Vox Pop

Whether as a result of the ludicrous impartiality requirements of our broadcast organisations, or just a reflection of the general levels of stupidity inherent in the human race, the vox pop makes my blood boil.

I should make it plain from the start that I have nothing against the odd drink. However, I was watching a report on the proposal to allow Diageo to sponsor midwifery training in regard to responsible drinking for expectant mothers. Nobody in their right mind (and I most definitely exclude all members of the bloody Coalition from that category) could possibly think that such a proposal would be a good idea. Could they?

I mean, think about this for a minute. Diageo is a multi-national corporation which specialises in selling alcoholic beverages, and the idea is that they provide advice to medical professionals about the consumption of alcohol. This is not a sock puppet posting deliberately contrary statements to CiF, or some spurious medical research used to bolster the industry's PR ratings; it is direct payment from a drinks company to enable their message to be put across by people in whom we place a great deal of trust. It could not be any clearer as far as I'm concerned, and am stunned - if perhaps not surprised - that it is even being suggested with any seriousness. Am I wrong?

Well, back to the news report, finished off with the customary vox pop of selected females in some London street not too far from White City. For every woman who said that the Guinness sponsored training was wrong, another popped up to support it.

"Well," said one, "If there's money there to pay for the training, then it's a good thing, isn't it?"

"NO IT FUCKING ISN'T!" I yelled at the screen. "Can't you see that? Don't you think that a) it's wrong for us to even be thinking about sponsorship or corporate tie-ins for this kind of essential service and b) don't you realise that there is the potential for a serious conflict of interest here?"

It is a fait accompli, of course, another step along the road on which Cameron and his buddies want to drive us down, and it makes me very angry indeed that people are dumb enough to just wave it through.