TV ratings trick, tabloid lies or government terror hype?

Today in the UK, The Sun newspaper reported that the nations favourite and longest running soap, Coronation Street, was being targeted by al qaeda.

COPS are throwing a ring of steel around tonight's live episode of Coronation Street over fears it has been targeted by AL-QAEDA.

They were tipped off that the ITV1 soap's historic 50th anniversary broadcast from Manchester could be hit by a terror strike.

Corrie stars will undergo full body searches with cast and crew passing through airport-style scanners before being frisked in security checks at the show's studios.

Source: Al-Qaeda threat to Coronation Street.

So millions of newspaper readers and TV viewers are on tenderhooks tonight, not only because its the 50th anniversary live final of a big story they've been running, but theres the added tension of the possibility of a terror attack in front of millions of viewers live on TV.

In todays Britain, i believe that an attack on a favourite soap show would have more of a reaction than other "normal targets". Thats just the way the country is right now. Even worse, it could be X Factor!!!

I have heard people talking about it today, many people getting quite worked up about this, and thus more support for anything that can stop the evil tewwowists.

Yet over at another news site, the story is slightly different....

Police have dismissed claims in The Sun this morning that Coronation Street's live show will be targeted by Al-Qaeda.

The force says it has not received any word of a threat by Muslim fanatics or any other terrorist organisation.

The downmarket tabloid reported today that police were "throwing a ring of steel" around the live epidode, having been "tipped off that the ITV1 soap's historic 50th anniversary broadcast from Manchester could be hit by a terror strike."

Source: Police dismiss report of Al Qaeda threat to Coronation Street

So basically its a load of bull. Surprise surprise.

The added security is just private security for the bigger live show, not some army of anti-terror police as The Sun reported.

I know people here on ATS are not stupid, but i just wanted to highlight yet again the kind of fear a newspaper can spread given half a chance.

Maybe this was just The Sun exaggerating a story as usual?

Maybe this was Coronation Street drumming up more viewers for the show?

Maybe "others" have more of a say in what stories are thrown to the public than most people realise.

Oh yeah...one other thing....

Ownership

News Group Newspapers is owned by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.

Same old faces eh?

Innocent fun between papers and our soaps, or something more sinister? Certainly makes you wonder.

CX.

reply to post by CX
Right now on cnnn the police burned down a house they found filled with chemicals and bomb making devices! they said they couldn't remove the stuff or even get inside so they prepped all the houses in the neighborhood and cut holes in the roof and evacuated the neighborhood and started it on fire! The smoke is huge and going up into the air isn't it still toxic??? this is in escondido CA.I have never heard of anyone doing this?

Oh, this made me laugh so much.

Pure comdy gold. I've never heard so much utter rubbish in all my life.

reply to post by stinkingzombie


But what's that got to do with this thread?