The SKWAWKBOX featured briefly on the BBC’s Newsnight programme on Thursday night in a way that was quite interesting.
Journalist Owen Jones was talking about the billionaire-owned media and the host seemed to want to change the subject quickly – and so cut across Jones to say that the ‘traditional’ media is ‘plunging’ while ‘new media’ are growing, And the first site that came to mind in this sudden change of tack to the growth of new media compared to the collapse of the old was this blog:
A non-commercial blog that carries no advertising and relies entirely on voluntary donations from its readers – and has come to function as a hub for information from Labour members and supporters across the country – occupies that kind of place in the mental landscape of the mainstream media that usually spend their time trying to smear or dismiss it.
There’s a certain gratification in the thought that a people-powered outlet is disrupting the status quo in that way.
This isn’t the first time that this blog has been the default name for people looking for an example. Some time ago, surprisingly, Michael Gove used it to try to justify his claim that it was ok for the mainstream media to be biased to the right because people could read the SKWAWKBOX for news from a left viewpoint:
And of course, the ‘MSM’ use SKWAWKBOX exclusives – usually without attribution – nearly as often as they attack it.
The ‘new left media’ function – great sites like Evolve, Canary, Novara, Unity News, Zelo Street, Dorset Eye, Prole Star, Vox Political and others, with all their different models and emphases – work because of the commitment of the people behind them. But they have the impact that they do because of the people who read, share, support and feed information to them – an authentic demonstration of the fact that ‘we are many, they are few’.
The ‘MSM’ are well aware of it – and in most cases, far from happy about it.
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They just can’t help themselves can they?
“Oh, but look how badly the MSM is doing compared to the New Left Media” Yeah, right – like that absolves what is effectively a billion pound MSM cartel of any duty of accuracy, truth or fair comment when it comes to smearing Corbyn and the Left.
A timely reminder – donation on its way 🙂
Stick it up ’em.
‘Some time ago, surprisingly, Michael Gove used it to try to justify his claim that it was ok for the mainstream media to be biased to the right because people could read the SKWAWKBOX for news from a left viewpoint’.
The key difference of course between the MSM and skwawkbox (and the rest of the NLM) – apart from the massive difference in numbers – is that skwawkbox and Co doesn’t lie and fabricate and twist and distort and vilify and smear and demonise and disseminate fake news and black propaganda and, as such, mislead and dupe and deceive and manipulate millions of people and, as such, subvert democracy.
And could I suggest Steve – as you approach 50,000 subscribers – that you and your colleagues who do such an excellent job of keeping us informed, give serious consideration to crowdfunding to raise money to publicise skwawkbox on various platforms so as to accelerate the number of subscribers to skwawkbox and increase awareness of it generally. I have £25.00 waiting……
Afterthought: I mean if just HALF the people who subscribe to skwawkbox donated a couple of quid each……
And just in case anyone hasn’t seen it yet, here’s todays instalment of the ongoing smear campaign against JC and the Left (or yesterdays, to be precise):
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7096525/jeremy-corbyn-more-careful-anti-semitism-row/
And here’s the Daily Mirror’s coverage of the episode, which finishes with the following quote by a Labour Party spokeswoman:
“At this event, he was referring to a group of pro-Israel activists misunderstanding and then criticising the Palestinian ambassador for a speech at a separate event about the occupation of the West Bank.”
Given that what JC said has obviously been taken out of context, it would be good if skwawkbox could shine some light on the matter and show the context in which he said what he said.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/john-mcdonnell-leaps-defence-jeremy-13130881
A recording of a meeting that took place in 2013.
If Corbyn’s statement was so incendiary, why wait 5 years to make it public?
Once again, 24 carat bollocks!
Absolutely lol
Yeah, and of course if JC gets elected PM he’s gonna have all the Jews rounded up and have them sent off to concentration camps, along with the disabled and mentally ill etc, etc, and Momentum members will run the camps….
Then again, it couldn’t just be that Jeremy was pissed off with whatever it was these people said in relation to the Palestinian Ambassador’s speech!
During the course of doing some research earlier today (which just became yesterday about an hour ago) I came across an article in the New Statesman, the writer of which claimed to be giving a fair and unbiased assessment of what Jeremy said, and he quoted the relevant piece of JC’s speech in full, and then went on to say later in the article that if you replaced Zionists with blacks, it would have been totally unacceptable. But he was being totally disingenuous! Zionism is niether a religion OR a race of people of course, it’s a movement, that has a particular goal, and what the writer did in effect was tantamount to saying, for example, that criticism of the Black Panthers – a black supremacist organisation – or members thereof, was tantamount to racism. Yes, I know it’s not the best example perhaps, but I’m sure everyone knows what I’m trying to say.
As to your point….. yes, THAT *IS* the whole point, and but for the fact that Jeremy is leader – ie BECAME leader – of the Labour Party, the fascists and the fascist-controlled media and the secret state would have had nothing to say about any of these none-events, from the mural to the wreath, etc, etc – as was the case AT the time! – which they have blown up out of all proportion and distorted and grossly exaggerated, combined with the faux hysteria and outrage to give their accusations validity in the public’s mind. And ALL because the Few are determined to maintain control for the Few AND their minions!
Saturdays Times front page is comedy gold. The Thunderer has become the whistler.
I assume you were referring to this Jim:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/far-right-comes-out-for-jeremy-corbyn-over-zionist-slur-as-ex-bnp-and-ku-klux-klan-chiefs-show-support-3p52gpq39
Robert Fisk…….
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/israel-settlement-expansion-1000-new-homes-palestinian-land-robert-fisk-wheres-the-outrage-a8504471.html
Tom Watson is in the papers this morning calling for more regulations on social media because it is full of fake news, Harrassment and Bullying! The hypocracy is astounding when it’s him and his blairite cronies causing most of it on Twitter! 🙄 What he really means is it’s causing MSM to be less popular than social media and it doesn’t dance to their tune!
When an election is closer we can probably expect spoof stories to be fed to the New Left Media to ‘prove’ the right’s fake news accusations – those who run the scam will use such words of Watson and his ilk to make the case that everyone but ‘extremists’ support their Orwellian project.
The battle for ‘hearts & minds’ is the constant goal of the Perception Industry, which is why ‘the establishment’ desperately seeks media control. Now many forms of social media are beyond their grip, but that’s why it’s the only source of fake news. Diversity of opinion is a prerequisite of a healthy democracy, but it seems that Public Service Institutions only seek to manufacture consent for dominant Neo-Liberal establishment ideologies.
very true! do not listen look or watch rubbish & lies. i look for the truth in many directions as we all should to form an opinion.
Spot on steve!