Well there was a joke that the only culture in the city in 2006 was in a yogurt in the Kwik Save in Old Swan.That's not fair.
But as any good European Capital of Culture wouldnt have, we had sponsors of the likes of curry pasty purveyors Sayers and brewers Cains (who went bust in 2008 as did the Alliance and Leicester, what about Sayers) so it was Pies and Pints all round.
One of the worst ideas for sponsorship was Trinity Mirror......where can we have debate about whats going wrong if the local press are sponsors and blank half the problems.
http://www.liverpool08.com/commercial/OfficialPartners/index.asp The front page of the Oldham Echo now contains post 2008 all the culture most of its readers need........ a free Cheese and Onion Pasty from Greggs. I despair. I really do.
If this sort of crassness was uncommon, if it was just this once it would not be at all bad but its every day now that the lowest common denominator is invoked.
In my opinion THE LOCAL PAPERS ARE BEING RUN BY BUSINESS. So are they portraying a fair and proper representation of what is our history and culture, or helping to promote stereotypes? What chance when the editor of the Echo Alastair Machray runs the leditorial for the paper this way. Setting a bad example. What next free Shell Suits with curly wigs and muzzies? Do we really expect more? He did once say on his blog. I quote Correspondent
The post, entitled, "10 things to do before I die", is a predictable wish-list of a middle-aged, middle-class hack (see kids graduate, watch a test cricket match abroad, improve golf handicap, etc.). However, Machray also lists as one of his wishes, "See Newcastle United win a trophy (more chance of shagging Catherine Zeta [Jones])." The post was later removed after it was reported to the press complaints.
http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/09/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html
Richard Downer was on a upper the other day on a crane peering over what he described as the best views in Liverpool at Mann Island. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/08/12/working-70-metres-up-the-crane-driver-with-the-best-view-in-liverpool-92534-24377894/ THE BEST VIEWS IN LIVERPOOL RUINED MORE LIKE. This is another of the Larry Neilds school of reporting as he did it several times when he was on the LOCAL paper. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/08/12/glitch-delays-new-brighton-scheme-92534-24377723/ This time it appear to be for Neptune Developments and guess what they are another client of October Communications.......who he now works for, doesn't the advertising standards regulate this sort of nepotism.
I left a comment on Correspondents blog http://condensedthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/taking-unpaid-adverts.html who seems to have got a balance on whats going on, and I got confused with Neptune doing the scheme at New Brighton with a disgustingly bad idea to build a supermarket on the riverfront. Larry you should be ashamed of yourself, a good old Union rep and all, now working promoting companies who are in my opinion doing untold damage to our history. And you keep on telling us on your Liverpool Confidential column (set up to advertise and promote business) how you are fair and balanced. When you are doing your City Talk radio spot who are you sticking up for then. You have sold yourself short Larry........no pun intended, all those years of hard work sold out for money.
Incidently Radio City, Hill Dickinson, (who feature in todays Daily Ghost) BT along with Trinity Mirror were also sponsers of 08.
Let me just explain the way it works without regulation. A press company knocks a article into the laziest of the journos at the Trinity "Smoking" Mirrors Group, who then believe what they say or dont care, and then they follow it up with bogus letters in the Daily Post and Echo...who are happy to publish a letter without checking if the recipient exists especially if it is via email....that's if the reporters themselves have not planted one in there themselves.
WE ARE NOW KEEPING AN EYE ON THIS SITUATION AND ESPECIALLY THE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS. AND IF NEED BE WE WILL PUT A FULL REPORT INTO THE PRESS COMPLAINTS AND ON THE MATTER OF THE PAGE THAT DOWNTOWN LIVERPOOL PAY FOR OF A THURSDAY in the Post. IF THIS IS NOT CLASSED AS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE FORTHWITH WE WILL CONTACT THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS BOARD.
A fair and level playing field to help save and promote our culture would be a thing that the public expect, and not smoking mirrors.
Posts
Great play on my surname by the way. Right up there with Eryl Roberts who first latched on to its comic possiblities in Penycae pre school.
ReplyDeleteIs that where you learnt to write old boy. Try thinking a little bit more instead of being spoon fed by the PR agents and you may be a decent writer.
ReplyDelete