt: first two lords (both Labour peers) removed for 400 years, first speaker (labour) ousted for over 300 years, most undemocratic government since WWII, unelected prime minister and a cabinet full of appointees ie Lord Mandelson, Lord Sugar, Lord Adonis, Baroness Kinnock none who have been elected at all etc etc.
I think my descrition of New Labour is thus entirely accurate. I would actually be funny if it were not so sinister.

Agree.

I thought I was the only one who got hot and bothered at the water-cooler! :D

Just to clarify, I think programmes like Newswipe are important and there should be more like them. What bugs me though, is when people watch them and think it makes them more enlightened than others. The lady I was referring to calls the rest of us in the office 'cretins' and 'morons', but she regurgitates Charlie Brooker verbatim, without question.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but don't be smug because you've seen the light, it's all just shades of grey.

We should all be questioning the news more, even those of us who are only interested in Jordan and Cheryl Cole's love lives.

Much as I enjoy Brooker, it is a tad rum that in a six episode run, one of them is a compilation. Set that aside Jon Stewart who manages four new shows in a week.

Quote: AngieBaby @ February 25 2010, 8:56 PM GMT

The lady I was referring to calls the rest of us in the office 'cretins' and 'morons', but she regurgitates Charlie Brooker verbatim, without question.

National Bullying Helpline: 0845 225 5787 (Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm Saturdays 10am - 2pm)

Quote: john lucas 101 @ February 26 2010, 10:05 AM GMT

Much as I enjoy Brooker, it is a tad rum that in a six episode run, one of them is a compilation.

Agreed. It would be less insulting if they just aired five episodes and left it at that.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ February 26 2010, 10:05 AM GMT

Much as I enjoy Brooker, it is a tad rum that in a six episode run, one of them is a compilation. Set that aside Jon Stewart who manages four new shows in a week.

Six words: The News Quiz with Sandi Toksvig.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ February 26 2010, 10:05 AM GMT

Much as I enjoy Brooker, it is a tad rum that in a six episode run, one of them is a compilation. Set that aside Jon Stewart who manages four new shows in a week.

The major difference is Charlie Brooker writes the series, with the exception of the contributers bits. Jon Stewart has a team of writers and a herd of interns to make the magic happen. Once you get done with the reporter segments and the guest interview... Stewart probably puts in less then 10 minutes of desk time.

Quote: Kevin Murphy @ February 26 2010, 11:11 AM GMT

National Bullying Helpline: 0845 225 5787 (Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm Saturdays 10am - 2pm)

Dial 1 If your boss called you a c**t.
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Jon Stewart is totally Foxy!

Quote: AngieBaby @ February 27 2010, 12:29 AM GMT

Jon Stewart is totally Foxy!

He's about as tall as a fox as well.

Quote: chipolata @ February 26 2010, 11:57 AM GMT

Six words: The News Quiz with Sandi Toksvig.

Sandi Toksvig just gets better although its TV relation is Have I Got News For You, which unlike The News Quiz doesn't update its format and you can almost smell the staleness of Merton and Hislop.

Won best entertainment show at the Royal Society Television Awards, beating Britain's Got Talent and X Factor.

Bloody hell - A British Comedy award and now this? What a mainstream bloody sell-out!

No, but, ha, ha, seriously, I'm chuffed for Charlie. I wonder what he thinks about all this attention. I suppose I could find out if I bothered to read him on the Twitter.