Important news

[petesgrayz]

My son is serving in Afghanistan. He's in the parachute regiment. 2 Paras killed in Afghanistan on Saturday. Top story on news, Bekham resigns as captain of England. It's not the team that turns the Scots and Welsh against the English it's the constant hype shoved down our throats by the media.

[jedimistress]

Oh well nevermind.

[gerkin]

I suppose football is more important to alot of people than life itself. I suppose it does help us to detach from the nasty things happening in and around our lives

[Lonnie]

Hi petesgrayz, I was going to post this also, although with a son out there, you have moore of a right to question the media's priorities than most.

I noticed that straight away, and was disgusted, yes, put both items in the paper, but get it right, surely, British soldiers losing their lives is worth more than Beckham any day of the week.

[stevie21]

The World Cup is "new" news to everyone - especially Beckham resigning. That's something that's not desperately important in the grand scheme of things but is something that millions of people will be talking about.

British soldiers being killed is far more important but it's happened before and will happen again. There isn't any novelty in it and many people might have exhausted their opinions on our involvement in Afghanistan. It's possibly not something that will dominate people's conversations.

In saying that, I think it would be brilliantly respectful if newspapers etc. deliberately put the soldiers on the front page instead of Beckham despite knowing that their average reader has more interest in the football.

[Scotman84]

Just about every newspaper I know of prints it's sports headlines on the BACK page. I have little or no interest in sport, so that's the only part of the paper I never read. To suddenly have such news thrust at me on the front page also makes me angry. I'm totally on your side petesgrayz.

[fat rascal]

can't think of anything else to add.. but you are right pete, hope your lad comes back safe an sound.

[Big Al1st]

Hi Pete Agree withh evrything you say.
I know what it is like upto a point because one of my sons was on the HMS Sheffield when she got sunk. He was injured but survived.

The good side is your son, belongs to the best fighting force in the world.

The down side is they are being looked after by a goverment that does know their backside from their elbows.

Fingers truly crosssed for a safe return to your son and everyone else out in that god forsaken country Rgds Al

[Scotman84]

Trying to suss out the post from jedimistress ' Oh well nevermind' - what was that supposed to mean?

[shammydodger]

Pete

Could not agree with you more. On the same day that we are invited to commemorate the fallen at the battle of the Somme, we are invited to give our opinion on whether Ronald winked at the bench. Says it all doesn't it?

My thoughts are with you and your son. God bless him and keep him. Poppies are not only about WWI

[jno]

It may also depend on your news source. My guess is that Beckham was not the top story in every paper or broadcast or website, only some. That's why there are different ones, to cater for people with different perspectives. I wish your son well.

[Big Al1st]

Hi Clarion,
My son still goes to the re-unions in Portsmouth. And either this year or next there is a big one up in Sheffield which he is going to.
I guess me and the wife were lucky! Al

[petesgrayz]

Thanks all.

[WoWo]

Was it an English paper? Why if you don't like the English media are you buying English papers. There are plenty of Scottish and Welsh papers to buy, did they have Beckham on the front cover?

[Ladyboyg1]

Unfortunately people still believe that the media / newspapers etc are focused on reporting of facts and enlightening us all to events around the globe.
The truth is that all forms of media are governed by financial gain, it is a business like any other, therefore the news that is reported is that which will sell most papers or attract most viewers.
and rightly or wrongly far more people would be interested in the Beckham story .
Because of our love of celebrity the loss of anonymous life is realtively unimportant.

[anotheoldgit]

Regarding the recent Somme commemoration the sheer hyprocisy of our royalty and politicians who attended, and they will all be there again on Remembrance Day, with their chests full of medals (how they have aquired them I do not know) even Prince Harry has one already. And they just love handing out out Gongs and Knighthoods to the likes of Beckam or Rolf Harris.But are the royals and politicians in attendance when those unfortunate Lads & Lasses who have made the ultimate sarifice, (in countries where we should not even be), come back home?

[jedimistress]

I was confused as to wether the question was about prioritizing reporting of news stories, or just an easy dig at the English.

An interpreter was also killed in the same attack so why is he not mentioned????????

[heathfield]

This was a topic in my local pub last night, and everyone agreed that it showed that the media have their priorities wrong and are a bunch of you-know-what.

[petesgrayz]

Wo Wo, I didn,t mention newspapers I said News. I haven,t bought a paper in years.

[jno]

Martin Bell agrees with you:

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/martin_bel l/2006/07/football_isnt_a_matter_of_life.html