Dating with Desmond

Today, the homepage of the Daily Star leads with three stories about the Jubilee. The next 'story' is this:

That's the fourth most important story of the day?

The headline and intro reeks of churnalism, but it's only when you read the article - which carries no byline - that you see how shameless it is:

Finding time to make new friends can be hard if you’re already juggling a million things on a daily basis.

And that’s something many of us with hectic lifestyles can identify with. Around five million Brits admit to being too busy to widen their social circle – but what’s the solution?

You need a fast, easy and affordable way to meet like-minded people to have fun with, be that grabbing a drink, chatting over a pub lunch or heading out to the cinema.

Well there’s never been a simpler or safer way to find what you want – and it’s quick, easy and free to join.

Whether you’re just looking for friendship, to date casually, or even a lasting relationship, [name removed], Britain’s newest dating website, promises to make it easier than ever before to meet people you click with in a safe, secure and trusted environment.

Forget anything you may have heard in the past about online dating. There’s a very good reason why more people than ever before are logging on.

Clearly, this is a sales pitch, not a news story. It goes on to name the website in question seven times, and links to the site on five of those occasions. 

An almost identical article about this dating site appears on the Express' website too.

Although churnalism among newspapers isn't exactly uncommon, this is particularly blatant. And when you click through to the dating website, it suddenly becomes clear what's going on here - at the bottom of the homepage it says:

Operated for Northern & Shell by The Dating Lab.

Richard Desmond's Northern and Shell also owns the Star and the Express.

Two drinks a day...or three a week

Daily Mail, 7 September 2011:

Daily Mail, 31 May 2012:

Mail corrects Ephraim Hardcastle claim

The Daily Mail's Ephraim Hardcastle, 25 May 2012:

Labour leader Ed Miliband writes about his family heritage in a special edition of the New Statesman on the British Jewish experience. A far cry from a decade ago when the magazine was accused of anti-Semitism over an investigative article headlined ‘A Kosher Conspiracy?’.

Why the change of heart? Surely not because its senior political writer, Mehdi Hasan – a vociferous critic of Israel – has left to join America’s Huffington Post online news organisation.

The Daily Mail's 'Clarifications and corrections' column, 30 May 2012:

An Ephraim Hardcastle item last week suggested that the New Statesman appeared to have boosted its coverage of Jewish affairs following the departure of senior political writer Mehdi Hasan. Mr Hasan informs us that in fact he has not yet left and that the recent British Jewish edition was his idea.

(Hat-tip to Kevin Arscott)

Sun struggles to identify people in photos

Yesterday, the Sun published an update on the love life of pop singer Mollie King:

Saturdays star Mollie King steps out with new man

The Saturdays star was spotted walking hand in hand with the mystery fella in London’s trendy Camden last night.

Wearing a white blouse, cream slacks and tan open toe heels, the 24-year-old beamed as she showed off her dashing new bloke.

The blue-eyed boy was smartly clad in a white shirt, black suit trousers and black shoes.

Then the identity of 'her dashing new bloke' was revealed:

A few hours later, the Sun updated their story:

Mollie's found herself a new King - But don't worry...it's only her gay stylist

Mollie King looks like she’s shot straight off the singles market as she walks hand-in-hand with a dapper man.

But fear not gents, the man in question is only her gay stylist, Frank Strachan. 

Today, a tweet from Daisy Lowe revealed that the Sun is still struggling to identify people photographed with celebs:

(Hat-tip to Nicolas)

'We don’t report pregnancies unless confirmed by the subject' (cont.)

In his witness statement for the Leveson Inquiry last month, MailOnline publisher Martin Clarke wrote:

For instance the other month a US website broke the news of Sienna Miller’s pregnancy which was swiftly followed by all our American rivals but not by us because we don’t report pregnancies unless confirmed by the subject.

At the time, this blog highlighted recent articles about Kate Middleton and Drew Barrymore which proved that MailOnline does sometimes suggest that someone is pregnant before they have confirmed it.

Today, MailOnline's Sarah Bull turned her attention to Megan Fox:

She has so far refused to comment on rumours that she is expecting her first child with husband Brian Austin Green.

But pictures of Megan Fox last week appeared to show a much-expanded stomach, suggesting reports that the actress is expecting are true...

Despite the fact that Megan has yet to either confirm or deny the pregnancy reports, it has already been claimed that the 26-year-old actress is expecting a little girl...

The couple will reportedly welcome their daughter into the world at the end of September with Megan having no movie commitments until 2013.

'Animal rights protestors'...or a codeine addict?

Christopher McGuire has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for tampering with boxes of Nurofen Plus. He was a codeine addict after a cheap fix:

McGuire, who went to university at 16, took 32 Nurofen Plus tablets a day to feed his secret habit. But after losing his job he struggled to pay for his addiction.

The 31-year-old's scheme saw him fill empty packets with the Seroquel he was being prescribed for schizophrenia.

The court heard how McGuire then tried to buy Nurofen Plus at pharmacies using a card he knew would be declined. This created the distraction he needed to discreetly swap his doctored packet for a fresh one and walk away. 

Compare that explanation to the Mail's front page story on 26 August 2011, written by Jenny Hope and Colin Fernandez:

Dangerous anti-psychotic drugs may have been deliberately placed in thousands of packets of Nurofen Plus by animal rights activists, it emerged last night...

It is suspected militant activists carried out the sabotage operation with the intention of damaging Nurofen Plus's makers, Reckitt Benckiser. The company may have been targeted because it tests its products on animals.

'It's a lie'

A Sun 'exclusive' by Ben Duffy reveals:

The article explains:

Comedian David Baddiel is to take Class A drugs live on telly as part of a scientific study for a new show.

The Three Lions on a Shirt star will sample the substance MDMA, often known as “Mandy”, and then discuss how he is feeling.

David, 47, and other celebs are taking part in the Channel 4 series Drug Live, which aims to explore the effects MDMA has on the brain.

In response, Baddiel tweeted:

The Express and arthritis (cont.)

Another day, another health 'cure' story from Jo Willey and the Daily Express:

This is not the same pill that the Express trumpeted as stopping arthritis pain on 25 April:

And on 9 May, the paper didn't mention any 'seaweed pill' when it claimed to have revealed the 'best way to battle arthritis':

And on 18 May, the seaweed pill was mysteriously absent from the Express' story claiming to reveal the 'easy way to halt the misery of arthritis':

With all these stories, it's a wonder there's anyone still suffering with arthritis at all.

But what of today's story about the 'seaweed pill'? Willey's article begins:

A pill made from seaweed could be the key to tackling arthritis.

'Could be'. A bit different from the front page 'will'.

But it seems that the 'seaweed pill' - the 'amazing tablet' than can 'fight other diseases' - doesn't actually exist in tablet form.

Willey goes on to say:

Various laboratory tests were carried out and the research team discovered that the seaweed – Leptolyngbya crosbyana – generates natural products known as honaucins with potent anti-inflammation and bacteria-controlling properties.

She then quotes one of the researchers, who points out:

"It’s a long road to go from this early-stage discovery to application in the clinic but it’s the only road if we want new and more efficacious medicines...In different arenas these compounds could be helpful, such as treating chronic inflammatory conditions for which we currently don’t have really good medicines."

Willey's article is a bit of churnalism that originated from a press release from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

The press release said:

Scientists identified the “nuisance” organism in 2008 on the reefs directly adjacent to the National Park Pu‘uhonua o H’onaunau off the Kona coast of Hawaii. The cyanobacterium is believed to be native to Hawaii and is usually inconspicuous.

Willey 'changed' this to:

Scientists first identified the “nuisance” organism in 2008 threatening the reefs next to a national park off the Kona coast of Hawaii. The cyanobacterium is believed to be native to the islands and is usually inconspicuous.

And this bit from the original:

Choi, Gerwick and their colleagues conducted various laboratory experiments and discovered that the seaweed (the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya crossbyana) generates natural products known as honaucins with potent anti-inflammation and bacteria-controlling properties.

Became this:

Various laboratory tests were carried out and the research team discovered that the seaweed – Leptolyngbya crosbyana – generates natural products known as honaucins with potent anti-inflammation and bacteria-controlling properties.

Incidentally, the press release does not specifically mention arthritis.

Old photo becomes MailOnline news

MailOnline reports:

Amelia Proud's 'story' appears to be that a porn star wearing lots of make up in a photo for an album cover looks a bit different compared to a police mugshot taken twelve years later.

Moreover, the article makes clear that that mugshot was taken in January 2011. It was published at the time.

So why write a 'story' about it now?

MailOnline was named newspaper website of the year in March.

Star's ad campaign for Big Brother begins

The front of today's Daily Star claims there is a 'Fury over Big Bro live sex show':

The article, by Peter Dyke, begins:

Big Brother bosses will spark a major controversy by screening a live sex show in the house.

A 'live sex show'? On Channel 5? Rather than on one of Richard Desmond's 'other' channels?

It sounds unlikely. And as the article goes on, it becomes clear this is hype:

Producers unveiled the luxury Las Vegas-style BB13 house yesterday and it contains the ultimate kinky bedroom.

They have cordoned off two double beds and surrounded them with mirrors and lighting.

It is a clear hint they want the randy wannabes to couple up and put on a rompathon.

So there is no 'live sex show'. And even if there was a 'live sex show' when Big Brother starts next month, broadcasting rules would limit what Channel 5 could show anyway.

Is there any 'fury', as claimed in the front page headline? No. The article does not name, or quote, any furious person or organisation.

So no live sex show and no fury. It is another of those headlines that editor Dawn Neesom would say was 'eye-catching' rather than true.

This is simply about one of Richard Desmond's papers plugging a show on one of his TV channels. Dyke remembers to give the date and time of the broadcast of the first episode of the new series.

It's not the first time the Star has misused 'live sex show'. On the front page on 3 December 2008, it claimed Britney Spears had performed a 'live sex show' on TV when in fact she had simply done a song-and-dance routine on Good Morning America.

And trying to sell Big Brother (and copies of the paper) on it's sex content isn't exactly a new tactic for the Star either. Housemates will 'strut their naked stuff' or the programme will be 'full of naked romps' or it will be the 'sexiest Big Bro ever'. So for today's paper to claim this is a 'shock plan' is nonsense. It's the same tired old 'plan' that the Star claims is afoot every year.

Helpfully, MailOnline's JJ Anisiobi has joined the ad campaign, copying-and-pasting the Star's article into a 'story' which claims the series is already 'courting controversy'.

Star clarifies Lineker headline

On Saturday, the Daily Star ran a front page headline about Gary Lineker which he said was a 'complete fabrication'. The headline claimed he had said the England football team were 'losers' but admitted when challenged that:

'Only says this in the headline, the story itself does not suggest this is your quote'

Yesterday, the Star ran a clarification on page two:

Gary Lineker has asked us to point out that his remarks about England as reported in Saturday’s Daily Star were meant as a light-hearted jocular reference to how overexcited we get at our prospects before a big football tournament and do not reflect his feelings about the current England squad.

Lineker tweeted:

He added:

(Hat-tip to The Media Blog)

Star: 'Only says this in the headline, the story itself does not suggest this is your quote'

Today's Daily Star says:

Soon after this front page emerged last night, Gary Lineker took to Twitter to deny he had ever said the England team were 'losers':

'Only says this in the headline, the story itself does not suggest this is your quote'. 

Like when they said Simon Cowell was 'dead' - it only said this in the front page headline, the story itself didn't actually say he was dead.

And when they ran the front page headline 'Cowell: My feud with Cheryl' which included the actual quote 'we haven't had a fight'.

And when they said a celebrity couple had 'kissed and made up' in a front page headline, when the story itself said no such thing.

And so on...

This morning, Lineker added:

When she appeared before the Leveson Inquiry, Star editor Dawn Neesom refused to admit the 'Cowell is dead' headline was complete rubbish, saying instead:

you only have a finite amount of words you can fit on a page 1 as a headline...it was designed to be an eye-catching headline.

(Hat-tip to Martin Baker)

NICE challenges Mail story on cancer drugs

On 15 May, the Daily Mail published this story:

The next day, Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of the 'rationing body' NICE sent a letter of correction to the Mail:

NICE has never taken 9 years to make a recommendation to the NHS on the use of a new drug (New cancer drugs held up by the NHS for nine years, 16 May).

The gap between a new drug becoming available to prescribe and NICE guidance being published is around 5 months. The study, on which your article was based, included drugs that were licensed for use, in some cases, more than 5 years before NICE was established. Its conclusions are both misleading and unhelpful for those who rely on our advice.

Making sure that we provide advice on the best use of all important new drugs quickly remains our priority and we have the resources and the commitment to do it.

Sorry we said you slept with Tony Blackburn

Today, the Mirror published this apology to Lyn Paul:

Following our article of 1 May 2012 in which it was reported that Lyn Paul of the New Seekers was a “conquest” of Tony Blackburn, Ms Paul has contacted us to say that she merely shared a dinner date with Tony Blackburn and neither slept with him nor had a relationship with him.  We are happy to make this clear and apologise to Ms Paul for any upset caused.

Editor of Glamour criticises Mail's Liz Jones

Jo Elvin, the editor of Glamour, took to Twitter on 9 May 2012 to dispute a claim made by Liz Jones in a Mail article several days before:

(via Media Monkey)