Friday was the busiest day we've ever had on the Advertiser website.
I'd like to say it was down to our extensive coverage of the council's education proposals, but that would be a complete lie - it was thanks to Croydon's Big Brother housemate Alexandra de-Gale.
Ever since the first story announcing her entry into the house attracted hundreds of readers in a next to no time on Thursday evening, it was clear she was going to be a big draw.
And on Friday, when we told how she had been arrested three times by police, the figures went through the roof and have stayed there ever since.
So for those people who posted comments asking why we bothered writing articles about her, that's your answer.
Although the Advertiser's print and online versions are obviously closely linked, that doesn't mean you have to treat stories in the same way in both.
I can't imagine a time when we'd splash a story about Alexandra in the paper, but on the web it's a different matter.
3 comments:
Ian Carter wrote:
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I can't imagine a time when we'd splash a story about Alexandra in the paper, but on the web it's a different matter.
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Oh, I give you about three weeks...
Well looking at this week's news list I might be backtracking even sooner than that.
In its own way, Big Brother is quite (but only quite) clever . Its oxygen is the contrived publicity that it manuafctures. It holds out the hope of fifteen minutes' fame to its participants. As they are all 'regular joes', it makes it appear attainable for all of us, so it manufactures its own interest. Those who comment (yes, including me) contribute to this, wittingly or unwittingly, voluntarily or inadvertently. It is, of course, of no value whatsoever. Its participants are simple exhibitionists (or should that be 'exhibitionist simpletons'?), so insecure that they need this exposure and think it a good thing. It is not a phenomenon but merely holds a mirror to the base level that our values have plumbed. For those who are asking, THAT is why it is featured in the on-line version of the Advertiser, because you know that it will provoke comment (I'll stop short of describing it as 'debate'). If the woman from Croydon survives, I am entirely confident that it will make the pages of the printed edition though quite why any exposure should be given to something so utterly artificial only the editor can explain.
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