Monday, March 03, 2008

So much for ethical news

Simon Kelner's Independent is such a marvellous fighter for the people isn't? Protector of the innocent? On the side of the less fortunate? An all-round beautiful paper really, fluffy and thoroughly ethical to the last. Yes, I admit, that was said with only a hint of sarcasm, it's just I laughed my strinkingly gorgeous face off this morning when I bought a copy of the paper. Over the past few weeks you see the Indy has been fighting the evil capitalists in the energy industry. British Gas being one its prime targets because of high prices which it is said have been stitched up. All for the consumer is the Indy you see against evil unethical fat cats.

Just imagine my surprise when out of this morning's paper fell a leaflet advert for British Gas boasting of its prices and generally great consumer services like breakdown cover for your boiler. It perfectly summed up the absurdity of so called 'ethical' dimensions to things. In the Indy's case that mean the overly pious ethical preaching and the fact that, at the end of the day, its a commercial outfit that still has to pay the bills and so will dance with its own perceived devils. Worth remembering that the next time the paper accuses someone of ethical hypocrisy methinks.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would you rather have that or a newspaper that refuses to criticise anyone who pays to advertise in it?

tory boys never grow up said...

Shock horror - newspaper takes advertising from a company with which it disagrees. What do you expect independent newspapers to do - agree with all their advertisers. Personally I prefer the ones which do not allow their views to be coloured by their advertising.

I notice your current advert for the BBC - so next time you criticise them should we call you a hypocrite??

dizzy said...

Hahah I knew some tit would say something like that. If I make some dumb ethical argument you're free to call me a hypocrite. Otherwise you can fuck off. Actually just fuck off anyway.

dizzy said...

As to the anonymous's commment, it;s not about not criticsing those who advertise with you. It's about the absurdity of claiming to be all piously ethical, something that lefties do brilliantly and then find reality hits them in the face.

Chris Paul said...

Wrong wrong wrong Dizzy. Anon is right. This is splendid independence from both parties. Don't knock it.

Chris Paul said...

PS But of course the Indy is a snoozepaper.

Thatcher's Child said...

Actually, the logical stance of any organization which is shouting about being ethical is that it should limits its advertising income to only the companies which it feels comfortable dealing with.

I have nothing against publishers not criticizing its advertisers - I still have the final say because I choose to buy the newspaper.

Anonymous said...

It's actually quite interesting that British Gas are running an ad campaign that basically says "buy a new gas boiler, it won't asphyxiate you like the one we sold you the year before last" (or however long it is these over-engineered things last these days).

I've already got a perfectly safe boiler thank you, even though it's twenty years old or so. You see, it runs on oil.

And when did you last see a newspaper headline like "House destroyed in blast - local oil company investigating" ??

No, thought not.

Gas, for God's sake: if it was invented today it would never be allowed, would it?