On Easter Saturday a small but vocal crowd gathered at Media City to protest at the 'poverty' of media coverage on many items of concern and interest to the community. The crowd included members of Anonymous Group and many from the anti-fracking Barton Moss Community Protection Camp. People, from as far away as Warrington, gave up their Saturday holiday to express their frustration and anger about the way the media - print, TV and radio - are biased and selective in their reporting.
To add insult to injury there was a 'pen' set up to corral people who had come to express their right to freedom of speech. However, you can't herd people, like sheep, into a cordoned off area. So only the loud speaker system stayed there and the pen was rejected with scorn. Perhaps this was symbolic of the attitude of the media; control the people by limiting the news and issuing untruths and denials.
Anonymous said they were "fed up with paying a BBC licence fee and yet having a blackout on the events at Barton Moss". They said their aim was "Peaceful protest and the maintaining of freedom". Boris, also a protector from Barton Moss, and now at the Wythenshawe Justice Community Camp, said he had come to "draw attention to police brutality, violence and corrupt reporting". Gareth Foy was angry about "the lies and untruths" put out by the media.
Graham Cooper, one of those arrested at Barton Moss, said "It's a farce! I pay my licence and get no news about issues which are contentious and affect the community. We get what the Government wants us to know…" Looking at the Media City buildings he snarled, "It cost millions and yet few jobs for Salford and censured news!"
Three women, Heike, Jackie and 82 year old Ann Power, all attendees at Barton Moss, had given up their Saturday to show their disappointment with the media coverage. Julie, an active campaigner, felt that, "apart from the Salford Star, all coverage has been biased...I think the Police, Peel Holdings, the Council and the media are all in it together…"
The final show of disgust was the tearing up of some of the tabloid press, and setting them alight, as Peel Holdings' security men tried in vain to turn off the mic and accompanying music, Class Actions' Rip Up The Sun…
The attitude of the mainstream media is right in the current spotlight. But it's nothing new. Tuesday night's Mary Quaile Club Just How Free Is the Press? meeting stars Granville Williams, founder of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, which has been trying since the Battle of Orgreave during the Miners' Strike to get justice for those arrested and beaten. Granville has edited a new book, Settling Scores: The Media, the Police and the Miners' Strike, which he will be talking about at the meeting.
Also speaking will be Salford Star editor, Stephen Kingston, whose publication has faced accusations of `extremism' and `lies' by Salford councillors and its Mayor for trying to hold them up to account…
"They don't get the Salford Star" he says "We get accused of being `negative' and `extremists', as if it's an affront to dare to challenge anything they do. And now the Mayor is pushing the old `Reds under the bed' routine with Salford trade union reps who, alongside the community, are challenging the cuts. And this from a Labour Council. They are a disgrace and an embarrassment, and the mainstream local press seem only too happy to tow the line.
"Having worked in the mainstream media for a long time before co-founding the Star, press censorship is one of my favourite subjects" he adds "I can go on about it all night - they'll have to get a large hook to grab me off stage!"
Revealing Truths: Just How Free Is the Press?
Tuesday 29th April 7:30pm Free
Friends Meeting House
6 Mount Street, Manchester
The meeting has been organised by the Mary Quaile Club [see here for further details] and sponsored by Manchester and Salford NUJ, Salford City UNISON, Unite Social Action branch and Unite NW region.
March Against Mainstream Media report and photos by Alice Searle
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