I have really lost every ounce of respect for the Observer

[Willi]

Had the Observer EVER tried to hide the fact they were actively campaigning for the JLP.

This is a first in Jamaica's history where a publishing house took such an active role in an election campaign.

But why be surprised when you see who owns the paper and who calls the shots and what his motives would be.

There is a saying that freedom of the pres belongs only to those who own it and this is so true.

I think the Observer was very short sighted in what they did and as a result they will lose a lot of support from a lot of people.

Dont ever forget that the popular vote was not that wide and so there is a still a large portion of the population still supports the PNP and many well thinking persons no matter who they voted for will take stock of this.

The publisher of the Observer has used the paper for his own personal gains and this now puts the product at a big risk.

Agreed...now, what do you say about the HERALD?

[Sickko]

Herald is pro-PNP but I dont think they went as far as the Observer did. The Gleaner was pro-JLP in the last election but it would take some serious searching and inside knowledge to know this.

At least the Gleaner's Publisher never tried to dictate the editoriall direction in the election lead up and that was the big difference.

[Time]

The gleaner in 1980

Had the Observer EVER tried to hide the fact they were actively campaigning for the JLP.

This is a first in Jamaica's history where a publishing house took such an active role in an election campaign.

But why be surprised when you see who owns the paper and who calls the shots and what his motives would be.

There is a saying that freedom of the pres belongs only to those who own it and this is so true.

I think the Observer was very short sighted in what they did and as a result they will lose a lot of support from a lot of people.

Dont ever forget that the popular vote was not that wide and so there is a still a large portion of the population still supports the PNP and many well thinking persons no matter who they voted for will take stock of this.

The publisher of the Observer has used the paper for his own personal gains and this now puts the product at a big risk.

The Gleaner gave all it support to the JLP in 1980

[Mosiah]

True. And I don't think back in the days the Gleaner was so blatantly against Manley.

Observer has reached new lows!

[Mosiah]

Not in this manner. Many of its writers were anti-Manley but I can't recall the editorials being so blatant. But, admittedly, it would be very difficult for me to remember any of its editorials from then!

[Islandman]

Not the first at all.

In 1980 the Gleaner was FAR more anti-government than the Observer has been in this campaign.

The editorials were strongly anti Manley and the most "moderate" columnist was Carl Stone who was also anti-government but used stats and facts to back up his criticism.

[Willi]

You not reading the Herald regularly??

They went even more overboard against Bruce!!! It is a shameless bashing of one and only accolades for the other.

I read them all online, so unless the paper copies different....

[Willi]

Mi seh, go read the Herald!!!

[Baddaz]

willi, portia did not say anything about handing over the govt to criminals...

if you are going to say someone of the stature of the prime minister is out of order, then at least you should be correct in whatever statements you attribute to her...

[Sickko]

We must understand the background to the Clarke family's support of the JLP. They were the single biggest landowners in Westmoreland and owned all the lands that the four LLandilo housing schemes are built on right now.

The Manley government approached them to sell them the land to build housing solutions but they refused saying they had plans for it.

Years later when the place was still in bush, the PNP enacted some law and took it, had it evaluated and cut a check to the Clarke family.

One of Olivers brothers who died a few years ago, was also an executive in the JLP in Westmoreland for a long time. Treasurer I think

[Willi]

It was daggers drawn.

Manley threatened them and they bashed him and the cycle went on and on.

[Willi]

Remember when Seaga denied them the TV licence and they turned on him?

[Sickko]

Portia never said that..what she said was she does not think that the future of the Jamaican people should be in the hands of people who used criminals to help win at the polls.

My only thing is that BOTH sides have their thugs

[Willi]

I heard it with my own ears.

I heard the speech live on line.

What yuh talking about???

[Sickko]

Not Seaga per se, it was Abrahams who said that over his dead body the Gleaner would never get a broadcast licene and that was what sparked the law suit that the Gleaner eventually lost.

AP had published a story with some negative things about Abrahams and the Gleaner took it and ran with it, publishing it several times even when AP retracted it hours later.

But this was Oliver's call and he wanted revenge and cost the Gleaner millions.

So you see Clarke had reasons to switch and woe be on to Bruce if he cant give Butch all he wants.

Dont forget it was the PNP government under PJ Patterson that liberalised the media so anyone who can afford to can own radio stations and news papers.