I was talking to someone the other day and they said, "The last thing the world needs is another news website. You can't move in London without someone giving you the news". I love that quote. It's really stuck with me because it's so true, isn't it?
So since he said that I've been taking pictures every time I see someone (or something) giving me the news. That picture above is your standard noughties office reception. The news on three big flat TV's.
Here's another one. But this huge big glass fronted building allows the news to spill out on the street.
As does this one. They've used four screens, so they can show four different news channels.
I know it's a bad photograph but this is just outside Waterloo station. More news.
This is inside Waterloo station, also taken on bad photograph day.
Continuing the station theme, this is Kings Cross. So, inside office receptions, visible through the window, outside stations, inside stations.
At the airport.
On the way back from the airport. I appreciate this is a promotional thing for Bloomberg, but it's still news being thrust at you.
Likewise this is some promotion for Reuters who are situated just across the street. But still. News. Everywhere. These are all razzy screen based things, but there's also the more traditional method of London news delivery.
And now we have this new menace. They literally thrust the news at you.
Look there's one dressed in purple and one in yellow. Remember, "You can't move in London without someone giving you the news."
Look at this one. Watching. Waiting. Ready to pounce and give you the news.
And if you manage to make it home without being given the news, it's waiting for you at the Tube station. It's there all around you. Unavoidable.
The news even creeps into the most two hallowed places of British life. Tesco's.
And the pub. Why do you need the news in the pub? Why do you need the news in Tesco's?
Why do you need the news in a cheeky little Belgravia bistro? "You can't move in London without someone giving you the news"
Imagine if all of those screen changed for one day and played constant Tom and Jerry cartoons.
Would the whole of London come to a standstill?
What a day that would be. I believe it would only bring joy.
Posted by: Cherry | Mar 07, 2008 at 10:17
Cherry, you could be right there.
Posted by: Ben | Mar 07, 2008 at 10:43
I love that "Incident happened in Euston" headline. It's as if Kings Cross is gossiping about that horrid station up the road that's bringing the neighbourhood down.
Posted by: Daniel | Mar 07, 2008 at 11:17
It's as if the Day Today is alive and pounding the streets of London. http://youtube.com/watch?v=Deqa1VFQtPA
Posted by: henry lambert | Mar 07, 2008 at 11:28
And no-one watching.
Posted by: Andy | Mar 07, 2008 at 14:57
Sounds like a flickr pool. enjoyed the post.
And the thing that drives me up the wall is that most of it isn't news at all but speculation filling airtime dressed up as analysis.
Posted by: Kev Mears | Mar 10, 2008 at 10:02
"speculation filling airtime dressed up as analysis" Kev, that is spot on.
Posted by: Ben | Mar 10, 2008 at 10:24
It would be great if all the news screens at London train stations were filled with all the incidents that were going on at other train stations.
I think it would bring a much needed does of surrealism to the evening commute.
Posted by: Kosmograd | Mar 17, 2008 at 10:59