Martha Hancock

No,vit was not in the Guardian, or the Independent. I just hope she already knew about the affair, because otherwise it would have been a tremendous shock to suddenly find herself in the glare of the gutter press. There should be a law to prevent this happening to partners - she isn’t public property.

only reading tabloids when they're free in cafes.
In my neck of the woods, cafés and public areas stopped having communal newspapers at the beginning of Covid because it was thought that too many people handling them could spread the virus and I was not aware they had restarted.

I don't remember seeing anything about Martha Hancock in The Guardian.
I don't think we should automatically assume she is heartbroken though, she might just be relieved, or secretly ecstatic.

Well what's intriguing me now is Kali2's seeming reluctance to share which newspaper didn't mention or photograph Martha Hancock.

Alegrias1 that's me in IKEA or a stationery shop, so many things I didn't know I needed until I see them

I don't think it's the newspapers per se that you should be wary of; possibly we should be more careful as to which coffee shops we frequent; check them out first to see which free newspapers they have hanging about. although no coffee shop, hairdressers or railway station I've visited lately has any newspaper, of any persuasion, since COVID

I should add, I was referring to actually reading Mein Kampf (presumably in the original? )

I can see that in some areas, demand can be manufactured, but I don’t see the relevance of the iPhone comparison in this context.

Demand can be manufactured almost anywhere. Do you use milk? 40 years ago, did you know you wanted skimmed milk, or semi-skimmed? Or oat milk? Or almond milk?

20 years ago we were all happy with a nice little clamshell phone, until we were told that it was possible to send texts. Or use Google maps. Or Facebook on the move. Then we all wanted a smartphone. Well not all, but you know what I mean

The real meat of the Hancock story is that he may have improperly given his girlfriend a job, or given contracts to her family's firm. But some tabloids have decided that a better story would be the wronged wife, and what she thinks, and what she looks like. Then that becomes the story because the tabloids promote this as the real story.

My opinion, others may disagree.

All I can add is that I manage very well without the “gutter press” .

MawBe

-Jun-21 19:40:54
I have read many things I don't disagree with- to better understand the mindset and context. Mein Kampf when I was young, as an example

But shocked anybody can say they don't disagree with *Mein Kampf*

So would I. And I am sure you know this was a mistake, in haste and tbh, in anger. So yes, meant to write 'many things I don't agree with'.

As for 'following propaganda word for word' - picking up a copy of one of the gutter press from time to time to get 'the feel' and see for yourself, is hardly following it word for word.

I had a quick look at a newspaper stand, and the only one I saw with her photo on the front was the Mail

-Jun-21 19:40:54
I have read many things I don't disagree with- to better understand the mindset and context. Mein Kampf when I was young, as an example

But shocked anybody can say they don't disagree with Mein Kampf

For what it is worth I attempted Mein Kampf once but the gothic font and sheer tedium of it defeated me!
I think it is possible to understand the evils of a political system from observation and informed comment without necessarily following the propaganda word for word.
What’s that thing about “the oxygen of publicity”?
I can see that in some areas, demand can be manufactured, but I don’t see the relevance of the iPhone comparison in this context.
There must be a reason why we don’t get Page 3 girls in The Guardian or scantily clad models in The Church Times

Like most, I came on to this thread to show solidarity with Martha Hancock. I haven’t read a newspaper nor have I watched tv news over the weekend, I can only gather from the earlier comments that she is behaving with great dignity.
I agree that the press should leave her alone and that I am, at times like this, ashamed of our British press.

Kali2 please will you tell us which paper you read today that had no mention or photo of Martha Hancock? I for one would like to know which one had a sense of decency.

Markets can be manufactured Mawbe.

Nobody know they wanted a smartphone until Steve Jobs invented one.

I can understand that.

I have read many things I don't disagree with- to better understand the mindset and context. Mein Kampf when I was young, as an example.

I also did a course recently on the Press, and the issues some raise, and the reasons and context behind. This did not make me complicit. But you know that... you know exactly what I mean.

Well no matter how you explain it, you are guilty of reading this stuff. You're a reader. You are part of it. Even if you just want to be horrified

Even reading it, thinking that it is dreadful, this is shocking, how dreadful, how can people read this! you have become part of that readership.

Once seen, once read, never forgotten.

If there was no market for pictures of the innocent wife/the injured party/ the grieving widow/the orphaned children - whichever intrusion of privacy you care to name, there would none of the above.
Now you and I might not buy the more sensationalist tabloids or even read them for free in the Waitrose coffee shop, or look up articles in Mail on Line - but enough people do for this sort of intrusive journalism to thrive. Even reading it to see how dreadful it is is feeding the beast., is this what you meant Tallulah when you wrote

Well no matter how you explain it, you are guilty of reading this stuff. You're a reader. You are part of it. Even if you just want to be horrified

Callistemon. Good one ?

I don’t remember seeing photos etc of Martha Hancock in the Guardian, I may be wrong as it may not have registered.

Eat Me!
Read Me!

This thread is morphing into Alice going through the looking glass!

This is a warning to all who might go into a café and pick up an undesirable newspaper to read along with their latte and smashed avocado on toast - they may find someone judging them by their choice of reading material.

.