Your Guide to James Bond News Source Credibility

31 August 2023 07:49

“The key to a great story is not who or what or when… but why,” remarks Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies. While Carver may be right, he chooses to disregard every ethical pillar of journalism all for the sake of a great story. This is the reality of today’s media landscape and it’s no wonder Carver was portrayed as a caricature of the likes of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell.

The yellow journalism of the early 20th century has since devolved into the clickbait news of today. News that tries to grab the reader’s attention by any means necessary while offering nothing of value. At best it promotes careless journalism and at worst it spreads disinformation. The issue today is that there is so much information from so many sources that it’s getting harder to tell the good from the bad, as Leiter would say.

That’s why we at JBFN thought it would be useful to prepare this guide to give you an idea of the relative credibility of popular publications. It’s by no means definitive but hopefully it can be used as a measuring stick to help set your expectations next time you read a breaking news headline for Bond 26.

Tier 1 – Nobody Does It Better

Variety

Trade paper Variety has consistently been one of the most trusted sources of entertainment business news in Hollywood. Like SPECTRE they have people everywhere which makes them capable of landing big scoops that hold true. Take the recent examples from the media coverage of No Time To Die where Variety was the first to report on Hans Zimmer’s hiring as well as confirming Léa Seydoux’s return.

Deadline Hollywood

Deadline Hollywood, or simply Deadline, is a sister publication of Variety. Deadline’s authority in the industry has only strengthened in recent years. Particularly through the strategic hiring of Variety veteran Justin Kroll and renowned columnist Baz Bamigboye. The latter is perhaps the most well-known Bond journalist with a close connection to the producers. As early as November 2017, Deadline had the exclusive on the joint venture between MGM and Annapurna.

The Hollywood Reporter (THR)

Speaking of joint ventures THR now falls under the same banner as both Variety and Deadline via a deal between their parent companies in 2020. THR is seen as the trade publication in Hollywood. This established reputation means it can be trusted when it comes to James Bond scoops even if it isn’t their specialty. That is to say that THR is less about exclusives than it is about storytelling so don’t expect regular scoops.

The Guardian / The Observer

The Guardian and its Sunday paper The Observer might not be focused on entertainment news but their credibility has stood the test of time. The publication frequently wins the title for the most trusted paper in the UK and thankfully it loves to write about James Bond. The Observer was notably the first to announce that Phoebe Waller-Bridge would help pen the script for No Time To Die.

Tier 2 – Golden Ally

Entertainment Weekly (EW)

EW recently ceased its print publication but its digital counterpart still remains highly popular. It’s flashier than some other outlets yet is held to a high standard. When it comes to James Bond news EW is known for its long-form cover stories and exclusive on-set photography. So expect to see a lot from EW in the lead up to Bond 26.

IndieWire

At first glance IndieWire may seem like any other aggregator of film news but it’s under the same leadership as Variety and Deadline (and now also affiliated with THR). As a result you occasionally see the names of reputable journalists writing for IndieWire. The reason it's not in tier 1 is because it rarely has exclusives. Instead it may republish stories from the other publications but with additional updates at the very least.

NME

NME is a British magazine that has made its name covering pop culture and specifically the music industry. It has connections with artists in the UK giving it a unique angle and advantage over US trades. NME was notably the first to announce Johnny Marr’s involvement on No Time To Die’s score with him speaking to the magazine directly. For more generic Bond film news a pinch of salt might be advised.

Film magazines

Think of British print publications such as Empire, Total Film, SFX, etc. These glossy magazines always offer exciting insights in the run up to each James Bond film without compromising their editorial credibility. Empire is widely seen as the best of the bunch since its coverage is immense and it even landed Sam Mendes as guest editor for its SPECTRE edition when the film released.

Foreign local newspapers

It’s impossible to write a guide like this without mentioning local papers. Every James Bond film visits several countries and this triggers local media buzz. Whether it’s location scouting or the actual shoot we normally hear it first from these papers before it gets picked up by the Hollywood trades. This actually makes these local newspapers somewhat valuable albeit temporarily. Remember though that the pictures in this case will tell the real story more than the writing.

Tier 3 – Live And Let Lie

The Daily Mail

This tabloid is infamous across the globe for its attempt at ‘journalism’ and this reputation extends to its James Bond news coverage as well. This is particularly true ever since Baz Bamigboye left in March 2022. The Mail has a long history of incorrect statements from anonymous sources and memorably mistook producer Barbara Broccoli as an assistant to Daniel Craig while shooting in Matera, Italy. Safe to say that the Daily Mail is not a credible source.

The Sun / The Times

Media magnate Rupert Murdoch owns both of these tabloids and neither have a decent track record. The Sun’s goal is to provoke emotional reactions with sensationalist stories they’ve invented. Many Bond fans will remember the Sun’s hit piece on Cary Joji Fukunaga. Using rhetoric such as “doomed” and “mutiny” the director is said to have skipped filming to spend time on his PlayStation. Fukunaga had to take to Instagram to shut down these lies.

New York Post / Page Six

After buying the New York Post in the 1970s, Murdoch demanded a gossip column which was turned into Page Six. Anyone who’s spent more than a few minutes scrolling either website can see the yellow journalism template that they’re running on. The imagery and headlines are engineered to make you click on articles. Their James Bond section is mined from other websites and the columnists don’t add anything of note.

The Daily Mirror / Express / Star

These three tabloids fall under the same ownership which is the reason you may find the same article recycled to get 3x the clicks. The Mirror is known for starting rumours without any fact-checking. For instance, the tabloid once lied about speaking to author Raymond Benson about his novel serving as inspiration for No Time To Die. After an investigation by MI6-HQ, Benson publicly denied ever talking to them but not all of the article’s inaccuracies were corrected.

Common red flags to look out for:

🚩 Previous bad track record and reputation

🚩 Sensationalist headlines

🚩 Clickbait thumbnails

🚩 Carefully framing a story around many "sources" or an “anonymous source”

🚩 No corrections or editor notes after a mistake has been made.

General tips to consider:

✅ Take into account the track record of the publication and the journalist

✅ Check if the original source that they reference is a trade publication or a tabloid

✅ Verify a news story using other sources that you already trust

Now that you have a better idea of the James Bond media landscape hopefully you’ll find it easier to discern fact from fiction. The key takeaway points are that no publication is 100% reliable but some have proven their credibility much more than others. Also it’s always a positive sign if news is being picked up by other authoritative outlets even if they didn’t break the original story. Just bear these things in mind and enjoy the media journey to Bond 26!