The Canary (political blog)

The Canary is a left-wing political blog in the United Kingdom,[1] which editor-in-chief Kerry-Anne Mendoza says is "here to disrupt the status quo of the UK and international journalism, by creating content that compels audiences to view the world differently".[2] While it focuses on UK political affairs, it also has a "Global" section, a satire section ("Off the Perch"), and "Science", "Environment", and "Health" sections.[3]

History

The Canary was created in October 2015 with five founding members in an attempt to "diversify [the British] media".[4] Its editor-in-chief is former banker and management consultant Kerry-anne Mendoza,[5] author of Austerity: The Demolition of the Welfare State and the Rise of the Zombie Economy.[6][7]

Mendoza has written under "Scriptonite" on the Scriptonite Daily blog[8] and has been a contributor towards and appeared on major news organisations such as The Guardian,[9] openDemocracy,[10] the New Internationalist[11] and RT UK.[12][13] Mendoza is "a former management consultant in banking, local government and the NHS, who left her job to join the Occupy protest", according to her Guardian profile.[9]

In April 2016, Mendoza said in Free & Fearless (a magazine produced by Hacked Off) that:

we are attracting an audience of 3.5 million unique users per month. On top of this: every two hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – someone becomes a paid subscriber of The Canary ... Our growing traffic is attracting advertisers who are now offering us a floor RPM (payment per 1,000 hits) of £3 and a ceiling of £9."[2]

In June 2016, the investigative journalist and former environment blogger for The Guardian, Nafeez Ahmed, joined The Canary's editorial board.[14]

Political standpoint

Describing her website to Journalism.co.uk, Canary editor-in-chief Kerry-anne Mendoza said that:

For us, this is ultimately about democracy. Informed consent in the public is the bedrock of democracy, and if that informed consent isn't there because people aren't aware of the kind of information that they need to be, they won't be equipped to make the decent democratic decisions that they need to, say, for example, on climate change, the justice system, or whether austerity is a positive economic policy.[4]

Max Keiser has also said that the site "really digs into some of the salient points that need to be made about austerity", saying in an interview with Kerry-anne Mendoza that he has "been following this site for a while now".[13]

The Canary is generally supportive of Jeremy Corbyn, the current leader of the Labour Party,[15] but has also supported Natalie Bennett (former leader of the Green Party) and the Greens' "radical alternative" to the "Tory-lite" policies of "the neoliberal Labour Party ... The Green Party's rise to viability preceded the election of Jeremy Corbyn, the Momentum movement, and the latest swathe of grassroots movements in Britain winning gains against the austerity politics of the Conservatives."[16] Mendoza claims that The Canary's news coverage was not biased, and that it was "a complete coincidence" that the website was created shortly after Corbyn's leadership victory. "We don't have any affiliations with political parties, we don't have any affiliations with political organisations, and we're not actually ostensibly left-wing," she added, calling the site’s editorial stance "a counterpoint to conservative media" and "broadly liberal".[17]

Mendoza has been criticised by some political pundits on the left, notably Owen Jones and David Aaronovitch, for comparing Zionism to Nazism as part of her critiques of alleged Israeli war crimes.[18]

The website did not have a standpoint on the 2016 EU referendum.[19]

Notable stories

The Canary has published a number of stories which have been notable enough to be picked up by mainstream media outlets.

Electoral fraud investigations

Regarding allegations of electoral fraud in the 2015 general election, the Canary has "dug into assorted expense claims and activities in several such seats crucial to Cameron's success", according to Michael White in the Guardian.[20] A whistleblower contacted the website into allegations of telephone push polling, claiming that people acting for the Conservative Party also paid telephone companies to conduct misleading surveys on voters which were biased in favour of the Conservatives, thus breaking election law in regard to the private polling they are allowed to do during campaigns.[20][21][22]

Suicide story

The Canary's coverage of Jeremy Hunt and the junior doctors' strike has gained support from left-wing political parties, such as the Socialist Party of Great Britain.[23] However, one article by Mendoza titled "A junior doctor has killed herself, leaving a message to Jeremy Hunt in her suicide note"[24] – which refers to a line in the BBC News reporting of the story that "a note found in Dr Polge's car related mainly to personal issues, but included a passing reference to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt"[25] – was criticised by Private Eye for its alleged insensitivity.

The Eye alleges that "throughout her Canary story Mendoza blithely flouted the Samaritans guidelines on suicide", including "avoid reporting the contents of a suicide note" and "Over-simplification of the causes or perceived 'triggers' for a suicide note can be misleading and is unlikely to reflect accurately the complexity."[26] Although the latter guidelines were posted by the Canary, Mendoza wrote that "... what must be acknowledged is that Jeremy Hunt is providing the kind of stresses on junior doctors which can foster and exacerbate mental health crisis. ... If Jeremy Hunt had a shred of dignity or respect, he would hand in his resignation today."[24][26] In response to these allegations, Mendoza wrote that it was a "matter of opinion" to follow the Samaritans guidelines on suicide,[27] and co-founder of the Canary Roja Buck refused to comment on the story.[28]

Portland Communications story

After the Parliamentary Labour Party's vote of no confidence in the incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn by 172 MPs, The Canary billed an "exclusive investigation" by Steve Topple, alleging that the entire event had been co-ordinated by Portland Communications (a public relations agency which was founded by one of Tony Blair's former advisers), the Fabian Society and media hostile to Corbyn.[1][17]

The piece went viral on Facebook among Corbyn supporters, but was dismissed as a conspiracy theory. However, within one week, Len McCluskey (General Secretary of Unite the Union) discussed the piece on The Andrew Marr Show, after it had been revealed that one of the individuals had received death threats as a consequence of the reporting. On the show, McCluskey denounced Portland as "a PR company with strong links to Tony Blair and right-wing Labour MPs who've been involved in this orchestrated coup".[17]

Topple has been described as "ultra-left and sectarian" by left-wing journalist Owen Jones.[17] The Canary rejected allegations Topple had been antisemitic in the past, saying that the tweets involved were intended to be humorous and ironic.[29]

Petitions

Preventing David Cameron from returning to the UK

Following David Cameron's holiday in Lanzarote, a petition started by Kerry-anne Mendoza to prevent David Cameron from re-entering the country "gathered momentum after Mendoza wrote a satirical article" for the Canary, Romil Patel wrote in the International Business Times.[30] The petition said, in part:

David Cameron presents a clear and present danger to the short, medium and long term interests of the country. As such, the UK should institute a temporary ban on his return to Britain at the conclusion of his holiday in Lanzarote.[31]

Dismissal of Laura Kuenssberg

The Canary has been critical of Laura Kuenssberg's coverage of Jeremy Corbyn on BBC News, especially in the wake of the on-air resignation of Labour MP Stephen Doughty, and promoted a petition hosted by 38 Degrees (which was later taken down) which called for her resignation.[12][32] The Canary responded by repeating Craig Murray's allegations that the petition was taken down due to "Establishment pressure",[33] as opposed to the assertion from 38 Degrees that the petition was taken down due to "sexist and hateful abuse made towards Laura Kuenssberg".[34] Ian Middleton in the Huffington Post also wrote that: "if one looks at the list of comments published ... it's difficult to find anything remotely aggressive or sexist" and the accusations of abuse "may have been part of an orchestrated campaign on behalf of those looking to discredit the petition itself".[35]

Readership

During July 2016, The Canary achieved over 7.5 million page views, ranking 79th in readership among UK media organisations, slightly higher than The Spectator.[36]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Singleton, David (29 June 2016). "Is it true that a PR firm full of Blairites is orchestrating the Labour coup?". New Statesman. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 Mendoza, Kerry-Anne (April 2016). "The Canary is a new media outlet shaking up journalism in a radical way." (PDF). Free & Fearless. Hacked Off. p. 6. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Official website". The Canary. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 Scott, Caroline (23 October 2015). "How news outlet The Canary aims to 'diversify media'". Journalism.co.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  5. ↑ Galloway, George. "'Sputnik' with George Galloway". RT Shows. Episode 138. 8:30–8:38 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ Miles, Jim (1 June 2015). "Kerry-Anne Mendoza's 'Austerity' – A Review". Foreign Policy Journal. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Austerity – New Internationalist". New Internationalist. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Values". The Canary. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Kerry-anne Mendoza". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Kerry-anne Mendoza". openDemocracy. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Mendoza, Kerry-anne. "Kerry-anne Mendoza". New Internationalist. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  12. 1 2 Bloodworth, James (9 May 2016). "Beware those critics that prefer Putin's propaganda to the BBC". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  13. 1 2 Kerry-anne Mendoza, Editor-in-Chief of The Canary. Keiser Report. RT UK. 1 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Ahmed, Nafeez (6 June 2016). "Nafeez Ahmed shared The Canary's photo.". Facebook. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Deacon, Michael (26 February 2016). "Great news for Corbynistas... it's the maddest Left-wing website in the world". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "The Green Party just got an opportunity to become the next big contender". The Canary. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Le Conte, Marie (10 August 2016). "How A Pro-Corbyn Viral Website With A Pay-Per-Click Business Model Is Taking Over Social Media". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  18. ↑ Anti-Semitism on the Left (15:00 – 18:50). The Briefing Room. BBC Radio 4.
  19. ↑ "Reply to comment". Facebook. The Canary. Retrieved 8 June 2016. We don't have a stance either way.
  20. 1 2 White, Michael (1 June 2016). "Why is there so little noise about the Tory election fraud claims?". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  21. ↑ Editorial (2 June 2016). "The Guardian view on policing elections: harder, but no less important". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "A whistleblower exposes a major new allegation in the Tory election fraud scandal (EXCLUSIVE)". The Canary. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  23. ↑ Meel. "The NHS and 'junior doctors'". World Socialism. The Socialist Party of Great Britain. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  24. 1 2 "A junior doctor has killed herself, leaving a message to Jeremy Hunt in her suicide note". The Canary. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  25. ↑ "Rose Polge: Washed-up body confirmed as junior doctor". BBC News. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Canary in the Pit" (JPEG image). Private Eye (1418). Pressdram Ltd. 26 May 2016. p. 7.
  27. ↑ Mendoza, Kerry-anne. "The Canary on Facebook (screenshot)" (JPEG image). Facebook. The Canary.
  28. ↑ "Canary Wings It" (JPEG image). Private Eye (1419). Pressdram Ltd. 26 May 2016. p. 10.
  29. ↑ "Our response to allegations against The Canary, 3 July 2016". The Canary. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  30. ↑ Patel, Romil (29 March 2016). "More than 30,000 people support call to ban David Cameron from returning to UK from holiday". International Business Times. United Kingdom. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  31. ↑ Stewart, Ellen (April 2016). "There's a petition to ban David Cameron re-entering the country". indy100. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  32. ↑ Dunt, Ian. "The activist left is conspiring in the demolition of the BBC". politics.co.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "Petition to sack BBC's Laura Kuenssberg was 'probably' removed 'under establishment pressure', says former UK ambassador". The Canary. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  34. ↑ Jackson, Jasper (10 May 2016). "Laura Kuenssberg petition taken down over sexist abuse". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  35. ↑ Middleton, Ian (12 May 2016). "It's Going to Take More Than an Online Petition to Stamp Out Bias at the BBC". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  36. ↑ "UK Media Publishers and Publications – Ranked for July 2016". similarweb.com. Retrieved 19 September 2016.

External links

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