Freebie newspapers - dumbing down the London population? [Archive]

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Hollis

04-05-2007, 19:37

Are they responsible for cultural hari-kari.. the capital's brains our slowly being turned to jelly. Ban the things now!!

:mad:

mae

04-05-2007, 19:50

down with this sort of thing!

Hollis

04-05-2007, 19:51

Many thanks.

An opinion.

:cool:

Radar

04-05-2007, 20:07

Ah Hollis, Hollis...

Every time you miss an obvious Father Ted gag, baby jesus cries :(

GarfieldLeChat

04-05-2007, 20:09

steady now...

Hollis

04-05-2007, 20:10

Ah Hollis, Hollis...

Every time you miss an obvious Father Ted gag, baby jesus cries :(

Sorry, I've only watched acouple episodes.. clearly some sort of cultural illiteracy :o

Badgers

05-05-2007, 18:27

No......... Paris Hilton is!

Actually I HATE them but when bored on the bus I have picked them off the seat and read them. Totally crap but I guess taking them home and recycling them is no bad thing :)

Sunray

05-05-2007, 18:46

Do they collect them again at the end of the tube lines?

Think they should be forced into it.

Crispy

05-05-2007, 18:48

thelondonpaper has three sudukos in it
On a good day, I can read the 'news' part in two stops on the circle, then do the intermediate and hard dukos on the viccy line back to brixton. that's all I ask from it, and it delivers. That cartoon strip with the woman with blond hair is quite funny sometimes.

Dead Cat Bounce

05-05-2007, 19:09

The last week it's been nothing but Kate Moss this and Kate Moss that on the front pages of these fucking waste of spaces so called 'News papers".

Tonnes of waste every week.

Friends from Spain visited and asked why there was so much litter on the tube. I was embarrassed for the amount of litter around.

SpiBlog? Fuck of and die. Really, I don't give a fuck who went out with who last night. Do the world a favour, jump into to the Thames and get drowned.

Prince Rhyus

06-05-2007, 20:13

Get the publishers to pay for significantly better recycling facilities and somewhere - or someone we can leave used copies with because the streets of central London are becoming strewn with them:mad:

maximilian ping

06-05-2007, 20:17

don't blame the newspapers, blame the divs who read them

rich!

06-05-2007, 23:46

don't blame the newspapers, blame the divs who read them

starting a fight with crispy?

*gets deckchair and popcorn*

maldwyn

07-05-2007, 00:26

don't blame the newspapers...
Sometimes they drop the pretence and turn the cover into an advertising feature.

I really can’t be arsed with such vacuous drivel.

Gingerman

07-05-2007, 01:11

Metro was'nt too bad when it came out first,now its full of celeb crap

DeadManWalking

07-05-2007, 08:27

disposable crap, they are targeting the commuter who will read it in less than 20 mins and then disgard. huge fire risk IMO.

ivebeenhigh

07-05-2007, 08:38

you know for most people that read this, if it wasnt for them rading this, they wouldnt be reading anything at all...so jsut perhpas the tiny fraction of news that is in those papers might seep into their moss addled minds and they do end up jsut a little better off...:rolleyes: :confused:

DeadManWalking

07-05-2007, 08:59

people might be better off not knowing that hugh grant keeps beans in a tupperwear container

Monkeynuts

07-05-2007, 12:58

disposable crap, they are targeting the commuter who will read it in less than 20 mins and then disgard. huge fire risk IMO.

Interesting point. London Underground is paranoid about everything else in this respect (perhaps rightly so after Kings Cross) but doesn't seem to mind about this. Presumably they get paid £££ to let them distribute the papers?

Radar

07-05-2007, 13:16

beeboo

07-05-2007, 15:32

But they don't give them out on LT property, do they ?? I've seen the guys giving them away hang around station entrances/exits, but not actually inside them. eg In Liverpool Street they'll hand them out in the shopping areas, but not on the concourse itself.

They do get dumped on the buses though, that's probably down to the individual drivers letting them on.

They're handed out on National Rail station concourses though.

To be honest, I don't actually mind them that much. They're pretty evidently not 'newspapers' as we know them as they contain something very close to zero news content. They're more a kind of social/entertainment daily.

London Lite is a load of crap but I kind of like The London Paper (or is it thelondonpaper). It's easy on eye, easy on the brain. Their entertainment listings fairly often throw up things I might be interested in, and because the format is always the same (enviroment page/celebs page/shopping page etc) it's easy to navigate to the bits you're vaguely interested in and avoid the rest.

I don't think that most of people who read this stuff are the kind of people who would otherwise be buying a 'proper' newspaper. And for those who do have more high-brow leanings, it's a 5 minute distraction before settling down with a decent book or the remnants of the morning paper.

They seriously need to sort out some recycling though. If they were forced to provide recycling bins at tube station exits and at major bus stops, people would take them with them instead of leaving them lying about.

Hollis

07-05-2007, 18:14

malcolm eggs

07-05-2007, 18:18

i agree with hollis :(

ska invita

07-05-2007, 18:20

Its hard to know if its having a dumbing down effect - perhaps for many non-news readers its a step up?!

And whether its a step up or down from the Evenign Standard is also hard to judge - at least they tend to be relatively apolitical, rahter than "subliminaly" sending out conservative messages.

But I wont be sad to see the back of them - Im sure their days are numbered - as i said before elsewhere, lets hope the standard goes bust first before they get banned.

braindancer

08-05-2007, 11:51

The quick supper recipes in one of them are wicked....

Other than that though - utterly disposable.

dash_two

08-05-2007, 12:04

They're crap but they're free, so what else do people expect?

The London Paper is slightly ahead of London Lite in the 'tard stakes IMO.

vagrant

08-05-2007, 12:38

I despise the things and the people who "read" them - the sort of
media-unsavvy trendchasing cnuts who rarely give a shit about
anyone or anything else. Iraq? Poverty? Trident? Your friend who's not
feeling very well?
Sorry did you say something? I was busy deciding which of these handbags
I should buy... The Kate Moss or the Lily Allen?

tastebud

08-05-2007, 12:46

Its an interesting point.. I found the Friday Evening Standard news supplement was enough - nice to see the celebs out partying and getting on with their lives..
Now we have it every day.. Britney Spears, Sadie Frost - I mean what does Sadie Frost do???

Its bad news for women and bad news for men.:D

i agree with hollis too. :mad:
it makes londoners thicker than they already are, it's a complete waste of trees & it makes the lives of us london walkers slightly more problematic than was already the case.

*flaps Guardian in the air with rage* :mad:

baldrick

08-05-2007, 12:49

*drowns in the waves of snobbery*

:( :eek:

untethered

08-05-2007, 13:18

Hollis

08-05-2007, 17:42

*drowns in the waves of snobbery*

:( :eek:

This really misses the point of the argument..

;)

Dead Cat Bounce

09-05-2007, 19:17

This really misses the point of the argument..

;)

Exactly, how is it snobbish to be pissed off with litter filling up the landfill sites around the country and to be pissed of with people standing in the middle of already busy streets thrusting 'newspapers' at me in the manner of a octopus having a seizure.

Ban the lot of them, London coped ok before these three rags showed up.

PacificOcean

11-05-2007, 09:11

Ban the lot of them, London coped ok before these three rags showed up.

Yes! Ban newspapers you don't like.

How very liberal :eek:

tastebud

11-05-2007, 09:39

Yes! Ban newspapers you don't like.

How very liberal :eek:they're hardly newspapers though. :p

nick

11-05-2007, 13:03

This may help a bit with the litter
http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,,2077706,00.html

Londoners fed up with seeing dumped copies of London Lite and the London Paper around the capital may soon have an outlet for their frustration, with plans afoot for a complaints line people can call to report alleged dumping.
A complaints line is one of four proposals the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the body that audits newspaper sales, is considering as it seeks to stamp out dumping of the two London freesheets.

The ABC said its investigation of alleged dumping had found evidence that copies of London Lite, published by Associated Newspapers, and the News International-owned London Paper are being ditched.

As a result ABC is asking the publishers of both freesheets to adhere to a tighter code of conduct, including giving "consideration" to setting up a dumping complaints phone line for members of the public to report offences.

"The review has identified that copies of newspapers are being dumped which is, obviously, not compliant with the ABC rules," the organisation said.

ABC added that it was, however, "satisfied" that the reported circulation figures for April are "materially compliant".

"Having identified the distinct risk associated with hand distribution, ABC, in conjunction with publishers, has been working on improving the publisher management controls still further," the organisation added.

"ABC will be requiring additional improvements to the management control and reporting of the distribution."

The body's four-point plan to stamp out freesheet dumping in London also includes increased focus on internal publisher controls, compliance checking and complaints handling.

ABC is proposing more regular spot checks within London Lite and the London Paper distribution areas to monitor the effectiveness of publishers' compliance procedures and an ongoing review of hand distribution and ABC certification by industry representatives.

The circulation body launched the review following tit-for-tat allegations made last month by News International and Associated Newspapers - including the latter's release of video and photographic evidence that distributors were dumping free papers.

ABC said the review was instigated despite the fact that neither publisher made a formal complaint.

also they have stopped handing out the london lite at lunchtimes - perhaps an indication that the dual freesheet war is coming to an end?

Iemanja

11-05-2007, 13:04

littlebabyjesus

11-05-2007, 13:10

Are they responsible for cultural hari-kari.. the capital's brains our slowly being turned to jelly. Ban the things now!!

:mad:
HARA KIRI please.:mad:

(or, better, seppuku)

*removes bobblehat of pedantry*

I agree. And the people selling them seem most put out when you don't take one and refuse to change your course to avoid the arm thrust out in your direction.

Dead Cat Bounce

11-05-2007, 19:31

Yes! Ban newspapers you don't like.

How very liberal :eek:

I don't like The Sun, The Daily Mail, The News Of The World etc - I'm not calling for them to be banned.

Walked past a bus stop outside my work tonight and guess what? At least fifty papers left on the pavement. It was a bit windy on the street and a few copies were blown away as I walked passed, add the rain that London has had tonight and you've got a rather messy looking street.

PacificOcean

11-05-2007, 19:41

I don't like The Sun, The Daily Mail, The News Of The World etc - I'm not calling for them to be banned.

Walked past a bus stop outside my work tonight and guess what? At least fifty papers left on the pavement. It was a bit windy on the street and a few copies were blown away as I walked passed, add the rain that London has had tonight and you've got a rather messy looking street.

But if it wasn't for TheLondonPaper, I would have no further news on how Paris Hilton is feeling about her impending incaseration. :mad:

Dead Cat Bounce

11-05-2007, 20:36

But if it wasn't for TheLondonPaper, I would have no further news on how Paris Hilton is feeling about her impending incaseration. :mad:

Here you go..

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=206749

;)

Johnny Canuck2

11-05-2007, 20:41

wrysmile

11-05-2007, 20:55

I like to get them both, then just read the celeb gossip pages - it's like a quick little injection of Heat magazine or similar, but without me having to actually buy it (cause that makes me feel a little embarrassed). For real news, I read the real papers, but the freebies serve an entertainment purpose and keep commuters occupied. There's worse things to rail against if we're discussing the dumbing down of the population.

Dead Cat Bounce

11-05-2007, 21:02

We have a bunch of free papers, including a Metro, and one called 24, plus other weekly ones like the Georgia Straight.

They're free, they can occupy you for ten minutes in a restaurant, and people throw them in the trash, so they aren't lying around in the streets.

Well Johnny, that's one of the things that gets me. Four tonnes of waste a week for ten minutes of reading per person. Almost every time I turn on the local radio station I hear reports of how we should be recycling and making London a better place.

Hell, we've got the Olympics in 2012, at this rate London will be buried under a mound of newspapers with nothing but headlines of 'Kate and Pete' to show for it.

Johnny Canuck2

11-05-2007, 21:04

Well Johnny, that's one of the things that gets me. Four tonnes of waste a week for ten minutes of reading per person. Almost every time I turn on the local radio station I hear reports of how we should be recycling and making London a better place.

Hell, we've got the Olympics in 2012, at this rate London will be buried under a mound of newspapers with nothing but headlines of 'Kate and Pete' to show for it.

Does it make it better if the people are paying for the newspaper?

We've got the Olympics in 2010, and I'm not worried about an inundation of flying newspaper debris.

Dead Cat Bounce

11-05-2007, 21:09

I read the real papers, but the freebies serve an entertainment purpose and keep commuters occupied.

What else are the commuters going to do if they don't have a paper? Riot?

Give us non paper reading commuters some credit :)

maldwyn

11-05-2007, 21:10

and people throw them in the trash, so they aren't lying around in the streets.
Not here we don't :(

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/400706014_7dca54afcc_m.jpg"
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/360563466_310bcf2a57_m.jpg

Johnny Canuck2

11-05-2007, 21:17

Not here we don't :(

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/400706014_7dca54afcc_m.jpg"
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/360563466_310bcf2a57_m.jpg

Ours seems to stay pretty clean.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/WOL/SkytrainInteriorWeb.jpg

Hollis

11-05-2007, 23:43

.. but the freebies serve an entertainment purpose and keep commuters occupied. There's worse things to rail against if we're discussing the dumbing down of the population.

I am not entirely sure about this.

ska invita

12-05-2007, 04:10

http://www.projectfreesheet.org/

Streathamite

14-05-2007, 18:38

is it me or is this whole thread based on entirely ditzy premise; namely that the papers we pay for are, by and large, anything other than 100% shite.
That is why the premise is balls; because everything put out by NewsCorp, TMG, DMG etc and YES INCLUDING THE GUARDIAN - is utter pants. The frebies can't make things worse. the barrel was bottomed years ago.

phildwyer

14-05-2007, 18:42

Well I don't much like having them aggressively thrust upon me as I go about my daily business. At least the proper papers don't employ hawkers.

Hollis

14-05-2007, 18:55

Johnny Canuck2

14-05-2007, 18:55

Well I don't much like having them aggressively thrust upon me as I go about my daily business..

I have yet to be given one when I didn't want it.

paolo999

18-05-2007, 01:57

so called 'News papers".

I love the prefix "so called". It's such a quaint Daily Mail letters page type phrase. :D

"so called experts" is the probably the ultimate. :D