May I just say how brilliant they have been and that I gather from something the Ed wrote that the site has been getting more 'hits' of late. Clearly giving the FP a sharply observed satirical edge woos the voters far more than many of the FPs, which are more creative writing than newsy. I just wish I had thought of this before, but surely a news angle should be a prerequisite for a sub on a site that calls itself newsbiscuit? Any references to biscuits should be treated as a bonus.
Quick links: NewsBiscuit Home • Chat Room • Writers' Room • Top Ten
The Election Special Front Pages
(17 posts) (7 voices)
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Mary Evans
offlineMember"NewsBiscuit was founded in September 2006 by John O’Farrell in the hope of raising a smile for bored people at work and to provide a outlet for new comedy writing on the web."
Satire: (n) A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.
The topical FPs are indeed fantastic, but if the site limited itself purely to the news, we would never have classics like Ludo's Homeopathic Bomb, which was rightly lauded at the time and has also increased hits to the site. For my money, the 'news' aspect of NewsBiscuit refers as much to the way in which the writing is presented, not just the subject matter per se. I think there are so many fantastic comedy writers on the site that I am glad there is a broad church here to house them all - and may the funniest ones always triumph.
Posted 3 years ago # -
The All New Jeni B
offlineMemberAnd there's always the playpen that is "Chat" for the likes of me.
Posted 3 years ago # -
sauce
offlineMemberIt's hard to find any real news in the papers these days - so much is magazine chit-chat, lifestyle or, god help us, celeb "news".
I love the mix on NB. Been great to see the election getting such thorough cover but I love the more esoteric pieces, too. You're all fabulously talented.
Maz, are you sure that was wee? Not from last time someone's waters broke? *peers over specs, frowning*
Posted 3 years ago # -
The All New Jeni B
offlineMemberI don't even go into the ball pen these days. Not since I read the Daily Rant article about the sample analysis results of the average ball.
I just sit in a corner, humming to myself (where is deskpilot?), and growling at anyone who tries to take away the stickle bricks.
Posted 3 years ago # -
fun and games
offlineMemberOf course homeopathic bombs counts as news - terrorism is rarely far from the front pages of newspapers, but I can see that what consitutes 'news' isn't black or white. Anything topical that may come broadly under current affairs is fine by me. I just don't think it is coincidence that the site has been more successful when it has been capturing the Zeitgeist. But you are right, Scary, it is JoF's toy and he can do what he likes with it.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Quaz
offlineMemberIt's always going to be a call between the whimsical stories (of which I'm guilty of a few) and the the political satires. The site may have drifted more into whimsey before the election, but then we were in the last gasps of a dead duck govt. I think the next year will be very interesting with lots of chances to mock whoever is in power and the site will reflect that.
Posted 3 years ago # -
The All New Jeni B
offlineMemberWho are you, and what have you done with the real Quaz?
That's far too sensible a response for the Quaz we know.
Posted 3 years ago # -
Quaz
offlineMemberI've been away on a long, long journey into the desert and have seen many things in my head as I had no access to the internet. I saw Sarah Palin screaming from the burning sky like a harpie as she pecked the last remaining brains from the dying corpse of the GOP and fed them to her young in a nest entirely made of tea leaves.
Ok, so I've moved to the sticks and have a lot more time on my hands. You should see the woods behind my place; I took a walk out there and it's like the blair witch project meets deliverence, but with bluebells. My kind of place.
Posted 3 years ago # -
sauce
offlineMemberHalelujah to the tea buggers!
We've got bluebells, too. They pop up all over the place, despite the efforts of the previous owners. Have a clump sprouted outside the kitchen door, under a once-tiny Japanese maple* (£1.99 from Woollies 3 years ago, RIP) with a self-seeded (spored?) fern behind: perfection.
*Apparently the very cheap ones are usually seedlings - so may be almost any colour or pattern: pot luck. We were very very lucky with this one: exquisitely lacy leaves and deep wine colour.
Posted 3 years ago # -
The All New Jeni B
offlineMemberQuaz? Have you actually moved into the YM's tree-house?
Posted 3 years ago # -
The All New Jeni B
offlineMemberYeah, what's even better about that wi-fi access is that it's from the neighbour's.
Ours is crap, too well insulated walls apparently, the folk over the way, however are spreading the wi-fi love willy-nilly.Posted 3 years ago #
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