Originally Posted by Chronic Snoozer
FGD135 is suspected of being GT because of your second quote. Banter on an anonymous forum can hardly be compared with paid journalism requoted around the world. That needs to be correct.
When one reads or watches 'the news', we expected factual, accurate reporting in the time available. To wildly speculate is human, to print it is not journalism.
I've never subscribed to the idea that news needs to be dumbed down for the lowest common denominator. Educate them.
Unfortunately, CS, lowest common denominator journalism is what tends to rate highest with the paying punters. Witness Today Tonight and A Current Affair. Pure trash, but high ratings, high advertising rates and a cash cow for the networks.
The highest circulation newspapers in the world are all trashy tabloids.
Quality journalism, such as Four Corners, Foreign Correspondent and Dateline etc, have much lower audiences. Even the venerable ABC News rates consistently lower than 7 and 9. And they don't have even ads to compete with.
I'm not excusing trash journalism, but that's just how it is. Welcome to the real world of fast food and dumbed down facts. It's perhaps why the old adage states: "A fool and his money are soon parted."
On the subject of FGD vs GT, even a cursory glance at FGD's post history points to him being a pilot with real-world experience. He was born in 1964 - GT is much older - and claims to have started his aviation career in 1989, well after GT started his writing career.
None of that proves FGD is or was a commercial pilot, of course, but it doesn't prove he's GT, either (despite being an obvious "fan"). I'm not going to spend all arvo going through someone's post history, but perhaps if those claiming FGD and GT are one and the same care to do it themselves, they might be in a better position to judge.
Frankly, I don't care.
You are correct that "Banter on an anonymous forum can hardly be compared with paid journalism requoted around the world". Which is why I stated earlier that if people on these boards want to change what happens in the real world, get out there and change it! Don't just gripe about it on the prune.
For example, instead of writing letters to journos, phone them and have a friendly chat. Don't rub their noses in it - we all have our expertise. Make yourself known. Leave your contact details. Offer to help or go on the record whenever said journo needs some background or there's an incident.
Nurture those contacts and make the world a better place, one interview at a time.