How a newspaper serves its readers ill
Published:
February 14, 2012 at 12:32pm
And here's another great reformer and prominent criminal lawyer
So now he’s a reformer, as well as a prominent criminal lawyer. Exactly what is The Times’s agenda? Not to serve its readers ill, I trust.
The Times
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Debono’s recipe for stability
Reformist government backbencher Franco Debono said yesterday that stability could only be achieved through accountability, transparency, dignity to parliament, powerful courts and regulation of political parties.
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That’s what happens when one has reporters, and not journalists.
If Franco Debono, when interviewed, says that he is a reformist and not a rebel, then from that moment onwards he must be referred to as a reformist.
Yes, Debono is at it again. And The Times simply reports verbatim what he said as if it was the Gospel. No comments, no insights, no criticism from the reporter. When they report Debono they go into pappagall-mode
From ” rebel” to “reformist government backbencher” .
What next , “freedom fighter”?
Methinks Dr Debono fancies himself as the William Garrow.of the Maltese courts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Garrow
Before long, The Times will be speaking of Debono as the Maltese Nelson Mandela or Gandhi or even the new Dalai Lama.
I think that the Times meant “Franco Debono, the backbencher of the reformist government, said yesterday that …”
At least they didn’t describe him as “the Prime Minister’s prominent member”.
At least they didn’t describe him as “the Prime Minister’s pain-in-the-back…”
They did imply that he was the most erect, however.
The Times calls Debono a prominent criminal lawyer. Has he ever defended a criminal case in front of a jury and won? If yes, then I would not know what to call this bighead.
I cannot understand why The Times glorifies Franco Debono.
On last week’s debate between Dr Gonzi and Dr Muscat they also stopped the speakers to enlighten us with some illogical arguments coming “fresh” from Dr Debono.
Dr Debono is acting like an ass, think he should be treated like one, he should be ignored and forgotten.
‘Dignity to parliament, powerful courts and regulation of political parties…’
In other words, fragmentation of the bipolar system, a judiciary which will expect to have a say in the nature of laws passed, and the public financing of political parties giving rise to a myriad of self-styled one man political parties.
Nothing different to the Italian system, with the privileges granted to its self-serving politicians ‘di mestiere’. It’s about time his proposals were challenged to their nature and pitfalls instead of thinking his ideas should be accepted simply because they’re ‘new’.
Just ask the Italians, only 10% of whom said they trust politicans in the latest poll carried out last Tusday. Not once does Franco mention delegation of powers.
The Times needs its own correspondent in Rome to see what his reforms really mean. Not to mention the obligatory referendum mechanism whenever such proposals are made.
Yes, Debono is back at it. The Times reports him verbatim as if what he says is the gospel truth.
No insights, no comments, no crticism by any of its reporters. Yes when it comes to Debono, The Times actually goes into pappagall-mode.
Can Anglu’s elephant accommodate Franco as well?
A memorable ride, that would be.
Back-stabber and blackmailer would be a more apt description of Franco Debono.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120214/local/playground-for-dogs-being-set-up-at-ta-qali.406779
Times moderator fast asleep I see.
Mr F J Brincat
Today, 13:30
If you don’t like it just don’t go. Bit tired of people like you always whining and bitching about dogs. Fcuk off and die you cnut.
(Misspelling is mine to avoid spam filters on this site… the original comment is correctly spelt and can be seen in all its glory)
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/blogsdetails/blogs/Stop-messing-about
After all the publicity he gave him, Saviour Balzan is now angry that Franco Debono did not bring down the government. Now he’s saying what some of the rest of us have said since the start of these problems. I imagine the prisoner of Brussels is not best pleased either.
You beat me to it, xmun.
Goes to show how Salvu is not the journalist he boasts he is, but simply one whose only agenda is to see Gonzi’s back.
Still, he’s got better English than The Times’ reporters. Bravu Salv!
Thank God I stopped buying The Times.
Well, considering what it has to compete with, have a look at L-Orizzont’s editorial yesterday: haj kless ta’ vera hi
“Fil-latrina ta’ GonziPN, fejn spiss jinġabru biex jagħmlu pipì, anke r-roll tat-‘toilet paper’ hu magħmul mill-ewro miġburin mit-taxxi ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minna u jintuża kemm jekk għandhom bżonn jissoffjaw inkella għal x’imkien ieħor, li żgur mhux differenti wisq minn wiċċhom.”
In case you’re wondering what triggered them off, its a claim that a consultant architect (“pensjonant”) is being paid €24000 for 4 months of consultancy. Which is just over €35 per hour.
Interestingly, this information arose from a question asked in parliament by Charles Buhagiar. I wonder what he charges per hour for the services of a junior architect. I’m guessing its more than that.
Regarding the fees charged by Charles Buhagiar, there has been a shocking revelation today …ask the Mosta Local Council.
Here we go again. Labour is planning another no confidence vote on another minister. They are desperate and want to be in government at any cost.
Just frightening. They act like a bulldozer in Parliament. Only the people have the power to stop their undemocratic behaviour, and I just hope they teach them a lesson when the election comes.
Hope is last to die, I see.
Daphne,
The trouble with The Times is that it is staffed by very young, immature, naive, media luvvies who think they’re “it” because they passed Communication Studies at Uni.
Half of them want to be you. The other half can’t string a proper sentence together in decent English.
Anglu Farrugia.
Another great reformer and criminal lawyer and also the deputy leader of the Labour Party. He was also entrusted to sign the recent motion presented in parliament but was not allowed to speak about it during the debate. Can somebody from the PL tell us why?
Is it true that Anglu Farrugia uses ‘cum laude’ on his letterheads?
Going by his good command of the English language, I wouldn’t be the least surprised if he shows his name as, ‘Anglu Farrugia, (Loud Cum)’.
It’s ‘cum caute’ in his case.
As long as an individual causes trouble for Gonzi, then that individual/MP is guaranteed elevation to stardom by The Times – JPO, France Debono, Astrid Vella…
It has become such a joke that I don’t bother reading The Times anymore. It has lost all credibility. I have also lost respect for certain reporters who have been working with The Times for a number of years, assuming that they form part and parcel of the current agenda of that newspaper. In my opinion, they are guilty by association.
Franco Debono, in my opinion, means well and all he needs to do is to correct his approach.
Perhaps he has a bit of a big head, but I think that the PN should profit from this situation; it could come out stronger. At least that’s how I see the present situation since the opposition seems to be aiming at driving a rift betwwen Debono and Mifsud Bonnici.
Franco Debono means well? Hardly.
The reforms he speaks of are beneficial to many, no doubt. But his intentions are nothing other than self-serving, without even the slightest hint of consideration about those affected by the way he’s trying to achieve his aims.
Most, if not all, politicians are self-serving to some extent, but he takes the definition to new heights.
A young journalist whose byline appears quite regularly on the front page told me once that Labour ‘deserves to be in government’ because the country has had enough of the Church and the PN.
Tell us which front page you are referring to so we know where Joseph’s emails have been going to.
The young ‘journalist’ must be one of the Lil’Elves in Joseph’s grotto.
Does this journalist look at life the same way he looks at the question of who should run the country?
Would he/she change his/her partner for the sake of change?
Il-gurnalisti tat-Times ahjar flok joqoghdu jiffokaw fuq Franco Debono biex jaghmlu hsara lil-Dr. Gonzi u lil pajjiz in generali, ikollom il-kuragg jistaqsu lil Joseph Muscat u lid-deputati, u kandidati tal-PL dwar il-programm elettorali u x’behsiebhom jaghmlu jekk Alla hares qatt jitilghu fil-gvern.
Jien haga tiskantani bejn iz-zewg partiti, li jekk tistaqsi kull domanda fuq liema suggett trid lil-membri tal-PN jirrisponduk fid-detall kollu, mentri meta tistaqsi lil tal-PL kull ma’ johrog minn fommhom huwa:
Cara daqs il-kristall, on the record, din mahsuba, din lesta, din hsibna fuqha, din qed nahdmu fuqha, din qed tigi pjanata, dawn affarijiet li ilna nghiduhom, ahna nigvernaw ahjar, din ovvja, din narawha meta nkunu fil-gvern, din nghidhu meta jkun il-mument, din ilna nahsbu dwarha etc, etc u xejn ma’ jirrispondu fil-konkret, fid-detall jew bis-sugu u li jghidu xejn ma’ jaghmel sens.
Dan misshom jaraw il-gurnalista tat Times u jikkritikaw, jekk huma vera gurnalisti, ghax min jaghmel mistoqsija biss mhux gurnalist. Dak ix-xoghol jistghu jaghmluh it-tfal.
Dan Franco Debono xtaqt narah jghid dan il-kliem lil gazzetti u jaggixxi kif jaggixxi fil-Qorti fiz-zmien il-Labour tal-Golden Years, meta Anglu Farrugia kien spettur tal-Pulizija, ha naraw kienux ituh cans jittkellem dwar il-Qrati jew dwar id-demokrazzija.
Ghax ibqa zgur li Anglu kien jarrestah bhal ma ghamel lil hafna Nazzjonalisti fosthom Daphne li kien arresta ghal xejn u tefaghha f’cella kollha hmieg ghal numri kbir ta’ sighat.
U kemm hdimna ghalik biex tkompli tistudja meta riedu jaghlqu l-ikejjel fosthom San Alwigi fejn kont tistudja int precizament f’dak iz-zmien ta’ inkwiet kbir u arresti ta’ nies bl-addocc.
Daqsna batejt ghad demokkrazzija Dr. Franco Debono! Ghax wara li ahna in-Nazzjonalisti ghamilna dan kollu ghal nies bhalek tpattijulna b’dan l-ghemil. Grazzi ta’ kif irringrazzjajt lin-Nazzjonalisti ta’ qablek Dr. Franco Debono.
Daphne, I don’t have any other way of contacting you.
I understand you have full editorial rights on this blog, but your deleting my reply to Fred Alcock’s comment seemed too arbitrary to me so I’m interested to know why.
FP
[Daphne – I can’t remember the comment, still less why. Maybe I thought it offensive to third parties in some way.]