The Independent

Recently, Tony Blair had the effrontery to carp at what he described as “the fusion of comment and news” by British newspapers, in effect accusing them playing free and easy with the truth. This was pretty rich, coming from someone who had done so much to elevate spin and news manipulation to their present eminence in British politics. Reflecting, though, on the antics of some of the popular press, particularly those that have bent over backwards to support him, one felt that there might be a germ of something in what he had to say, despite the identity of the person saying it. Then he singled out The Independent for particular attack, and at once it became obvious ...

Broadly speaking newspapers around the world tend to reflect the political stances of theirs owners, editors and their core readership. In many countries this is perfectly understood and accepted. In the UK we have always had a feeling that in some ways serious newspapers should be above politics and that a balanced representation of the factual content of a story is paramount. Of course this is rubbish and although many of us would like to believe that the paper we regularly read is the one that gives us a fair and balanced appraisal of the news in fact all it does is gives us an appraisal that we tend to agree with. When the ‘Independent’ was ...

I love reading a broadsheet. That Saturday morning feeling - sitting in the dining room, cat on lap, croissants and orange juice on the table, partner at work (OK I have a cruel streak, but there is something really good, when you have the day off, and your other half is slaving away), and the Independent to read. Bliss. I started reading the Independent some 15 years ago. The Guardian was going through a rough patch, and the self congratulatory superior snobbery, and right wing bias of the Telegraph and Times turns me right off. So it was good to have a choice - the Indie had recently been started, as a brave and underfinanced venture ...