Watch out for the media manipulators

ONCE again I was interested to see the new series of politician ‘rappers’ put out by Sky news this week.

These heavily manipulated adverts, somewhat irreverently, portray our esteemed leaders as twitching entertainers informing us they are bringing down the deficit and so on.

To my mind, by presenting these highly technical images, the media moguls have actually shown us all just how much they can in fact meddle with any of the information they gather before delivering it to its unsuspecting viewers. It’s all very well to make their technically tweaked twitchers appear humorous (The one that presented a completely different ‘Queen’s speech’ some years ago I found particularly funny), however the practice can also be extremely misleading, and indeed dangerous.

Some years ago, when the Murdoch media turncoats were scurrying around to appease their boss’s new mate Tony Blair I had cause to be watching Sky around 6am. They put out what was obviously the first airing of an interview with Blair, who was then leader of the opposition. I forget the gist of the interview, but this obviously unedited piece actually made Blair look even worse than what’s ‘er name who runs the current Green party. It was so laughingly bad, I actually got then spouse Pauline out of bed (no mean feat!) to watch it when it came around again. We duly waited in bated anticipation for its next airing.

Finally on it came. Well. Frankly it was like a different interview all together.

In the interim period of the two broadcasts, the bulls… boffins had hacked and honed the piece to such an extent, that his eloquence and wit shone through like a war deliverance of Winston Churchill. (Thanks Sky news, you nearly led to fisticuffs between me an ‘er indoors!)

Far from coming over as a complete idiot, Blair looked unreservedly like a completely acceptable leader of the future. The media has an enormous power to manipulate and influence the public. Consequently it is honour-bound to retain the highest standards of responsibility, truth and integrity.

So do us a favour all you wags in the cutting and editing rooms, keep it light.

Wouldn’t like Twitter and all your social media rivals out there to make you all out to be the power mad morons many of you actually are, would we!

One thing they can’t control is the subtitles for the deaf. Lovely one this week which interpreted Zimbabwe as Simm of Way. Now that’s what I call really manipulating the truth.

By the way. Has anyone ever seen Andy Murray look smart in anything!?

Keep the faith.
Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com website: leapylee.co.uk