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 ...  Read the complete review

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 ...  Read the complete review

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 ...  Read the complete review

I've been buying the Indie since the second issue (I couldn't get the first) and have been hooked ever since. I'd tried others: The Times was owned by Murdoch about whom I am unable to express an opinion as it would get me banned from this site; the Guardian was just toooo agit prop and The Telegraph's only real redeeming feature was its easy crossword. I was in paper stasis; no-one could satisfy me and then along came Andreas Whittam-Smith and his band of renegades. Paper heaven!! Its mission was simple - it wouldn't subscribe to the lobby briefing so wouldn't react to spin, it wouldn't have an owner so wouldn't be subject to the ...  Read the complete review

I'm a sucker for the under dog... I always avoid the popular bars in favour of tired old pubs; I vote for the hopeless third choice party in most elections and I love the reliable old Indy. Sitting at the left of the British political spectrum, the Independent is definitely the underdog of Europe's liveliest newspaper industries. It's closest competitor is the far more successful but far arguably more middle class and more "middle England" Guardian. The more substantial circulation figures and financial backing of the Guardian don't help the Indy, but it's for precisely those reasons I stick to the Independent. While the Guardian represents a largely ...  Read the complete review