Carole, you're such a skilful storyteller, even when the story is painfully personal, like this one. I read every word you write, wherever you write it. You and George Monbiot are my favourite British writers by some margin.
For a quarter of a century I happily subscribed to the Guardian and got family and friends in America on board too. Until the shocking sale of the Observer came to light, I would have claimed Scott Trust was a beacon for the support independent journalism.
Now, it looks like they've been lying to us all along. They are no different than Murdoch, et al.
Wherever you choose to write, legions of us will follow you and do our best to support your work in every way. I'm so very sorry you and your fellow journalists have been treated so badly by Scott Trust and Guardian Media Group.
Thank you for keeping us informed. You are hugely appreciated.
I would have thought that The Scott Trust was set up precisely to ensure that something like this would (and more importantly could) never happen. What is the point of The Scott Trust if it means the Guardian or Observer can be sold. Newspapers must never be sold and anyone who takes news seriously understands why this is. Mediapart have set up their own trust and baked into its constitution that it can and will never be bought or sold.
Don’t ever stop, Carole. You’re a light in a dark and an inspirational writer. And glad to be able to read you - typos and all - out here in substack-land.
Better writing here than no-where. Bit by bit they’re coming after media, first legacy then internet. The trick will be how to be independent with the internet? All online media is on big channels already owned by big money. So how to get off X, FB, YouTube, Google, etc etc, all internet providers depend on corporations, and could flip a switch and silence the world. Sounds dystopian? 1984? We are running headlong for it.
Carole - heartfelt thanks to you at what seems like a heartbreaking time for you and others, including readers like me who thought they ‘could’ believe in what seemed to be a ‘bastion of good journalism’ …I hesitate to use the word ‘truth’. What is Truth?? Just a bunch of Facts, I guess, that are spotted in the dirt and soil of ‘raw material’ - the ‘story’, nosed out by people like you, observed and then shaped by concern for its authenticity and burnished by your craft whilst still holding to the ‘truth’, which is all any person of good faith can do. Your anguish is discernible and I deeply appreciate your humanity- you are not on remote control! I am tossing about my decision to stop subscribing to the Guardian as it has been something of a beacon in dark times….eg. Brexit and the Johnson Deal! Take care - I guess you have yet a lot of road to travel and I wish you a Moon River journey to something much better and kinder. With deep respect for your courage and resilience and your gifts.
For a few years now I've been paying a monthly subscription to read the Guardian online, mainly because I wanted to support and read the Observer. I've just cancelled it.
Who in god's name is Ole Sunde, and how did he end up having so much power over two vital UK newspapers? Nothing that Carol writes indicates that he has any understanding or interest in them, or the role of journalism in the UK. Kath Viner has been a disaster for the Guardian group, and the news that she is selling of a title to her dinner party mates is confirmation of her utterly shallow, irresponsible and moronic stewardship of these once great assets. We might also ask how on earth did she come to have such influence in The Guardian, and how people like her and Ole can so blithely, and so unecessarily, kill off a British national asset like The Observer. There is nothing they have done that indicates any duty of care to the titles, the readers or the journalists. People like them turn up, are promoted way beyond their abilities or capabilities and then stab everyone in the back while ignoring the multitude of objections and facts which pile up against their gross negligence and lack of care over their responsibilities. It is shocking how such insignificant, unimportant and careless people can hold such power as to destroy an institution which has no need of divesting one of its major assets.
It has become increasingly obvious that the weasels in the Scott 'Trust' and at the Guardian were desperate to make their destruction of The Observer a fait accompli before the building public anger and backlash grew any more. So for them the perfect way to administer the coup was while a very well supported and publicised strike was under way. That is a measure of their cowardice and gross irresponsibility in their 'management' of the titles under their so-called care. Shame on them, such cheap morals and complete disregard for the importnance of the role of the press in the UK.
If the Guardian/Observer behaves this badly, what chance for any other UK mainstream media organisation? Many of us assumed that the existence of the Scott Trust would prevent this kind of dodgy dealing...
Carole, I’m gutted. Why on earth I considered the Guardian immune to big oil’s mission creep, god alone knows. But the oily tortoise and the old pal’s network and the vast offshore monies being sprayed over this silencing of truth tellers is… terrifying. I’m in awe at your courage. Long may you keep on shining that beacon through the fog of disinformation. We need you more than ever.
"Despite all the reasons not to, journalists may be some of the last believers in the rules-based order. We live by facts and die by facts and believe facts matter... If journalists can’t do any of those things in their own news organisation, what hope is there in the world outside?"
Carole, please may we use these words on all of our tombstones?
Carole, you're such a skilful storyteller, even when the story is painfully personal, like this one. I read every word you write, wherever you write it. You and George Monbiot are my favourite British writers by some margin.
For a quarter of a century I happily subscribed to the Guardian and got family and friends in America on board too. Until the shocking sale of the Observer came to light, I would have claimed Scott Trust was a beacon for the support independent journalism.
Now, it looks like they've been lying to us all along. They are no different than Murdoch, et al.
Wherever you choose to write, legions of us will follow you and do our best to support your work in every way. I'm so very sorry you and your fellow journalists have been treated so badly by Scott Trust and Guardian Media Group.
Thank you for keeping us informed. You are hugely appreciated.
Damn! I was about to subscribe to The Guardian since the mainstream media in the US has turned to crap! Sorry about what you’re going through.
We’ve got a massive problem in the English speaking world of oligarchs buying up all of the media when we need it the most.
I would have thought that The Scott Trust was set up precisely to ensure that something like this would (and more importantly could) never happen. What is the point of The Scott Trust if it means the Guardian or Observer can be sold. Newspapers must never be sold and anyone who takes news seriously understands why this is. Mediapart have set up their own trust and baked into its constitution that it can and will never be bought or sold.
Don’t ever stop, Carole. You’re a light in a dark and an inspirational writer. And glad to be able to read you - typos and all - out here in substack-land.
Better writing here than no-where. Bit by bit they’re coming after media, first legacy then internet. The trick will be how to be independent with the internet? All online media is on big channels already owned by big money. So how to get off X, FB, YouTube, Google, etc etc, all internet providers depend on corporations, and could flip a switch and silence the world. Sounds dystopian? 1984? We are running headlong for it.
Carole - heartfelt thanks to you at what seems like a heartbreaking time for you and others, including readers like me who thought they ‘could’ believe in what seemed to be a ‘bastion of good journalism’ …I hesitate to use the word ‘truth’. What is Truth?? Just a bunch of Facts, I guess, that are spotted in the dirt and soil of ‘raw material’ - the ‘story’, nosed out by people like you, observed and then shaped by concern for its authenticity and burnished by your craft whilst still holding to the ‘truth’, which is all any person of good faith can do. Your anguish is discernible and I deeply appreciate your humanity- you are not on remote control! I am tossing about my decision to stop subscribing to the Guardian as it has been something of a beacon in dark times….eg. Brexit and the Johnson Deal! Take care - I guess you have yet a lot of road to travel and I wish you a Moon River journey to something much better and kinder. With deep respect for your courage and resilience and your gifts.
When I grow up (and I am 63) I want to be Carole Cadwalladr...
For a few years now I've been paying a monthly subscription to read the Guardian online, mainly because I wanted to support and read the Observer. I've just cancelled it.
Who in god's name is Ole Sunde, and how did he end up having so much power over two vital UK newspapers? Nothing that Carol writes indicates that he has any understanding or interest in them, or the role of journalism in the UK. Kath Viner has been a disaster for the Guardian group, and the news that she is selling of a title to her dinner party mates is confirmation of her utterly shallow, irresponsible and moronic stewardship of these once great assets. We might also ask how on earth did she come to have such influence in The Guardian, and how people like her and Ole can so blithely, and so unecessarily, kill off a British national asset like The Observer. There is nothing they have done that indicates any duty of care to the titles, the readers or the journalists. People like them turn up, are promoted way beyond their abilities or capabilities and then stab everyone in the back while ignoring the multitude of objections and facts which pile up against their gross negligence and lack of care over their responsibilities. It is shocking how such insignificant, unimportant and careless people can hold such power as to destroy an institution which has no need of divesting one of its major assets.
goddammit!
It has become increasingly obvious that the weasels in the Scott 'Trust' and at the Guardian were desperate to make their destruction of The Observer a fait accompli before the building public anger and backlash grew any more. So for them the perfect way to administer the coup was while a very well supported and publicised strike was under way. That is a measure of their cowardice and gross irresponsibility in their 'management' of the titles under their so-called care. Shame on them, such cheap morals and complete disregard for the importnance of the role of the press in the UK.
If the Guardian/Observer behaves this badly, what chance for any other UK mainstream media organisation? Many of us assumed that the existence of the Scott Trust would prevent this kind of dodgy dealing...
I'm gutted
I wrote a letter to the Guardian asking about the sale. Got a standard non-responsive answer.
Carole, I’m gutted. Why on earth I considered the Guardian immune to big oil’s mission creep, god alone knows. But the oily tortoise and the old pal’s network and the vast offshore monies being sprayed over this silencing of truth tellers is… terrifying. I’m in awe at your courage. Long may you keep on shining that beacon through the fog of disinformation. We need you more than ever.
"Despite all the reasons not to, journalists may be some of the last believers in the rules-based order. We live by facts and die by facts and believe facts matter... If journalists can’t do any of those things in their own news organisation, what hope is there in the world outside?"
Carole, please may we use these words on all of our tombstones?