retired_navy0614

I disagree. It's become another huge vehicle for what information people read/see. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Things remain the same as always. The intelligent, cynical, suspicious look at multiple sources. It's made it easier to belittle stories and expose them for the biased arse they are. The media stalwart websites don't do particularly well (tabloids for instance.)

Plus of course, the mindless eejits who take what they read as gospel aren't often computer literate enough to get on the net anyway.

The internet is just a saturation of porn, adverts and gambling. With some mongery on forums thrown in coupled with a convienient place for sad bastards to indulge in whatever fetish they enjoy most.

DebSchiff

Not football, but the general view of the media's influence over peoples personal politics seems to be that they have very little. The Sun turning to Labour in 1997 was ******** because Sun readers who voted Labour would have done so anyway.

The Express endorsing Labour in 2001 is a good example too, their readers were as Conservative as ever that year.

Papers follow their readership, not the other way round.

Football's probably a different matter.

retired_may0gan

maybe it's my pessimistic view of people but i think whilst the papers can certainly exacerbate things most of what the papers print is there because it's demanded by their readership.

retired_fabricodalacosta

Do the mindless sheep outnumber the cynics though ?

Armydog

The internet and other advances in communication has helped the media immensely, but it's also enabled people who use message boards like this to find out about and discuss issues themselves, rather than having to rely on the news. I think that power will eventually bring down the influence of the media, in terms of news stories anyway.

However, while the media may try to promote information in a certain way, I think the real power lies with those who can keep information hidden. If it's not out there, it can't be discussed, proved or disproved. That's why, whilst the media aren't perfect, we need them to play their role in society, which is to bring important information to public attention, preferably in an unbiased way.

retired_lina2212

fact is most other teams are more comfortable on the ball, would be nice if they went after that

retired_amadhani

nah, he really does seeming to be getting a free pass from everyone for the last 18 months, the lynching won't start now.

retired_tallgirl

Just keep it simple BG and remember all the media is b@thwank.

retired_brittneyloveshim

it`s much more subtle than that. papers definitely influence their readership and to talk about election campaigns in isolation ignores the fact that their views will have been shaped by the papers (to some extent) prior to that. that`s taking paper x in isolation too and ignores the extent to which the media as a whole define what is and is not the "middle ground" or what constitutes socially acceptable views.

retired_jinmorelock

could have said what it was a spoiler about, assumed it was about madelaine mcanns mum or soemthing :thdn:. was planning on watching the england game later on, thanks "mate"