I was shocked when I heard the breaking news of the News of the Screws. I worked there for 5 years, and many of the people I worked for and with have hit the headlines this last week. Even one of the stories I worked on made breaking news on C4 two days ago - that was strange to say the least. Photographers rarely knew what the story were covering were about, as the nature of NOW was one of paranoia (that you didnt tell another paper) and bullish behaviour but I recognised the person's name on the TV report.
Today's announcement makes me very sad tho. Its a bit of history over, and although the NOW bosses were awful to work for, ran everything with fear, I had the utmost respect for some of my journalist collegues and all of my fellow photographer friends. The few nasty individuals that ran the paper have done so much damage, not only to those good few that have lost their jobs, but to the whole reputation of journalism. It was also give much fuel to the people who want the privacy laws tightened so much that good honest journalism will never happen, and those who need to be exposed are protected.
Having said that, I can see that this is what the public wanted. I understand that, and was too really upset to know that the hacking happened to innocent people. That wasnt a step too far, more of a giant leap. The people in charge should face up to their mistakes, and the innocent, good journalists and snappers I hope will go onto better places.
Praise The Guardian though, who persevered with the phone hacking investigation for two years when no other British newspaper would. There is some good British journalism out there.
@vikdaddy Indeed, they were correct in doing this. But dont forget, the Guardian and other papers, plus TV were very quick to jump on stories that were broken by NOW and have done so for many many years. It seems a shame that now they are quick to condemn NOW so enthusiastically.
@blightygal The Guardian have covered and condemned the NOTW for two years though. It'd only be right to cover most stories once they are part of the national news agenda, regardless of which newspaper breaks a story.
yea just got home to see this, must be weird for ya. I bet the last edition will sell a shit load, which of course will be the complete opposite, that of the media telling everyone to boycott them from now on.
...yeah, cynical move to fend off trouble. And now its a 7-day Sun.. je-sus.
Understand your personal attachments, and the History/tradition, always hated NOW. And this latest phone-hack is dispicable behaviour.
Freida - did think of you when I saw this. No fan of the NOTW nor any other red top particularly - but I do feel that this is just another ploy somehow by Murdoch and the real culprits to continue to escape censure while putting a lot of ordinary people out of a job.
they are all at it i doubt the news of world only ones...i saw 1st hand the sun photogrphers grab a celeb and his girlfriend push them together nearly knock the girl over a basment railing and take the photo..she was so distressed she didnt know what happend..me and my friends chased them grabbed the camera and gave it to security they took the film and gave cam back to them..next day in paper said that they were attacked by the security in a tiny 2 inch clip..liars i never bought a paper since
It is big news, found out about it from your post! Shame for the normal non-editorial staff but can't help thinking this is a ploy by Murdoch to protect his cohorts at the top and expect the Sunday Sun soon. I for one won't be buying it...
@shenay Are you sure they were proper sun photographers? Not defending them but they sound more like paparazzi (and yeah, there is a difference). Seen paparazzi slash tyres of photographers cars and all sorts of rubbish, but the papers dont know it when they buy them, or what they are told. Sorry for your experience, good on you for chasing, great!
@rich57 Apparently, the sun staff were told a week ago that the sun was going 7 days a week, and also the domain name was bought 2 days ago so sounds like its been planned a little while. I do hope domain is owned by someone who isnt connected with Murdoch, that would be funny :-)
I really dislike the injunctions because people who make loads of money out of celebrity can use them whereas ordinary Joe's who never wanted to be in the public eye can't. And those footballers should keep their trousers on ;0). But hacking into all those people's lives when they were at their most vulnerable is quite stunningly immoral and I can't help but think that you're right - the people who fostered that culture will escape whereas the jobbing staff who no doubt had nothing to do with all this are the one's who will suffer.
@blightygal yep they were from the sun and they went straight on the phone to tell what happend we heard them..and they had the 2 inch collum in paper next day saying 2 sun photogrphers were attacked outside london hotel by this persons security..so yep they were real thing...the girl was shaking so bad it was discusting and this was 20 years ago..never forgot it
@shenay Oh lord, thats bad.. and even more pleased that you got the camera! You should've made a complaint at the time, and it might have lost the snappers jobs. Hand on heart, I have never seen that sort of behaviour from a staff photographer and I was in the business 12 years. I guess there's always a few bad eggs that spoils it for everyone else, and NOW is prime example of that. The press can and do a lot of good work. Perhaps people should stop buying heat and the sun etc, and good journalism will return. It is supply and demand to an extent now.
@blightygal mabe ...but i doubt news of world only hackers i reckon even the goverment do it...we did get guest passes to the concert that evening tho lol ...thing is some police have been selling ppls details as well theres to many ppl involved here....i never buy celeb mags im not interested i dont care who wares what whos seeing who..got my own probs dont want theirs as well lol
@rich57 He is going on too much! And yeah, he's just the same as the movies, no acting there then!
@shenay Lol! Unfortunately gossip is a way of life, and has been since civilsation I think, such is human nature! But I understand, I never bought a paper until I started working in press..
@blightygal i always say if its real news it will be on the news ..i havent bought a paper in 20 or more years....im just waiting to see where this will end no papers in the country lol they all close down..crazy
@blightygal true i have the bbc news app on my phone lol ppl have to read books get some culture back in their lives with no papers to read..its sad tho but they bit went to far...
July 7th, 2011
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Understand your personal attachments, and the History/tradition, always hated NOW. And this latest phone-hack is dispicable behaviour.
@rich57 Apparently, the sun staff were told a week ago that the sun was going 7 days a week, and also the domain name was bought 2 days ago so sounds like its been planned a little while. I do hope domain is owned by someone who isnt connected with Murdoch, that would be funny :-)
@shenay Lol! Unfortunately gossip is a way of life, and has been since civilsation I think, such is human nature! But I understand, I never bought a paper until I started working in press..