Is The Sunday World Just A Fanzine for Criminals?

LivelineDipso

I think it is. It makes stars out of the sociopaths.

It is also one of the reasons people claim we have a "lawless" society when we live in onw of the safest countries on the planet.

The King of Moo

I want to have The Viper's baby.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Some people have a fascination with crime and reading about the inner workings of it. I remember hearing that sales of the New York Times would increase significantly every time a story relating to the Gotti's was on the cover.

If it makes money for the paper they'll continue to print the stories, but I agree with you that it's not right to make celebrities out of these lowlifes.

biko

It sells because people are fascinated by what happens on the "other side of town". Unfortunately this glorifies violence and crime to the extent that kids want to grow up to be criminals.

Boombastic

I like reading the sensational hype in the Sunday World, what always amazes me is how the paper knows what they had for breakfast, films them carrying out illegal activities, etc...but the Gardai can't seem to pin anything on them ?

Aidric

Boombastic wrote: »

I like reading the sensational hype in the Sunday World, what always amazes me is how the paper knows what they had for breakfast, films them carrying out illegal activities, etc...but the Gardai can't seem to pin anything on them ?

They are building a case.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Boombastic wrote: »

I like reading the sensational hype in the Sunday World, what always amazes me is how the paper knows what they had for breakfast, films them carrying out illegal activities, etc...but the Gardai can't seem to pin anything on them ?

Not something I´d admit, even on an internet forum...

Anyway, in answer to your question, it´s because the guards have to actually build a case and can´t rely on sensationalist and probable bull**** in court.

Mansized Wreath

It's also handy for house training a puppy...

Biggins

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

...If it makes money for the paper they'll continue to print the stories, but I agree with you that it's not right to make celebrities out of these lowlifes.

Nicely put - which I agree with.

IM0

then maybe ya know, read a real paper

token101

Yeah I think it is. It's like Heat magazine, just pictures of ****ing nitwits doing mundane things and being stalked by Paul Williams. He's becoming less like a reporter and more like paparazzi. I hate the way they give them their nicknames as well, it just makes them look like stars not the vermin that they are. They've built some local lowlife called Martin Foley up to be a C-List celebrity by calling him the Viper and every Irish tabloid seems to have pictures of this gob****e Bagpuss Bradley's latest Spanish house or new car.

Odysseus

Boombastic wrote: »

I like reading the sensational hype in the Sunday World, what always amazes me is how the paper knows what they had for breakfast, films them carrying out illegal activities, etc...but the Gardai can't seem to pin anything on them ?

Just because they print something; it doesn't mean it is true. Mostly Sh!te, but paper will never refuse ink

Boombastic

Odysseus wrote: »

Just because they print something; it doesn't mean it is true. Mostly Sh!te, but paper will never refuse ink

Surely some of these lads would sue for libel/defamation if it wasn't true(ish)?

token101

Aidric wrote: »

They are building a case.

If it's as speedy as the case against Sean Fitzpatrick the lads will be dead before they see a warrant. Rome wasn't built in a day but it was quicker than some Garda investigations.

mikemac1

Boombastic wrote: »

Surely some of these lads would sue for libel/defamation if it wasn't true(ish)?

In 2002, Williams and the Sunday World were sued for libel after a story he had written in 1999 was proved to be untrue.

In the article, Williams claimed a nun named Nora Wall had procured children so that they could be raped by paedophile priest Brendan Smyth.

The paper issued a full apology and was forced to pay a €175,000 settlement to Ms. Wall

If Paul Williams was sued for every lie he printed he would owe more money then Sean Quinn!

gobnaitolunacy

Colouring book for adults, more like.

AnarchistKen

What I hate are the nicknames they append to criminals.

The panda
The viper
The penguin

I think Williams went to the zoo to pen stories. Gimper that he is.

charlemont

LivelineDipso wrote: »

I think it is. It makes stars out of the sociopaths.

It is also one of the reasons people claim we have a "lawless" society when we live in onw of the safest countries on the planet.

Most of what's written in it is rubbish, They are often wrong about the relationships between the individuals and gangs. And as usual they blame most of it on drugs ignoring the personal feuds and accusations that lead to most of the violence.

Vast majority of random crime like assaults burglaries etc never make the news.

mackg

biko wrote: »

It sells because people are fascinated by what happens on the "other side of town". Unfortunately this glorifies violence and crime to the extent that kids want to grow up to be criminals.

Anyone I know who has gone into crime has done it for the money.

BBDBB

This Sunday it has exclusive pictures of the Spider Baby

Chinasea

On the other hand, so much 'stuff' goes unreported.

Look at the RTE news and some of Irish broadsheets for instance; they start off by reporting the stuff that can't be hidden, then a little bit about Bambi and Simba, then some strory that has happened in some obsecure part of the world under the guise of world news,and that is your lot.

Mainline Irish media can be equated to the rats on the street, we know they are there in their droves, but we just don't see them.

Look what happended to Veronica Guerin.

Pottler

Yeeah, but, if you've a fair inclination that so and so is up to no good, and you sit a Garda crew on so and so and watch him 24/7, build a picture and then swoop, chances are you've got so and so red-handed.

Sad thing is, then they have to go before a judge and prove it, and more likly than not, so and so will say "he found it / they planted it / it was Daves / I'm mad /you didn't fill out that form correctly before ye swooped".. and the nice judge will agree.

After a while, you might start getting bored making the effort to swoop on so and so quite so vigorously. Journalists never get bored filling newspapers and all they have to do is convince the editor that so and so wont sue them if they print it.

SHOVELLER

Only stupid people read the Sunday World. Hysterical, basic rubbish.

Boombastic

SHOVELLER wrote: »

Only stupid people read the Sunday World. Hysterical, basic rubbish.

How do you know what's in it if you don't read it?;)

dar926

Ye there is no doubt the Sunday World adds to the problem... They make Rock Stars out of these criminals.. give them pet names and report on their progress as they move up the ladder... half of it is no doubt B***S*** but who carers once people are reading it...

tipptom

Jebus,that Paul Williams makes me want to throw up when he is being interviewed,all he needs when he is walking on is the booming voice saying"man of the people trying to rid the streets of scum for me,you and your kids".
Makes a fine living for himself with his sensational nicknames.

Jimminy Mc Fukhead

The standard of made up nick names has really dropped over the years.

Back in the golden years you had the General, the Riddler, the Penguin.

Then it was fairly unimaginative - the Don. the Godfather.
Descending to an obsession with obesity - Mr Fat, Fat Jimmy, Fat Panda Bear.

So in 2012 they reach a point where the best name they come up with for a big gangster is Mr Big. Also Sex and the City should do them for copyright infringement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDFRhu9Kao8

solas111

Used to be a good newspaper in the early days and I never missed an issue. Then the ‘Independent’ crowd got hold of it and it went downhill fast. A Fanzine for Criminals would be a good enough description - gutter journalism at its worst would be another.

Stopped reading Sunday World a few years ago and wouldn’t even buy it to light the fire.

languagenerd

It kind of amuses me. I reckon the people who work.write/research for it must live in a perpetual state of fear. It's always stuff like "TEN DANGEROUS CRIMINALS WILL BE RELEASED ON TO THE STREETS TO KILL US ALL!" (a.k.a these ten prisoners are coming to the end of their sentences) and "LARRY MURPHY MIGHT BE IN [YOUR TOWN] RIGHT NOW!" (a.k.a he probably isn't, but he could be) etc. Throw in a few "end of the world" stories and misconstrued stats about rising crime, and voilà. But readers can choose not to read/buy it - the people who work there are surrounded by all this stuff all the time, they must be terrified of everything :pac:

mikemac1

I see Gerry Hutch's limos around Ballyfermot all the time.

I used to think limos were for rich and successful people.

Now I know they are used by loud skangers

SHOVELLER

Boombastic wrote: »

How do you know what's in it if you don't read it?;)

All you have to do is glance at the front cover.

Garbage