The Scotsman newspaper has raised the white flag to the power of the message board by producing an ‘article’ today that consists solely of quotes cut and pasted from the ‘ghastly anonymous message boards’.
With the internet providing an alternative and independent voice to traditional forms of media the Edinburgh based paper sells around 40,000 copies a day as the Morningside chin-strokers desert the paper in droves.
The idea of paying money to read yesterday’s news from the internet is fast going out of fashion.
To no one’s real surprise The Scotsman has given plenty of space to defending the decision that Hearts fan John Wilson will only be charged with breach of the peace for his televised assault on Neil Lennon at Tynecastle.
With staff numbers constrantly trimmed and three newspapers manned by the same staff The Scotsman went online for reaction to the Not Proven verdict on Lennon’s assault.
Keeping tabs on stories breaking online, inevitably on message boards or social networks such as twitter or facebook is part and parcel of newspaper life even if they often get on the high horse to sneer at extremists and the anonymous usernames that promote their viewpoints.
No attempt is even made to interpret the online comments of Super Supervisor, Marlowbhoy, Tinytim81, HenryClarson, Greatpoint67 and thejanitor into an article with the comments simply copied and pasted without acknowledging the source.
Comments are also included from Rangers and Hearts fans with one Jambo finding the case especially amusing with The Scotsman happy to reproduce Amadjambo’s view that: “Just shows how hard it is to find 11 people in Scotland to sit on a jury who don’t hate Neil Lennon themselves. This case is baffling, shocking and strangely hilarious..”
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Joking aside, the problem is anyone can select a few of the hundreds, often thousands, of comments posted online to prove a point. The Celtic family is vast & varied with hugely differing points.
It would take a matter of seconds to compile evidence proving Lennon is a living saint or the greatest living threat to modern society since AIDs depending on your pre-existing views.
Joe the mainstream media are now running scared, the day of the chip wrapper has just about gone.
It’s now been several years since I have bought a newspaper, Iam not alone people can now gather the information on any given story and make there own mind up.
No need to listen or read there propaganda.
We are the people are finding this very hard to deal with.
Times they are a changing.