How Doctor Who Journalism Works

[daibhidc]

Example 1

1. A BBC spokesperson, asked about the now-traditional Doctor Who Children In Need scene says that "It's a pretty ambitious idea and it's still being finalised. Everything is being kept under wraps but Doctor Who fans are in for a big treat."

2. The Daily Steffigraf decides that this means all the surviving Doctors are to be reunited.

3. Other news services repeat what they read in the Steffigraf.

4. The BBC announces that they actually meant a preview of the Christmas special.


Example 2

1. David Tennant appears on Breakfast TV, and is asked about his successor. He replies that literally anyone could be the next Doctor, that's what's so wonderful about the part.

2. The presenter jokingly asks if Billie Piper could be the Doctor. Tennant jokingly replies that she's a bit busy with motherhood at the moment, but you never know.

3. Half the country's papers report this as fact, or at least as implying he knows more than he's letting on. (The other half seized on Tennant's earlier claim that "the campaign starts here for Wee Jimmy Krankie". But at least they recognised this was a joke.)