If the news is fake, then what is history?
February 10, 2023 8:02 PM Subscribe
Ian Hislop's Fake News - A True History (BBC) [60m] With his over 30 years on Have I Got News For You, and more years as editor of satirical magazine Private Eye, not to mention his status as a British icon of Standing Up To Power, he knows what is what, and presents the history (and the terrifying future) of fake news and news fakery.
Does he mention Private Eye's energetic role in pushing Andrew Wakefield's anti-vax theories?
posted by BinaryApe at 12:38 AM on February 11, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by BinaryApe at 12:38 AM on February 11, 2023 [6 favorites]
The BBC producing such a documentary is like one famous magician of my childhood who had the catchphrase "now watch my hands carefully, because I cheat".
Some of the most enjoyable moments of BBC TV News are when they report on their own problems. There's an incredible earnestness, alongside clear enjoyment from a journalist at grilling one of their own bosses in the name of integrity. And one can always watch Channel 4 news to get an independent, high-quality take.
The fake news documentary is excellent. Hislop is a good presenter and genuinely fascinated by the discipline he works in. At the time it originally aired there was an accompanying exhibition in one of the London museums that was also very, very interesting.
If you want to hear Hislop talk about Private Eye, there are various interviews available on YouTube. He is exceedingly proud of the work they have done, much of which is exactly as it should be. If asked he is fairly candid about things they got wrong, but not everyone asks.
posted by plonkee at 12:50 AM on February 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Some of the most enjoyable moments of BBC TV News are when they report on their own problems. There's an incredible earnestness, alongside clear enjoyment from a journalist at grilling one of their own bosses in the name of integrity. And one can always watch Channel 4 news to get an independent, high-quality take.
The fake news documentary is excellent. Hislop is a good presenter and genuinely fascinated by the discipline he works in. At the time it originally aired there was an accompanying exhibition in one of the London museums that was also very, very interesting.
If you want to hear Hislop talk about Private Eye, there are various interviews available on YouTube. He is exceedingly proud of the work they have done, much of which is exactly as it should be. If asked he is fairly candid about things they got wrong, but not everyone asks.
posted by plonkee at 12:50 AM on February 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
The fact that Hislop is as deep into his career as he is with his head still broadly on straight is frankly kind of remarkable. I expected him to have a few howlers in his career - Have I Got News For You's role in making Boris Johnson palatable to the masses is lamentable, and while I wasn't aware of Private Eye's role in elevating Wakefield, from what I know of Wakefield's tactics I can see how that happened. But I can also see that he hasn't yet descended into the fate of many contrarian comedians of his vintage, obsessed with the wokerati or, worse, deep into the rabbithole.
posted by Merus at 2:46 AM on February 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Merus at 2:46 AM on February 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
That's a peculiar film. Is all the footage from New York City done from a London studio with green-screen? Why is Hislop delivering his insights into the USS Maine from the deck of the Yarmouth Belle? I guess I'm missing a metaphor. Meta? One tl;dr conclusion is that Facebook should not be treated like a library w.r.t. to its content. Agree.
posted by BobTheScientist at 7:31 AM on February 11, 2023
posted by BobTheScientist at 7:31 AM on February 11, 2023
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posted by tigrrrlily at 9:26 PM on February 10, 2023 [3 favorites]