Independently Minded, Independently Made

No, not Glenfiddich's latest ad campaign. Rather, belated kudos to The Independent for last week running a subtle but pointed front-page reminder that while the impending nuptials (how I despise that word) of Charles and Camilla received blanket coverage on all stations, channels and papers, there were actually quite a few more relevant and interesting pieces of news which broke on the same day that deserved to be aired at much greater length. Like, say, North Korea admitting for the first time that it possesses nuclear capacity. The Indy's "reminder" was an ordinary-enough looking front page, with North Korea as the lead story and five or six other varied articles placed alongside. Not a sign of the gruesome twosome to be seen anywhere. And dripping in sarcasm at the top of the page, just underneath the masthead, screamed the line: HERE IS THE NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED. I like, I like.

In other meedja news... what's the general consensus on Channel Four's Nathan Barley? Some purists might be upset that the show isn't following to the letter the format used on the TV Go Home website, but as a late convert, that didn't matter so much to me. I can't say I'm a fan of the show, though. The first episode had its funny moments, and the series might yet grow on me. But seeing as it was written by Chris "Brasseye" Morris and Charlie "Screen Burn" Brooker, I was expecting more. A lot more. And for once, I don't think it's a case of me who "just doesn't get it." But I'll wait and see with this one. I don't want to write it off immediately as a television equivalent of Marr & Sumner's Electronic, tempted though I may be.