Another day of bloodshed in the cove. Another day, another letter. This to Sky news editor. Dear Adam, Monkey Passports Just a quick note to express my deep appreciation of your work. I thought I should write. It is like your news channel has become an old friend of mine by now. On January 17th I was dreading watching the news because I – like so many on Facebook and Twitter – had been reluctantly following the story of the five Dolphin families trapped, starved, assaulted and stabbed to death in the Cove at Taiji, Japan. Or tradition or culture as others call it. When my friends were telling me about it appearing all over the Web and then on CNN, I waited for Sky news to show it. Nothing. When Ambassadors were getting involved, I waited for Sky to cover it. Nothing. When British papers from The Guardian to The Daily Mail covered it, I waited for Sky to report on it. Nothing. When the BBC and Reuters – whose photos went on to be carried in Time Magazine – covered it, I waited for Sky news to feature the harrowing bloodshed. Nothing. Then I realised just what it is you do for me. More nights than most, as I’m going to bed, the Dolphin ‘fishermen’ have just caught a family pod. When I wake up, it is often to the news that they are going into the water to kill them. Slowly. Agony on an industrial scale. Yet given an international animal rights atrocity of growing importance, I know I can trust your team of non-reporters to not be there. Its respite for me. Twerking, UFO’s over America, Justin Bieber’s monkey, how to clone a dead dog, Sky Poker... yes. The agony of Taiji, no. You’re there for me, by not being there. Just had a thought. If Germany keeps your monkey does that mean it has been nationalised? So thanks. You are like my news protection service. If reality was a cigarette, you’d be like a filter. Taking the edge off. Making things a bit more palatable. Impenetrable. Thick. Disposable. I was worried this week you might start reporting on the Killer Whales trapped to provide Sochi Winter Olympic entertainment. Less blood here, easier on the viewers’ eyes. No obvious screaming or crying here. But no, I soon realised that, as ever you are working hard to look the other way, on my behalf again. Putting the miles in. In the opposite direction. Love you guys. Hang on, if monkeys have passports, they must have photos, so someone somewhere must be taking monkey passport photos. Might be a story for you there... wouldn’t want you to miss a story. So... thank you. As I dust my Freeview box I know, thanks, to your journalistic vigilance, that I have the ultimate Shiny Anesthetic Fluffy Entertainment delivery system and my mind can therefore sleep on untroubled. Or are there monkey photo passport photo booths being built? Anyway, Yours faithfully, Matthew Dyke P.S. If you can shed any light on when an ongoing international animal rights outrage actually becomes a story, could you do so? I’m really interested in this decision-making process, after seeing both of the Anchorman documentaries. P.P.S. How about a fresh slogan for the channel? Maybe “Sky news. Yesterday’s news. Tomorrow.”
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 12:56:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015