[davidjay]

A few years ago we, naively, thought that the growth of the internet and social media would lead to the press barons losing their influence. We didn't forsee a new generation of even richer, even nastier media barons having greater influence than Murdoch et al could have ever dreamt of.

[Boiler]

You might like to listen to yesterday's Start The Week in that case, entitled Life Online: Power, Risk and Resistance

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002xzrj

[Tubby Isaacs]

A few years ago we, naively, thought that the growth of the internet and social media would lead to the press barons losing their influence. We didn't forsee a new generation of even richer, even nastier media barons having greater influence than Murdoch et al could have ever dreamt of.

Even more than bypassing nasty press barons, there was hope (from the naive) that the internet would mean that "gatekeepers" couldn't stop the public seeing nice factual stuff made by nice people. Unfortunately, the absence of gatekeepers means that the public see lots more appalling shit that they wouldn't have seen before. And even when there's not active lying, it's very easy to film something that's always happened and the audience infers it's a brand new evil.

Of course, this sort of "worse than ever" stuff has always been around. There's an excellent book called Hooligan by Geoffrey Pearson written in the 80s which shows that the stuff people said about crime then, and recent collapse of standards, had always been said and really bad things had always happened. But how much more novel does it look when there's actual footage of it happening now?

[davidjay]

Basically, we're too nice. We let the bastards control the agenda.

[AOB]

Media for the past year: "Starmer must go!"
Media now: "What a bastard for resigning. This means the country will have a 7th PM in 10 years!"

Then again, I've just seen a BBC reporter traveling on a boat on the Thames with the sun blazing down on him relating advice about how people should not travel and avoid direct sunlight. So I shouldn't expect any self awareness from the morons who infest that profession.

[Boiler]

The same morons who stand by a sea wall during a storm.

[Abernathy]

Nazir Afzal on Keir Starmer :

Let me be clear about Starmer, because I admire him. He is forensic, principled and serious in a way our politics badly needs more of. As DPP he transformed the prosecution service, and I never once doubted his integrity or his sense of public duty. He will leave office a fundamentally decent man, which, in this era, is no small thing.

I agree with that assessment. And do you know what ? I think he’s already moved on, in his mind, from this “et tu, Brute ? ” episode. And I think he isn’t done yet . He will go on, to bigger and better things. He is already being talked of as a likely successor to Mark Rutte as NATO Secretary General. (UK political precedents here are Peter Carrington and George Robertson). Or pehaps something equally big. Not sure if he’d be eligible to succeed Ursula von der Leyen.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Rutte's not been there long, and is a younger than Starmer. I think NATO is a long shot, given the gobshitery of other British politicians (not least George Robertson).

I expect him to make speeches for money. while raising issues close to his heart. Hopefully he'll keep well clear of Tony Blair.

[Abernathy]

I think that the Secretary General job falls vacant in 2027 unless all the member states agree to extend Rutte’s term does it not ?