Guardian and the Washington Post. I have been watching both go through this agonizing situation. As a lover of true and fierce journalism, it is truly disturbing, especially with the election of trump and the manipulation of the owners of the newspapers. I will be protesting this sale.
Another relevant film is “Official Secrets”, which portrayed The Observer’s decision in March 2003 to publish the email from NSA to GCHQ, leaked by Katharine Gun, that revealed plans to spy on UN diplomats to try and manipulate Security Council votes on invading Iraq. Would a Tortoise Media-owned Observer make a similarly brave journalistic decision, in the face of government pressure, in the future?
Oligarchic rule. That's what we are fighting. Thank you for highlighting the fight over there, while helping us with ours here in the States. Wishing you success this week.
I cancelled my WaPo subscription when Lewis was hired, then NYT when they pussyfooted about Trump. Substack writers like Hubbell and Vance were providing much more detailed info. Subscribed to the Guardian.
What a shock to see the same thing happening there. I shall be emailing the Observer.
I am so glad I found you here. I am appalled at the idea of the Observer going to dirty hands. The thought makes the future all the more terrifying. I shall email them, and if it gets sold withdraw my support for the Guardian, little though it is. ❤️
I joined Tortoise when it was a Kickstarter campaign and am still a member. I have always bought the observer on Sundays but grew up a reader of the Independent. Tortoise filled the gap for me when the Independent lost me and I have always liked the tone of the journalism, the interesting choice of investigations and the way data is respected. I’m not enjoying its podcast rush, but understand the reasons. I completely understand the issues you raise but my only question mark having enjoyed tortoise for a while is that maybe, if you can get a pause in the process, could james harding at least explain face to face with you all what the ambition is for the observer and why it matters to him and your editors. I’m sure all your readers would feel greatly respected if they did, even if they aren’t respecting the journalists.
I understand the concerns about this deal being done behind closed doors. Apart from that, and having previously subscribed to Tortoise Media, I have been impressed by their detailed and well thought out articles, which very often shed light on people and issues that so many other media organisations fail to do. The Observer will complement its reporting, and I suspect TM will merge into the Observer rather than the other way around. On balance, I can only see it as a good thing, unless TM wealthy backers turn foe! On the downside, possibly, would be if The Observer/TM competed with The Guardian on a daily basis, but I don't think that's what James Harding intends doing.
It's possible too, that the Scott Trust Board have decided it better not to put the sale on the open market as its very likely that some wealthy malevolent oligarch will pipe up much more than TM can afford. Do the board want to give TM a lift up on the media stage? Perhaps, and IMO, with the way WaPo and NYT are going, we need more media orgs willing to dig deep and hold oligarchs to account, not less. TM seems to fit the bill on this.
Thank you. I went to YouTube and found the video. I'm so grateful to be given a deeper understanding of the role the Observer had played in the course of human history. I am my voice in support of the continuity of unbiased reporting.
In reference to the term "Oligarchic Capture", for the last 20 years I've been using the term "The Three 'U's", which referred to 'The Unelected, the Unaccountable, and the Unseen'. Hidden people with wealth and power choosing to meddle in the world to the detriment of all of us for their own personal gain. I'm minded of John Cleese's character in the film Rat Race and the scenes like where the rich sods are betting on which cleaning lady can climb the curtains to the top the quickest.
Thank you to the Slovakian journalist. Oligarchic Capture is much more punchy and does what it says on the tin.
I vote for Carole to be Editor-in-Chief of a new newspaper, why do we have to put up with any of this? Let's get on with it. I know some people who could build the tech, just as they built the Guardian tech platform that has been the foundation of their adaptability for the last 10 years.
I support your cause here and your strike even though you're annoyingly, maddeningly woke and have caused so much damage to women's rights and children and teens' well-being.
I only wish you and your educated idiot colleagues were capable of such nuance.
But as that WaPo photo shows, they are just kids who write well. Intelligent, but not experienced, not wise.
Thanks so much for your journalism, your sharing here, and your work. I have greatly valued the Guardian the past few years, and I'll reach out to respond.
I too have been a subscriber to Tortoise, and have very much appreciated its in-depth, considered coverage of news, as well as its investigative features. I ended my subscription this year because of its continued move into podcasting, which doesn't really float my boat, being a big fan of silence. We're in a time of such turmoil, with the press losing readership and advertising revenue. If The Observer has to be sold, I would be comfortable with Tortoise being the buyer. James Harding was Director of News at the BBC between 2013 and 2018 and, as far as I can see, managed that role well. (Cliff Richard may disagree..)
Yes, the Guardian (& its Observer publication) must be saved! I was one of the 250K in the U.S. who angrily cancelled my digital Washington Post subscription and Amazon Prime & site purchases after Trump sycophants and now-collaborators Bezos and Lewis KILLED the Post’s crucial and properly sane endorsement of Kamala Harris for President over Traitor Donald Trump of the treasonous & authoritarian Republican Party. I then subscribed to The Guardian which I also read online. In addition, MSNBC and CNN have incurred my shared disgust at their sanewashing of Russian asset & collaborator Trump & the also treasonous Republican Party.
There’s a reason the word TREASON is now also spelled TRE45ON since Russia and Trump first entered our sacred White House. We in the U.S. must all continue to resist, including by attending rallies, volunteering in election and post-election efforts to protect each other and our democracy, lobbying our legislators and government as citizens, etc. as often as we can!
As Commander-in-Chief President Biden who properly swore his oath of office should have already banned the treasonous Republican Party whose authoritarianism is crystal clear by now & I, for one of many, will keep insisting that he does as he promised he was the one who would best Save Our Democracy if we elected him (even against mass corruption). We did and he still hasn’t fulfilled his end of the bargain which is our modern-day social contract. Keep emailing and calling the White House at whitehouse dot Gov / contact to stop Trump & the GOP & Russia’s entire Axis including be immediately helping Ukraine to defeat Russia permanently as he should have done in early 2022!
“Fight, fight against the dying of the light!” Appeasers only bring us deep shame and more ongoing destruction!
Oh, my word...Carole, I'm lost in admiration for the way you take on giants...
i subscribe to both the
Guardian and the Washington Post. I have been watching both go through this agonizing situation. As a lover of true and fierce journalism, it is truly disturbing, especially with the election of trump and the manipulation of the owners of the newspapers. I will be protesting this sale.
Another relevant film is “Official Secrets”, which portrayed The Observer’s decision in March 2003 to publish the email from NSA to GCHQ, leaked by Katharine Gun, that revealed plans to spy on UN diplomats to try and manipulate Security Council votes on invading Iraq. Would a Tortoise Media-owned Observer make a similarly brave journalistic decision, in the face of government pressure, in the future?
Oligarchic rule. That's what we are fighting. Thank you for highlighting the fight over there, while helping us with ours here in the States. Wishing you success this week.
I cancelled my WaPo subscription when Lewis was hired, then NYT when they pussyfooted about Trump. Substack writers like Hubbell and Vance were providing much more detailed info. Subscribed to the Guardian.
What a shock to see the same thing happening there. I shall be emailing the Observer.
I am so glad I found you here. I am appalled at the idea of the Observer going to dirty hands. The thought makes the future all the more terrifying. I shall email them, and if it gets sold withdraw my support for the Guardian, little though it is. ❤️
How did you chase Rupert out of the UK?please take him back. Give him to Putin for a Christmas present.
I joined Tortoise when it was a Kickstarter campaign and am still a member. I have always bought the observer on Sundays but grew up a reader of the Independent. Tortoise filled the gap for me when the Independent lost me and I have always liked the tone of the journalism, the interesting choice of investigations and the way data is respected. I’m not enjoying its podcast rush, but understand the reasons. I completely understand the issues you raise but my only question mark having enjoyed tortoise for a while is that maybe, if you can get a pause in the process, could james harding at least explain face to face with you all what the ambition is for the observer and why it matters to him and your editors. I’m sure all your readers would feel greatly respected if they did, even if they aren’t respecting the journalists.
I understand the concerns about this deal being done behind closed doors. Apart from that, and having previously subscribed to Tortoise Media, I have been impressed by their detailed and well thought out articles, which very often shed light on people and issues that so many other media organisations fail to do. The Observer will complement its reporting, and I suspect TM will merge into the Observer rather than the other way around. On balance, I can only see it as a good thing, unless TM wealthy backers turn foe! On the downside, possibly, would be if The Observer/TM competed with The Guardian on a daily basis, but I don't think that's what James Harding intends doing.
It's possible too, that the Scott Trust Board have decided it better not to put the sale on the open market as its very likely that some wealthy malevolent oligarch will pipe up much more than TM can afford. Do the board want to give TM a lift up on the media stage? Perhaps, and IMO, with the way WaPo and NYT are going, we need more media orgs willing to dig deep and hold oligarchs to account, not less. TM seems to fit the bill on this.
Thank you. I went to YouTube and found the video. I'm so grateful to be given a deeper understanding of the role the Observer had played in the course of human history. I am my voice in support of the continuity of unbiased reporting.
In reference to the term "Oligarchic Capture", for the last 20 years I've been using the term "The Three 'U's", which referred to 'The Unelected, the Unaccountable, and the Unseen'. Hidden people with wealth and power choosing to meddle in the world to the detriment of all of us for their own personal gain. I'm minded of John Cleese's character in the film Rat Race and the scenes like where the rich sods are betting on which cleaning lady can climb the curtains to the top the quickest.
Thank you to the Slovakian journalist. Oligarchic Capture is much more punchy and does what it says on the tin.
I vote for Carole to be Editor-in-Chief of a new newspaper, why do we have to put up with any of this? Let's get on with it. I know some people who could build the tech, just as they built the Guardian tech platform that has been the foundation of their adaptability for the last 10 years.
I support your cause here and your strike even though you're annoyingly, maddeningly woke and have caused so much damage to women's rights and children and teens' well-being.
I only wish you and your educated idiot colleagues were capable of such nuance.
But as that WaPo photo shows, they are just kids who write well. Intelligent, but not experienced, not wise.
Thanks so much for your journalism, your sharing here, and your work. I have greatly valued the Guardian the past few years, and I'll reach out to respond.
I too have been a subscriber to Tortoise, and have very much appreciated its in-depth, considered coverage of news, as well as its investigative features. I ended my subscription this year because of its continued move into podcasting, which doesn't really float my boat, being a big fan of silence. We're in a time of such turmoil, with the press losing readership and advertising revenue. If The Observer has to be sold, I would be comfortable with Tortoise being the buyer. James Harding was Director of News at the BBC between 2013 and 2018 and, as far as I can see, managed that role well. (Cliff Richard may disagree..)
Yes, the Guardian (& its Observer publication) must be saved! I was one of the 250K in the U.S. who angrily cancelled my digital Washington Post subscription and Amazon Prime & site purchases after Trump sycophants and now-collaborators Bezos and Lewis KILLED the Post’s crucial and properly sane endorsement of Kamala Harris for President over Traitor Donald Trump of the treasonous & authoritarian Republican Party. I then subscribed to The Guardian which I also read online. In addition, MSNBC and CNN have incurred my shared disgust at their sanewashing of Russian asset & collaborator Trump & the also treasonous Republican Party.
There’s a reason the word TREASON is now also spelled TRE45ON since Russia and Trump first entered our sacred White House. We in the U.S. must all continue to resist, including by attending rallies, volunteering in election and post-election efforts to protect each other and our democracy, lobbying our legislators and government as citizens, etc. as often as we can!
As Commander-in-Chief President Biden who properly swore his oath of office should have already banned the treasonous Republican Party whose authoritarianism is crystal clear by now & I, for one of many, will keep insisting that he does as he promised he was the one who would best Save Our Democracy if we elected him (even against mass corruption). We did and he still hasn’t fulfilled his end of the bargain which is our modern-day social contract. Keep emailing and calling the White House at whitehouse dot Gov / contact to stop Trump & the GOP & Russia’s entire Axis including be immediately helping Ukraine to defeat Russia permanently as he should have done in early 2022!
“Fight, fight against the dying of the light!” Appeasers only bring us deep shame and more ongoing destruction!