Where does the Daily Mail get its ideas from?

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:31 am

It's getting a regular occurrence, the Daily Mail trying to put the boot into Countdown:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... tdown.html

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:44 am

Jees, a lot of abuse in those comments.

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:49 am

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:It's getting a regular occurrence, the Daily Mail trying to put the boot into Countdown:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... tdown.html

Look at the name of the journalist and search out her previous articles. Coincidence?

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:15 am

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... umber.html

Some pictures of Carol looking distinctly old accompanied by a breathless headline. Written by one Liz Thomas. Surely some coincidence!

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:24 am

I presume the article is factual, and I can't see how it really puts the boot in. There's a "quote" that there isn't a problem if the viewing figures stay at current levels. I don't know what a par figure would be, but the fact that different presenters in a different time slot got astoundingly high ratings more than a decade ago is irrelevant.

Most of the comments are largely sympathetic as well. They liked Richard and Carol, they don't like Jeff and Rachel as much. There may be no particular consensus as to why, but I don't see any of the reasons as out and out ridiculous.

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:30 am

It's interesting to see how many comments were written by people who don't watch it any more.....................

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:47 am

Charlie Reams wrote:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... umber.html

Some pictures of Carol looking distinctly old accompanied by a breathless headline. Written by one Liz Thomas. Surely some coincidence!

Here's another of Liz's earlier missives from March this year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... story.html

And another http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... ndrum.html

Oh and then this 'exclusive'... http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz ... tdown.html

Amazing coincidence

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:59 am

I can't imagine what you are saying Damian but it is indeed odd that only since September 2008 has Liz Thomas been writing about CV.
Look on Journalisted.com
http://www.journalisted.com/search?q=vo ... liz-thomas

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:18 pm

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:I can't imagine what you are saying Damian but it is indeed odd that only since September 2008 has Liz Thomas been writing about CV.
Look on Journalisted.com
http://www.journalisted.com/search?q=vo ... liz-thomas

Am not saying anything. I'm as mystified as the next person.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:57 pm

D Eadie wrote:Am not saying anything. I'm as mystified as the next person.

Oh look, and the next person's me.

And I'm not remotely mystified. Bitter old hag.

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:05 pm

Jon Corby wrote:
And I'm not remotely mystified. Bitter old hag.

I've never really bought into the "journalists having an agenda" argument (well, certainly not over trivialisms such as Countdown's viewing figures!), however from reading the articles from Ms Jones that have been linked to in this thread, I would suggest that you've probably hit the nail on the head.

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:45 pm

Martyn Simpson wrote:I've never really bought into the "journalists having an agenda" argument

You must read the sensible papers then...

Sue Sanders · Post by **Sue Sanders** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:54 pm

Ian Volante wrote:
Martyn Simpson wrote:I've never really bought into the "journalists having an agenda" argument
You must read the sensible papers then...

...so you miss out on gems like this :-
Jeff is abit to much sure off himself with his jokes not funny.

Miss Thomas must be so proud to write for such an erudite readership.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:10 pm

D Eadie wrote:
Oh and then this 'exclusive'... http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz ... tdown.html

On this last one where they compare two pictures of Carol, how come the one on the right shows 2007 then underneath actually says is Carol in 2003?

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:15 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:On this last one where they compare two pictures of Carol, how come the one on the right shows 2007 then underneath actually says is Carol in 2003?

The 2007 is part of the photo - she's standing on top of a sign that just happens to say 2007.

Martin Bishop · Post by **Martin Bishop** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 5:18 pm

Doesn't Carol's partner write for the Daily Mail?

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:16 pm

Martin Bishop wrote:Doesn't Carol's partner write for the Daily Mail?

If I remember his name whiteley then yes, he des: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/column ... Kelly.html

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:36 pm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... ndrum.html

This article above was written before an episode featuring Rachel was ever broadcast. Looked like a deliberate attempt to destabilise Rachel before she'd even started. I think the word they use for this sort of stuff is bullying. More power to Rachel for rising above it all.

Sad isn't it?

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:28 pm

Maybe we should all bombard the Daily Mail website with messages of support for Rachel.

That'll show Liz Thomas who she's messing with!

EDIT: I had one other suggestion, but I'll keep it to myself for now.

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:15 pm

Maybe we could get Jan Moir to do a more positive piece on the show.

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:21 pm

Or even the week after next's DC guest Jane Moore, seeing as she writes for The Sun, still the paper with the highest lookership.

Martyn Simpson · Post by **Martyn Simpson** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:23 pm

D Eadie wrote:More power to Rachel for rising above it all.

Spot on

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:00 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:Or even the week after next's DC guest Jane Moore, seeing as she writes for The Sun, still the paper with the highest lookership.

Andy Wilson · Post by **Andy Wilson** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:39 am

V good Derek

Mike Brailsford · Post by **Mike Brailsford** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:13 am

Here are some interesting shots of Rachel from the News Of The World.

http://tinyurl.com/yjy24o5

Ian Volante · Post by **Ian Volante** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:55 am

Mike Brailsford wrote:Here are some interesting shots of Rachel from the News Of The World.

http://tinyurl.com/yjy24o5

Can't imagine where the inspiration for those came from.

Davy Affleck · Post by **Davy Affleck** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:05 am

It's a right wing rag, fit only for toilet paper. Don't buy it.

Ben Wilson · Post by **Ben Wilson** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:51 pm

By scott phillips. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:28 AM.

LIke most Countdown viewers I gave up on the show this year. This girl is quite poor with her mental arithmetic and not in the same league as Carol. Countdown was Richard and Carol and now the ratings have been at all time low all year, it's time it was rested completely.

This the same Scott Phillips who plays on apterous?

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 4:04 pm

Ben Wilson wrote:
By scott phillips. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:28 AM.

LIke most Countdown viewers I gave up on the show this year. This girl is quite poor with her mental arithmetic and not in the same league as Carol. Countdown was Richard and Carol and now the ratings have been at all time low all year, it's time it was rested completely.
This the same Scott Phillips who plays on apterous?

That's what I was wondering!

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:15 pm

Good misquoting there, Ben. Scott Phillips actually said:

Rachel adds a breath of fresh air to Countdown, which i watch every day. Carol Vorderman became too big for her own boots, and after a nervous start, Rachel is statistically more successful at the maths game than Carol was. Bear in mind also that Vorderman had 26 years of it, whereby Rachel is just completing her first 12 months. Those of you who think that bringing back Carol will improve ratings............yeah. Have a look through your TV listings magazines and see what other programmes are fighting over her services. Virtually none. It speaks for itself. Rachel is the way forward.

By scott phillips. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:28 AM.

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:21 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:Good misquoting there, Ben.

That's what I was wondering!

Ben Wilson · Post by **Ben Wilson** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:31 pm

Crap, my bad, I'm looking on my tiny laptop screen and couldn't tell which side of the quote the actually info line is.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:51 am

Strange how things work out... Had I not followed the link to the Daily Mail piece referred to above, I wouldn't have also seen the hateful article by Jan Moir from Friday's edition of the paper claiming that Stephen Gately's death was attributable to his sexuality. Kudos to Marks & Spencer and others who have requested that their advertising not be associated with Ms Moir's column (although how much better it would be if they withdrew their custom from the paper altogether).

Thanks to Charlie Brooker (who I think I now love), I've just made my first ever complaint to the PCC, and I encourage others to do the same.

Philip Jarvis · Post by **Philip Jarvis** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:59 am

Kirk Bevins wrote:Good misquoting there, Ben. Scott Phillips actually said:

Rachel adds a breath of fresh air to Countdown, which i watch every day. Carol Vorderman became too big for her own boots, and after a nervous start, Rachel is statistically more successful at the maths game than Carol was. Bear in mind also that Vorderman had 26 years of it, whereby Rachel is just completing her first 12 months. Those of you who think that bringing back Carol will improve ratings............yeah. Have a look through your TV listings magazines and see what other programmes are fighting over her services. Virtually none. It speaks for itself. Rachel is the way forward.

By scott phillips. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:28 AM.

Is it not the case that Scott Phillips is actually Damian's alter ego?

Damian made the following quote on 9 July 2009 (Reappearances thread).

D Eadie wrote:What i said to someone on Apterous from the comfort of my own home late one evening won't happen again because i won't be visiting the place any longer using my real name.

Scott Phillips started playing Apterous on 10 July 2009 to a standard that was extremely similar to Damian's. Coincidence?

Edit: Spelling of name corrected.

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:52 pm

Philip Jarvis wrote: Is it not the case that Scott Phillips is actually Damien's alter ego?

Who is this "Damien"?

Niall Seymour · Post by **Niall Seymour** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:05 pm

Philip Jarvis wrote:
Kirk Bevins wrote:Good misquoting there, Ben. Scott Phillips actually said:

Rachel adds a breath of fresh air to Countdown, which i watch every day. Carol Vorderman became too big for her own boots, and after a nervous start, Rachel is statistically more successful at the maths game than Carol was. Bear in mind also that Vorderman had 26 years of it, whereby Rachel is just completing her first 12 months. Those of you who think that bringing back Carol will improve ratings............yeah. Have a look through your TV listings magazines and see what other programmes are fighting over her services. Virtually none. It speaks for itself. Rachel is the way forward.

By scott phillips. Posted October 18 2009 at 11:28 AM.
Is it not the case that Scott Phillips is actually Damien's alter ego?

Damien made the following quote on 9 July 2009 (Reappearances thread).

D Eadie wrote:What i said to someone on Apterous from the comfort of my own home late one evening won't happen again because i won't be visiting the place any longer using my real name.
Scott Phillips started playing Apterous on 10 July 2009 to a standard that was extremely similar to Damien's. Coincidence?

I suggested this a while back on aptochat, but it got dismissed out of hand.

D Eadie · Post by **D Eadie** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:12 pm

2+2=5?

I suppose this was posted by Charlie Reams as well..........

Interesting how Scott and Charlie both avoid the use of capital letters. Coincidence?

ratings down - clothes get smaller, photos get steamier - oh dear! Bring bac Carole (& Arlene)!

By charlie. Posted October 18 2009 at 1:53 AM.

As for Damien being Scott Phillips on Apterous, i guess you'll never know.

Oliver Garner · Post by **Oliver Garner** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:08 pm

A certain d dawson commented on the Mail article. The same person?

IanFalconer · Post by **IanFalconer** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:34 pm

If the Daily Mail runs something down, it's probably O.K. My wife and I find Countdown excellent viewing at present. Jeff and Rachel have restored the show to the level of Richard and Carol, much better than with either of the Deses (if that's a 5 letter word). Susie Dent is always superb. Yes, I used to prefer 4.30, then 4.15, as the start time, especially when I was working full time, and that might pull in more viewers. But in retirement I see it most days! Perhaps Channel 4 could promote it more?

AnnieHall · Post by **AnnieHall** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:41 pm

When "They" come up with these "Viewing statistics", do "They" count viewers who record programmes and see them later?
Because of the time that Countdown is broadcast, I should think more people record it to watch later than watch it live.

Ian Fitzpatrick · Post by **Ian Fitzpatrick** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 4:51 pm

It did appear that way on a poll taken on here a few weeks ago, but I then begin to wonder if we on here are all normal or not.

Apart from on here, nobody has ever asked me what I watch anyway!

Karen Pearson · Post by **Karen Pearson** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:41 pm

Audience measurement is based on 15000 homes and covers all channels and also anything recorded and watched within 7 days of broadcast.

I'm not sure, however, if the total Countdown audience reported is the sum of C4 and C4+1 or if the viewing figures for the two channels are reported separately. The lovely Mr Eadie may well be able to answer that. This level of detail is not available without paying for it!

Chris Corby · Post by **Chris Corby** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:25 am

Can't understand why people moan that Countdown is on too early - most of the country now have digital TV and on C4+1 it is on at 4.25, almost exactly the time that it used to be on when it started all those years ago. And haven't we all got HDD recorders now, or failing that, PVR's? And it is on VOD, etc etc. In other words if you really want to follow Countdown you can. The truth is that the viewing public no longer want to be educated or informed, kids would sooner watch cartoons these days and adults just vegetate in front of shows consisting of confrontational talk, idiotic chat or property make-overs. Morons. No wonder we are breeding a nation of illiterates - and it's all down to not watching Countdown.

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:25 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:
Martin Bishop wrote:Doesn't Carol's partner write for the Daily Mail?
If I remember his name whiteley then yes, he des: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/column ... Kelly.html

On The Noughties . . . Was That It?, Carol's boyfriend just said "I've got a 65-incher - how many men can say that?"

Ralph Gillions · Post by **Ralph Gillions** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:37 am

Phil Reynolds wrote:Had I not followed the link to the Daily Mail piece referred to above, I wouldn't have also seen the hateful article by Jan Moir from Friday's edition of the paper claiming that Stephen Gately's death was attributable to his sexuality.

The Daily Mail won an award last night.
At the Stonewall Awards Jan Moir won the Stonewall "Bigot of the Year" award.

Alec Rivers · Post by **Alec Rivers** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:54 am

Chris Corby wrote:Morons. No wonder we are breeding a nation of illiterates - and it's all down to not watching Countdown.

Hear, hear.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:38 am

Ralph Gillions wrote:The Daily Mail won an award last night.
At the Stonewall Awards Jan Moir won the Stonewall "Bigot of the Year" award.

Hehe. Ben Summerskill said that he'd called Moir to invite her to attend the ceremony to accept her award in person, "but she was so excited she dropped the phone".

Meanwhile in other news: a headline in today's Telegraph Online reads MPs demand answers over Nutt sacking. Is this the same as teabagging?