normal investigative journalism?

[Simon Fairlie]

I can see why a journalist might want to come along pretending to be  
a punter. That way you are more likely to get ordinary treatment,   
rather than the spiel concocted for the media. Isn't this simply  
normal investigative journalism? We'd all be happy for a lefty  
journalist to phone up  Savils estate agency pretending to be a rich  
client — indeed I've done it myself.

Simon



>
>
> From: suburbanstudio at runbox.com
> Date: 29 April 2008 08:51:42 BDT
> To: diggers350 at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [diggers350] 'Estate agents' offer empty homes for  
> squatrers
>
>
> A bit more background in regard the article
> on the Daily "Cry" ...
>
> During the opening of the squatters estate agents at the
> new Shoreditch / London squatted social centre,
> (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/396097.html)
> a very curious guy came along. He was asking many questions
> and information beacuse - he said -he wanted to find
> a squat for himself...
>
> The day after, the same guy turn up, with a much better dress
> and an NUJ card... he his saying to be a journalist for the
> Daily Mail and want to do an article about the squatters estate
> agent.  The answer was clear from our side.
>
> We were not interested to collaborate with a journalist we did not
> know, and in particularly for the the Daily Mail.......
>
> Finally the article appeared on the Mail on Sunday, together with
> detailed pictures of the building and the "estate agent"...
>
> I guess now, the question to Miles Goslett, and to the NUJ is...
> Why had he to cover up his identity coming along to the social centre
> pretending to be a squatter ?
>
>
> Gerrard Winstanley wrote:
>>
>> 'Estate agents' offer empty homes for squat
>>
>> By MILES GOSLETT
>> Last updated at 01:47am on 27th April 2008
>>
>> lots of pictures here
>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
>> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ 
>> pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
>> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770>
>>
>> At first glance, they are the sort of glossy particulars you would
>> find in the window of any estate agent's.
>>
>> But, on closer inspection, most of the properties on offer 'boast'
>> some rather unusual features - such as boarded-up windows, possession
>> orders and no front-door entrance.
>>
>> The homes are being offered by Squatters Estate Agents, which has set
>> up a 'shop' in a derelict warehouse near the gleaming office  
>> buildings
>> of the City of London.
>>
>> The new service is advertised on anti-capitalist websites and
>> prospective 'tenants' are directed to the premises - squatted, of
>> course - in the Shoreditch area of the capital.
>>
>> A reporter from this newspaper met James, an 'agent' in his late 20s,
>> wearing jeans, a T- shirt and several days' stubble, who guided us
>> through the details of dozens of ' available properties' on printed
>> sheets produced using a digital camera and a computer.
>>
>> He explained that the service was free and designed to guide others
>> like him into new digs.
>>
>> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
>> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ 
>> pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
>> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>

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