The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Daily Telegraph keeps its side of A-level bargain

Envelope? Check. Blonde student? Check.

By Jon Bernstein Published 19 August 2010 10:31

Daily Telegraph, 19 August 2010

Earlier this week the Lib Dem blogger Mark Pack offered £50 to charity to the first person who could find a mainstream media story that covered today's A-level results featuring "photogenic boys, not girls". Mark must have known his money was pretty safe: the Media Blog certainly did.

If you can guarantee anything in medialand, it is that the Daily Telegraph, for one, will not let a slow Thursday in mid/late August go by without featuring a photogenic (and blonde) female student opening her results envelope.

Don't believe me? See the 2009 version to compare and contrast.

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13 comments

Thu, 2010-08-19 18:20 — Bill (not verified)

http://sexyalevels.tumblr.com/ has this covered!

Thu, 2010-08-19 23:25 — Mark Pack (not verified)

I'm having to pay up, though it did take the inventive spotting of a male hand!

Full credit to The Guardian though for later in the day using a photo of men, and tongue-in-cheek blogging about how this was making media history.

Wed, 2010-09-15 03:26 — Lily Goh Lee (not verified)

me so horney me lov you long time.
I am Lily Lee Goh Lee in Melbourne stay in box hill locality.
Anyone interested in having fun my cheeries not yet popped hehe
call me 0401964600
or email me demelbjourney@hotmail.com
by the way i dont charge i want fun

Thu, 2010-08-19 11:07 — David Wearing1

Telegraph schmelegraph. The Graun's got three of them
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/19/a-level-results-2010

Thu, 2010-08-19 11:22 — swatantra

The Independent is pretty level headed about these things and gives a pretty good analysis.

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:03 — Dave C (not verified)

Swatantra,

The Indy illustrates its article with a young woman.

It does have more of a reason though: "Alison Liu, 17, from Southampton, who got five A* A-levels in chemistry, biology, maths, economics and general studies..."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/1-in-12-aleve...

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:13 — 785ucjyqwkjj

BBC goes for 5

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11012369

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:16 — Dan Ashley (not verified)

Thye Guardian's are the same as the Beeb's! Is there a shortage?

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:19 — thinkov

Hate to fit into the stereotype

my step daughter just phoned me she's got 1 A* 2 A's and a B

she's not blonde though so they've only interviewed her on the radio!

I'm well proud of her

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:38 — David Wearing1

Graun have changed their's now. Apparently some boys also have a-levels

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:40 — Neil (not verified)

Mail goes for five fruity fillies too:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1304345/A-level-results-Universi...

Did any boys or non-white non-middle class girls take A-Levels this year?

Thu, 2010-08-19 12:50 — Dave C (not verified)

The BBC and the Daily Mail show the same five well-dressed girls.

Perhaps all the media are dependent on PA and the like for their photos.

Thu, 2010-08-19 13:24 — Clem the Gem

So the real story, about access to Higher education, goes for a burton, while we all smile indulgently at photos of 18 year old girls. Brilliant, bread and circuses all round!