Daily Stargate

A reporter for The Daily Star has resigned, claiming that the newspaper encourages its journalists to make up lies about celebrities and has an anti-Muslim agenda.

This is something that I have noticed a lot since gaining an interest in newspapers and I am pleased that this young journalist has decided to take a stand. Richard Peppiatt admits in his letter of resignation that he gladly took to the streets wearing a burkha, but claims he had "discovered some backbone" by the time he was asked to pose semi naked with some burkha clad shoppers.

By simply typing the word 'Muslim' into the Daily Star website's search bar, I discover the following results:

Wear Burka go to prison
SHEER HATRED
Curry Boss: Muslim duty to hire illegalsMuslims on top in decades
And even:
Is Maddie a Muslim?

Although not all of these are entirely negative articles, the headlines give off such a negative, scaremongering impression. Peppiatt says in his letter:

"Our caustic "us and them" narrative needs nailing home every day or two, and when asked to wield the hammer I was too scared for my career, and my bank account, to refuse."

He also writes:

"You may have heard the phrase, "The flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil sets off a tornado in Texas." Well, try this: "The lies of a newspaper in London can get a bloke's head caved in down an alley in Bradford.""

Guardian columnist and personal hero of mine Charlie Brooker, has also written a hilarious and thought provoking piece about a similar topic, which I would highly recommend reading:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/14/daily-star-crude-propaganda

He sums up the Daily Star's reporting by saying "the Daily Star is either grossly irresponsible in its sloppy representation of the facts, or engaging in overt anti-Muslim propaganda."

Peppiatt says that he knew it was time to 'lay down his pen' when the newspaper seemed to be supporting the controversial far right organisation; The English Defence League. The EDL claims that it is a non violent, non racist organisation with the intention of uniting against militant Islam. They like to show how non violent they are by getting together in a warehouse, wearing balaclavas and burning flags.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkKmzNpUBM4
Charming.

The Daily star responded to Richard Peppiatt's claims with this statement:

"Richard Peppiatt worked purely as a casual reporter at the Daily Star for almost two years. Recently he became unhappy after he was passed over for several staff positions. He refers to a Kelly Brook story: in fact, he approached and offered the newspaper that story, vouched for its accuracy, and then asked for and received an extra freelance fee for doing so. Since he wrote his email we have discovered that he was privately warned very recently by senior reporters on the paper after suggesting he would make up quotes. Regarding the allegations over the paper's coverage of Islam, he was only ever involved in a very minor way with such articles, and never voiced either privately or officially any disquiet over the tone of the coverage. For the record, the Daily Star editorial policy does not hold any negativity towards Islam and the paper has never, and does not endorse, the EDL."

Read Richard Peppiatt's full letter of resignation here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/04/daily-star-reporter-letter-full