More Britness

[resonant]

Wow. Lots of people had lots of extremely interesting input on the British press (and TV). I really appreciate everyone's help.

What I'm trying to do here is this. I've got a postwar story in progress, and I want to show one of the survivors being deluged with reporters demanding interviews. And I don't want to use the Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly or the Quibbler or whatever other canonical media there are, because i'm bored with those; I want to make up my own.

Now, if I had to make up an American newspaper or magazine, and create a plausible characterization for a reporter from it, that would be a breeze. But I'm totally flailing around in the deep water when it comes to the media of other countries.

That's why I was talking about personalities before; I thought if I could get snapshots of the "characterization" of some actual Brit media, I'd be able to come up with some of my own that would fit the pattern.

Still eager for more input, if anyone cares to offer any.

[edited to add] I'd be especially interested in a two-sentence personality profile of any high-profile publications/news shows aimed at people of Indian/Pakistani/etc. ancestry in Britain. Seems reasonable that there'd be a counterpart for wizards.

Comments

[infinitemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this is any help (and I am still somewhat embarrassed about getting the ABCs wrong in my last comment, but in my defence, I was distracted by shiny LoTR DVDs. And I am possibly in denial about the Sun's figures) but here's some local colour as far as British newspapers go.

The broadsheets will call up for an interview and be persistent and polite but seldom outright harass survivors of disasters as I think they (mostly) adhere to the Press Complaints Commission code on these matters..

Reporters from the tabs and the Mail and Express will cheerfully bother people until they get the story (because if they don't, the news editor will bollock them and possibly sack them.).

These people might be more interesting in a story context because they're the ones who are most likely to be active in pursuit of a big story and they're willing to go to greater extremes.

The Mail, Mirror and Sun in particular like to chuck money at people in return for exclusivity. If a buyup isn't possible, they will sit outside the houses of the people they want to interview until they give in and offer a comment. This is called "doorstepping". As far as I can tell from talking to friends, they will often send a woman to do this, possibly with a snapper in tow (they are usually male) because women are reckoned to be better at wheedling out the details.

This is a particular modus operandi of the Daily Mail, which is excellent at getting hold of very emotive copy from survivors of various traumas. Their reporters tend to be *extremely* well-dressed, quick to lay on the charm, very persistent and very resourceful. They're usually in their late 20s to early 40s. The reporting life tends to burn people out in places like the Mail because of the endless bullying.

Their first port of call for the reporter on a big story would often be a local newspaper, a stringer or else a news agency for the area, who will go in and get the initial info for the big fish from London -- background reporting. The news agencies are rapacious and without scruples, because they get paid per story/picture. The honorable exception is the Press Association. If you wanted a character to be hiding away but also to want his/her story to get out, they might strike an exclusive deal with the Press Association, which is a British-only equivalent of Associated Press or Reuters.PA plays everything very straight and accurate.

I've seen the reporters from The Sun and The Mirror working en masse, and Sun reporters in particular are *very* aggressive about working together to get the story and thwart the opposition. A friend once experienced a bunch of them working a big story where they had an exclusive deal (she was working for the Mirror, who were trying to get the story) and described them as being young, cocky, and walking around in black suits and shades "like Reservoir Puppies"

If a reporter goes to visit the relatives of someone who has died, usually to get quotes , it's called a "death knock". You try to get a "pick-up picture" (i.e. a picture of the deceased, to run with the story and because if you take away the picture, you get exclusive use of it )

If a tabloid decides that one high-profile person is to blame for any incident or has behaved in a manner unbecoming, they will roast that person over hot coals. I've heard this referred to as "monstering" .

Your typical reporter will usually carry around a scruffy Filofax, stuffed with paper. This is their contacts book and every phone number ever gleaned. They will always *always* have a mobile phone.

The main difference I have observed between papers in the US and papers here is attitude to accuracy. American papers are scrupulous about it. In Britain, on papers like the Daily Mail (not the broadsheets so much), the sub-editors tickle the copy. There's a high premium on bringing the funny when appropriate. Sometimes, there is playing fast and loose with the facts

Re: Asian papers. The one I have heard of is Eastern Eye.

This (http://www.ethnicmedia.co.uk/) may help.

I hope this was not totally useless.

[wickedcherub.livejournal.com]

I have no real comments to add, except that London tabloids are notorious for being brutal. Their paparazzi go to enormous lengths to get any sort of photo and when I go to the newsagent to get my paper and see the foreign London papers, they don't seem to have any qualms about sticking 'naked Britney photos' on the front page.

That, and omg Resonant is writing HP! omgsquee

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Well, "is writing" implies a certain immediacy that isn't quite accurate. I am currently ignoring three HP WIPs, and they're lined up on my dock looking at me reproachfully.