BBC's Marr brands amateur hacks as 'seedy, single and very drunk' whose rantings 'have nothing to do with journalism'

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated:

Angry: Andrew Marr told his audience that bloggers were 'too abusive'

Angry: Andrew Marr told his audience that bloggers were 'too abusive'

BBC political presenter Andrew Marr has branded thousands of amateur hacks as 'socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy young men' who give the profession a bad name. 

And the veteran broadcaster, 51, said that 'citizen journalists' - untrained amateur reporters who post news stories and commentary on websites - will never offer a real alternative to newspapers and television news. 

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, Marr told his audience: 'Most citizen journalism strikes me as nothing to do with journalism at all.

‘A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed, young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people. 

‘OK - the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk. But the so-called citizen journalism is the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night.

‘Terrible things are said online because they are anonymous. People say things online that they woudn't dream of saying in person.

‘It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism. Most of the blogging is too angry and too abusive. It is vituperative.'

Citizen journalism has taken off in recent years with the advent of new technology such as mobile phones and the internet. 

Marr acknowledged that modern technology is rapidly changing the way people receive news and current affairs information.

The former newspaper editor pointed out that established newspapers were suffering as people turn to the internet.

It was a sad fact that the media would be employing fewer journalists as sales of hard copies declined, he said.

But he believed that, in future, readers will be willing to pay for online news and information in the way they do now for newspapers.

‘I am spending a lot of money on my iTunes account, I am already buying journalism online, I am buying information online, I am buying books online,’ he said.

‘Even if you are not doing it, your children and your grandchildren will be doing it.’ 

 

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