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Charlie Beckett

February 27th, 2008

Quake!!

2 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Charlie Beckett

February 27th, 2008

Quake!!

2 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Give me more on the “Great Quake of 2008“. As an issue it doesn’t matter but it is wonderful copy and fabulous TV. I am sorry about the one casualty but I want to see endless pictures sent in by the public of slightly damaged garden walls, broken china and people standing outside their homes in their pyjamas at 1am.

quakepic.JPGI love the fact that the London Evening Standard does the classic metro-centric thing of headlining “Quake Hits London” even though its epicentre was hundreds of miles away in Lincolnshire. This is quite right, of course. The fact that I was woken up in my bed in Camden, North London means that this is now a national story worthy of the full media treatment. It is a fantastic, glorious example of what one of my old editors used to describe as ‘weather porn.” 

quake1.jpgI love the fact that although it only lasted 15 seconds, witness narratives of what happened last at least a minute. The only video I have seen of it actually shaking was deeply unimpressive as are the aftermath pictures. I have seen more destruction after a children’s birthday party.

But this is fun. Don’t even begin to compare it with the real earthquakes they get in places like Iran. This is a very British affair and I want as much of it as the papers, Internet and TV can provide.

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Charlie Beckett

Posted In: Research

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