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SW to go into shops

Doopa | 12.02.2002 01:45

The leading left-wing (Trot) newspaper the Socialist Worker is to go on sale in leading brand name newsagents such as WH Smiths and of course into Student Unions. Don't be afraid.

Text from SW this week. Don't know why I bother reading the damn thing.

Socialist Worker to appear in your newsagent next week

SOCIALIST WORKER will be available to a new-and its biggest ever-audience in newsagents across Britain from next week. Major newspaper distributors have recognised the growing mood for left wing ideas after two successful pilot projects, and will distribute Socialist Worker nationally.

Readers will now be able to get or order Socialist Worker from their local newsagents. It will also be available in many WH Smith high street stores and student unions.

In order to meet this challenge, increase the quality of Socialist Worker and continue to bring you the best reports and pictures, we are raising the price to 80p from next week. This is the first price rise since 1994-eight years ago.

What does increase the quality mean? Where is the extra cash going- the fighting funds or into the hands of the fat cat bosses of WH Smith and the other "leading high stores" (multinationals). How does this corporatisation of the paper affect the journalistic integrity.

Oh, I can just see the posts now. Anarchists gleefully rubbing their hands before furiously typing into the computer in public libraris (naturally) all over the country. he he he.
Can't really see a gleaming endorsement of this from rank and file Swissers though can u? Mmm.
I appreciate this may not seem like news to most people, but I think it is a question about where the movement in its umbrella form is going from now on. Is the SWP really trying to get into the mainstream of politics or is it fighting for the end of capitalism? For me the two are not the same.

Doopa

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

hang on a sec

12.02.2002 02:01

u don't think stuff should be sold in shops?

u think they're selling out? they're just trying to reach a bigger audience.

WH Smiths know exactly what kind of a paper the SW is. Clearly they seem to be happy about the idea of selling a radical communist revolutionary newspaper.


It's clearly not a case of selling out.

Although there are dangers - what if the SWP wants to slag of WH Smiths in particular.. there could be a problem there. In fact there probably will be.

And what if smiths merges with other companies - then they'll be untouchable as well.

hmm

ocalan III


Already sold out!

12.02.2002 08:19

No doubt they will start carrying advertisments for profit making companies, introduce a crossword and lucky bingo numbers, as well publishing a sports section.

These people sold out ages ago. Count up the designer labels proudly worn by most of their paper sellers - and find out how quickly they want to lecture you about global capitalism and worker expolitation in the developing world.

Citizen X


stop abusing indymedia

12.02.2002 10:03

indymedia's servers are overworked as it is maybe the few losers who keep posting these sorts of boring sectarian rants would like to ge do it on their own mailing lists so Indymedia can be left to news and inspiring stories of radicalism

get a life

media kid


Paper sellers redundant??!!

12.02.2002 10:21

Does this mean we won't have to shove our way past
an army of paper sellers every time we go to a demo or action?
We hope this will mean they will all go & do something useful...

Gnome


5 sold in Nottingham, 4 in Glasgow etc

12.02.2002 13:54

You know that section in their rag which tells you how many mugs bought the thing every week? Imagine reading it now.
WH Smith, Arndale Centre 5
Menzies, Meadowhall, 3
Fourboys, St. Johns Centre 6
Love it!
I like the bit that tells us how many joined each week. Pity they never print the numbers who wise up and leave, but I expect we've all got an idea of how many when we meet them on demo's.

Ivor the Engine.


This is for once news re swp

12.02.2002 13:58

This is a good news posting I think, rather than the BORING shite that keeps clogging indymedia with swp vs anarchist post wars. And hey well done to SWP that's what I say, it's great to get more info out.

Pete


Good on them!!!

12.02.2002 16:19

After all, it's a well known fact of the SWP that
THE WORKERS UNITED, GOTTA SELL MORE PAPERS.

@lex


Why I read the SW

12.02.2002 16:37

Just to say I do read the socialist worker ( http://www.socialistworker.co.uk) pretty regularly (online that is), but I do not like the SWP. I don't see a contradiction in that at all.

I also watch the tv and read some other newspapers while hating some of the institutions behind them.

Re the SW, it's a pretty amazing and inspiring publication gotten together. OK I filter out the propoganda, but the number of events and struggles they report on is brilliant, read it if only for a heads up for stories and campaigns to go and look for more info about elsewhere.

Maybe if they included URL references at the end of each story then the readers would be able to do some follow up themselves - then it would be a much better publication :)

NOT swp or gr


SWP Moron Ate my Paper

12.02.2002 17:23

"Have you seen this weeks Socialist Worker?" he asked, dribbling from his boneheaded, tatooed, jaundiced jaws .

"No,!" I cried in astonishment, "Who is he?"

" I Want you to read this or I'll hit you", barked the loser.

"But why?" I pleaded. "Havent I, as a friend of Old Boot [Ed: you mean Paul Foot, dont you ?] suffered enough over the years ?"

"Yes", he shrieked dismally " but I cant read a word of it. Vote Blair-bour without illusions. Or Socialist. I get Headaches. Seeing things and hearing voices."

By now the flames were rising higher. There erupted a baleful rasping howl..." Quick, Holmes, I cried. Its the damned hound ! cant you hear it in the distance" ? "
Yes, Watson, its almost upon us. Lets Take refuge in the SWP bookshop.
"No! Holmes! No, in gods name, not there! "

...next thrilling installment soon...

D Sposa Balincom


Quality of SW called into question.

12.02.2002 17:57

I think this juist goes to show how flaccid the SW paper is. Why on Earth would WH Smiths be selling a 'radical communist paper'? I wouldn't, bercause the SW is only ever abnout a few issues away from falling further into mediocrity and non-revolutionary articles that are only a few choice phrases away from left wing reformism.

SW is not a revolutionary paper, it is an _alright_ left wing paper but still, it is never going to challange the establishment because the party that sells/produces it is so incapable of doing anything other than organising front groups and harrasing people on demos.

Simon
mail e-mail: Dante_SH88@yahoo.com


My cat loves SW

12.02.2002 19:57

She likes to tear up papers in the middle of the night. I give the Guardian and Socialist Worker so she doesnt ruin anything IMPORTANT !

DSB


thanks for the advert!

13.02.2002 12:43

Socialist Worker is also available online at:

internationalist
- Homepage: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk