The Guardian

I was recently prompted to do something I'd been meaning to do for months and signed up as a monthly subscriber to the The Guardian. We have all seen derogatory comments about the Guardian - claiming that it is biased to The Left etc. Well it may appear that way, but I think that misses the point. I do so wish we could get away from the over-simplified and pointless posturing of left v right. We should consider policies and politicians in their own right. The terms 'left' and 'right' are helpful as an act of linguistic closure to enable reference to a broad body of ideas, but dismissing anything from either side without a fair hearing is to narrow one's own thought-horizons. IMO.
To my reading, The Guardian is the paper that most often publishes investigative or at least, original, journalism. It has articles which question the Establishment and the status quo. It is, in short, the best we have in daily independent and critical journalism. If, as a result, it often appears to support left-leaning views, then let that lead to its own conclusions. It is not infallible and never will be. (Nor is The Left as a political standpoint). But it does seem to want to address issues at a deeper level than much of what passes for journalism today.
From Wikipedia (always so factually reliable itself :-) ): "The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by The Scott Trust Limited. The Trust was created in 1936 "to secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of The Guardian free from commercial or political interference." ... Profits are reinvested in journalism rather than to the benefit of an owner or shareholders."
Because it lacks the billionaire backer of, say, The Mail, The Express, The Telegraph, The Sun, The Times etc it is free to make dispassionate observations but its finances are less secure. If we were to lose this, our national discourse would be beyond hope. So I have swept in with £5 per month as an act of largesse to keep them safe. You are welcome.

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