bobmoo79
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I have sent many letters to the sun over the years and have never received a reply, though they did print an edited version of an email once.
So, when the sun printed the story about Michael Jackson's string of gay lovers, I sent them another email, but this time I received a personal email on the request of the Sun's editor.
This is the email I sent to them:
"Subject: Michael Jackson gay life claims
I am writing today about a story I have seen published on The Sun website regarding Michael Jackson’s ‘Gay life’.
The fact that Michael Jackson is gay or not is not an issue for me, and I’m sure it’s not an issue for most other modern people living in England today. At the end of the day, a person’s sexuality is not news. This is not the 1950s anymore and people can be whatever sexuality they want.
BUT I have a serious issue with this story and others printed in the sun recently. It is yet another story written about Michael Jackson that is filled with content that comes from a dubious source. Ian Halperin, contrary to claims in several media outlets was not “Michael Jackson’s biographer”. He is merely somebody who has written a book about Michael Jackson – a book full of sensationalised stories, rumours, and innuendo. He does not have the inside track on Michael Jackson’s life, and stories printed in the press using information that has come from him has been proven to be false on many occasions. For example, he was cited as the source of claims that Michael Jackson was blind in one eye and that he needed an urgent lung transplant. Both stories were printed shortly before ***** announced his ‘This Is It’ concerts in London – concerts that should have begun tonight.
I urge you to check your sources and use some professionalism and decency to moderate what you are printing. There have been some good stories printed in the Sun since Michael Jackson’s death, but there have also been some very bad ones.
The other day you printed that Michael Jackson’s waxwork was his 13th. That is true. BUT you then followed that with obvious inaccuracies that I can only put down to intentional misrepresentation. You also said he had the second most waxworks behind the queen, who had 20. That is false. He has joint most waxwork figures with the queen, who also has had 13. The facts were freely available on the Madame Taussauds website before the figure was launched, and in their press release, yet you managed to balls it up completely.
You claimed to have the autopsy results only days after Michael Jackson died. A claim that was almost immediately proven false by TMZ and the coroner’s office statement, yet you did not print a retraction to acknowledge your non-existent checking of the source.
Your newspaper has a terrible reputation, but I would have thought that even you would rather get genuine information on such an important event, rather than to further sully and malign the life and reputation of one of the world’s greatest entertainers. Michael Jackson was tortured at the hands of the media during his life, but he certainly shouldn’t have to endure that in death too. What you have been doing is immoral and a step too far. I will no longer be buying your newspaper if you continue to treat Michael Jackson like this.
Regards"
This is what the reply said:
"Dear ?????????
Thank you for your email. The Editor has asked me to reply to you personally on her behalf.
We like to respond wherever we can to our readers’ comments - whether they are positive suggestions or criticisms - because the success of our newspaper is based on listening to you.
Although we get many more letters of appreciation and praise from our readers than complaints, you can be sure that important views such as yours are taken seriously.
We constantly strive to give satisfaction and value, and I can assure you that your viewpoint will be heard and discussed at the highest level. Where appropriate it will be directed to the Head of Department concerned for circulation among staff.
I hope you will feel that your letter and the views it contains has been read carefully and its contents acted upon.
Please feel free to write on any subject to myself, or to the Editor, since your opinions form a valuable part of the policy-making and continued success of The Sun.
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely"
As I said, I have never received a reply from them before so this feels like a real success.
Please email them as much as possible to get our side across. Our views CAN have an impact, so we shouldn't just ignore negative press, hoping it will go away.
So, when the sun printed the story about Michael Jackson's string of gay lovers, I sent them another email, but this time I received a personal email on the request of the Sun's editor.
This is the email I sent to them:
"Subject: Michael Jackson gay life claims
I am writing today about a story I have seen published on The Sun website regarding Michael Jackson’s ‘Gay life’.
The fact that Michael Jackson is gay or not is not an issue for me, and I’m sure it’s not an issue for most other modern people living in England today. At the end of the day, a person’s sexuality is not news. This is not the 1950s anymore and people can be whatever sexuality they want.
BUT I have a serious issue with this story and others printed in the sun recently. It is yet another story written about Michael Jackson that is filled with content that comes from a dubious source. Ian Halperin, contrary to claims in several media outlets was not “Michael Jackson’s biographer”. He is merely somebody who has written a book about Michael Jackson – a book full of sensationalised stories, rumours, and innuendo. He does not have the inside track on Michael Jackson’s life, and stories printed in the press using information that has come from him has been proven to be false on many occasions. For example, he was cited as the source of claims that Michael Jackson was blind in one eye and that he needed an urgent lung transplant. Both stories were printed shortly before ***** announced his ‘This Is It’ concerts in London – concerts that should have begun tonight.
I urge you to check your sources and use some professionalism and decency to moderate what you are printing. There have been some good stories printed in the Sun since Michael Jackson’s death, but there have also been some very bad ones.
The other day you printed that Michael Jackson’s waxwork was his 13th. That is true. BUT you then followed that with obvious inaccuracies that I can only put down to intentional misrepresentation. You also said he had the second most waxworks behind the queen, who had 20. That is false. He has joint most waxwork figures with the queen, who also has had 13. The facts were freely available on the Madame Taussauds website before the figure was launched, and in their press release, yet you managed to balls it up completely.
You claimed to have the autopsy results only days after Michael Jackson died. A claim that was almost immediately proven false by TMZ and the coroner’s office statement, yet you did not print a retraction to acknowledge your non-existent checking of the source.
Your newspaper has a terrible reputation, but I would have thought that even you would rather get genuine information on such an important event, rather than to further sully and malign the life and reputation of one of the world’s greatest entertainers. Michael Jackson was tortured at the hands of the media during his life, but he certainly shouldn’t have to endure that in death too. What you have been doing is immoral and a step too far. I will no longer be buying your newspaper if you continue to treat Michael Jackson like this.
Regards"
This is what the reply said:
"Dear ?????????
Thank you for your email. The Editor has asked me to reply to you personally on her behalf.
We like to respond wherever we can to our readers’ comments - whether they are positive suggestions or criticisms - because the success of our newspaper is based on listening to you.
Although we get many more letters of appreciation and praise from our readers than complaints, you can be sure that important views such as yours are taken seriously.
We constantly strive to give satisfaction and value, and I can assure you that your viewpoint will be heard and discussed at the highest level. Where appropriate it will be directed to the Head of Department concerned for circulation among staff.
I hope you will feel that your letter and the views it contains has been read carefully and its contents acted upon.
Please feel free to write on any subject to myself, or to the Editor, since your opinions form a valuable part of the policy-making and continued success of The Sun.
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely"
As I said, I have never received a reply from them before so this feels like a real success.
Please email them as much as possible to get our side across. Our views CAN have an impact, so we shouldn't just ignore negative press, hoping it will go away.
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