28/10/2010

New feature on Five Chinese Crackers!

I hinted earlier that there will be a couple of new regular features here on Five Chinese Crackers in future. The first will appear this coming Saturday! BE - excited - B-E - excited!

Saturday 30 October 2010 will be the date of the inaugural 5cc tabloid bullshit of the month awards.

On the last Saturday of each month, I will choose my favourite tabloid article from the preceeding month for the honour.  Criteria will be entirely arbitrary and subject to my whims, but based loosely around whether the story is churned, how much truth has been distorted, whether minority groups are demonised, how close to the end the truth is buried, etc.  The story does not necessarily have to be one that's been covered by me on this blog, but I will give full credit to any other bloggers who have covered each entry.



If a particular story has been covered by multiple outlets, I'll choose my favourite version to be winner.  In cases where it is too difficult to pick the best, there can be multiple joint winners.

I'll email the winning journalist (for unnamed generic reporters, I'll email the editor) with a crudely drawn picture of an award and a rundown of what I thought was particularly impressive about their effort, plus links to any media-watching blog posts about the article.  I'll reproduce the email on this blog.  Hacks will be given the option of having an acceptance piece published here if they like.

At the end of the year, I'll tally up the results.  The journalist with the most entries will be awarded 5cc tabloid bullshitter of the year - which will basically be more of the same, but I might stretch to a tin of Quality Street or something for the winner.  Since we're starting in October this year, I'll roll 2010's results into 2011.  You'll have to wait over a year for the first one, I'm afraid.

I pretty much have this month's winner all picked out, but I am open to suggestion and may change my mind if I'm convinced of a deserving winner by any of you.  If you have a particular favourite bullshit story from the last month, let me know in the comments.  It can come from broadsheets as well as tabloids if you like.

BE - excited - B-E - excited!

5 comments:

Press Not Sorry said...

*IS excited*

Highlighting the most bullshitty bullshit of the month is an excellent idea. It will be interesting to see what responses, if any, you get from the writers or publishers of these bullshit stories.

Akela said...

I just saw some nonsense on the Mail website about bobbing for apples falling foul of 'elf and safety. Low level stuff admitedly but still bullshit of the highest order.

Spudman101 said...

I think there should be a televised award ceremony. This is the only award that I've ever been excited enough about to actually want to watch it on TV.

Bob said...

Don't envy you the job of choosing between the contestants, but at least you won't have to deal with complaints from those that don't win.

I would love to start to email the details of the winner. I receive so much crap circulated by email that starts life in the tabloids, it would be good to send out some ripostes.

bobinchiclana

Anorak said...

I'm Excited.

This one a contender?
http://www.anorak.co.uk/263782/media/plague-of-gypsies-and-travellers-runs-riot-in-blackburn.html