How graphology has been treated by the media

1
How graphology has been treated by the media

• By Nigel Bradley

2
Agenda

1. Aim
2. Television
3. Radio
4. Magazines
5. Newspapers
6. Overview

3
Aim of this Presentation

• To document appearances of graphology in the
  Mass Media
• To identify common themes or trends in the use of
  graphology in the media
• To provide ideas that may help graphologists to
  work with media owners

4
Method

• Inspection of media items in
• Graphology Bulletin
• Television, Radio print were examined
• Coverage is from 1997 to 2006 and restricted to
  the UK

5
Scope

• Selected items are indicative, but not
  comprehensive
• Related subject areas were excluded
• (e.g. criminal cases with handwriting, paid
  adverts by graphologists etc.)
• Exhibitions, webcasts, web sites etc. are not
  included.

6
To assess, note if

• Local or national?
• Front page or inside ? (odd page impact)
• An important month? (August less news)
• Popular channel/programme / title?
• Prime time transmission?
• Big news or filler?

7
Television 1997

• Margaret White analysed party leaders on Sky TV
  News for 3 minutes (15 April)
• This Morning (Yorks TV 2 June) analysed
  celebrities' specimens.

8
Television 1998
Television 1999

• Elaine Quigley appeared on BBC1 Breakfast Morning
  News (19 Feb)
• Duncan McIntosh (Granada Satellite June).

Adrien Stringer was on the Livetime
Programme (Granada Satellite 13 August).
9
Television 2000
Television 2001

• Diana Simpson was played by an actress in a TV
  drama on the Yorkshire Ripper (ITV 2 Feb 21.00)
• Olivia Graham was interviewed (Newsnight BBC2 TV
  5 April).

Anna Koren and Reed Hayes analysed writings for a
Jack the Ripper Documentary (7 Feb Channel 5).
10
Television 2002

• Graphology was featured daily for 7 weeks in a
  programme that compared graphology with other
  disciplines with Diane Simpson (ITV Sept 1-2pm
  Mon to Frid)
• Emma Bache on Big Brother's Little Brother
  (Channel 4 July)
• Elaine Quigley on Celebrity Big Brother (Channel
  4, Nov 28), the Watchdog Consumer programme (BBC1
  Oct 1 and 23) and on Crime Team (Channel 4 Oct)

11
Television 2003

• John Beck appeared on Big Brother (Channel 4
  July)
• Elaine Quigley was on CBBC (July 30) and also on
  a programme solving a murder of the past.
  (Channel 4 14 Sept - 18.30)
• Emma Bache was on Bill Oddie's History Hunt
  (BBC1), the Terry and Gaby Show (Channel 5 - July
  2003) and 'Textecution' (Channel 4 'Rise'
  Breakfast Television)

12
Television 2004

• Emma Bache was on Strictly Come Dancing (BBC3,
  May) and also in The Interrogators
  professionals test their skills against members
  of the public. (BBC3 and BBC2 May)
• Big Brother 5 on Channel 4 had handwriting
  analyses of contestants by Allan Conway with a
  classic selling point for graphology
• "I'm much cheaper than a divorce". (11 June)

13
Television 2006

• ITV News had the Brown story. Allan Conway did a
  TV analysis of the main politicians. It came over
  well. (Nov 11pm)
• Bill Nighey, Sophie Dahl and others had their
  doodles analysed by Emma Bache on National
  Doodle Day to help raise awareness for the
  Epilepsy Foundation. (This Morning, ITV March)

14
Big Brother

• Over 20 countries have a version of Big Brother,
  a TV programme from Endemol Entertainment BV,
  that features 'real people' rather than actors.
  
• Graphologists have been asked to help in the
  selection process and also to provide
  entertainment by analysis on TV, in magazines, on
  the radio or on the Internet.
• Here are some graphologists who have helped
  Mirka Cesari (Italy), Elaine Quigley, John Beck,
  Emma Bache, Allan Conway (United Kingdom) and
  Yossi Vissoker (South Africa).

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2. Television
Game shows
News /documentary Programmes
Reality TV
16
Radio 1997
Radio 1998

• Radio Leicester featured Duncan McIntosh (Feb)
• BBC Local Radio featured John Beck (26 Feb
  11.20pm)

BBC World Service/Radio 4 (John Beck, Eric Rees)
Century 106 Nottingham (McIntosh).
17
Radio 2000
Radio 2001
Elaine Quigley on BBC Radio 5 Live (22 Nov 8.50)

• Jean Elliot analysed a picture graphologically
  (BBC Radio Sheffield 28 Feb).
• BBC Radio 4 (24 August 16.55) discussed a
  graphology on-line website

18
Radio 2003
Radio 2002
Alex Tulloch on Radio Kent (March) Jean Elliot on
Radio Sheffield (16 Sept)

• Barbara Harding on Womans Hour BBC R4
• Diane Simpson on BBC Radio Leeds (3 Feb 10am)
• E. Quigley on Penny Smith (LBC 10 June 15.45)
• Emma Bache on Libby Purves. (BBC Radio 4
  'Midweek Apr), BBC LDN - Vanessa Feltz Show (Sat
  27th Dec)

19
Radio 2004

• BBC Radio 4 had Erik Rees on Questions, Questions
  (6 May 3pm) and Ruth Rostron on 'Tales From the
  Stave', which examined manuscripts by Beethoven
  (11 May), and Handel (18 May).
• Eric Smith analysed Britney Spears (The Sun 9 Nov
  pg.21).This led DJ Johnny Vaughan to say that his
  mother is a graphologist on Capital Radio.

20
Radio 2006

• Margaret White was on the 'Charlie Crocker Show'
  for 15 minutes -Monday 18th September at 8.15p.m.
   Radio Kent/South East.
• Emma Bache analysed handwriting of David
  Hasselhoff and The Sugar Babes. (Jo Parkerson
  Show, LBC Radio November)
• Sarah Mooney gave her reaction to politician
  analyses (PM BBC Radio 4 28 Nov)

21
Radio
Interviews
Others
Listeners analysed
22
4. Magazines

• Magazines fall into many categories
• For Women
• Trade Press
• Educational
• Special interest
• Company

23
Magazines 1997

• People Management had a supportive article
  mentioning Elaine Quigley, Erik Rees and Lawrence
  Warner, to 87,000 subscribers. (15 May pp.34-38)
• Article by Bernadette Keefe appeared in American
  in Britain Magazine (May p.29)
• Frits Cohen was in Print Week (5 Sept p.30)

24
Magazines 1998

• Diane Simpson started a weekly column in
  Marketing (26 March pg.22) to analyse well-known
  people in advertising, feedback on accuracy is
  given. Still running.
• James Burke described graphology as "accurate" in
  Scientific American (June)

25
Magazines 1999
Magazines 2001

• Office Angels recruitment consultants featured
  graphology and Elaine Quigley in their News
  Bulletin (Feb).

Lorraine Herbert, Erik Rees and others (Personnel
Today 4 Dec pp.20-21)
26
Magazines 2002

• A positive article by Raj Persaud in New
  Scientist (9 March pp.40-42).
• Diane Simpson analysed scripts of Coronation
  Street actors in Woman's Own (2 Sept pp.14-15)
• Elaine Quigley appeared in the new magazine
  'Spirit Destiny' (Oct)

27
Magazines 2002

• Peter Marshall (b.3/2/1912) wrote a monthly
  column in Prediction from 1976 -2002. He took
  over from Joan Cambridge. In 2002 the magazine
  carried news of his death.

28
Magazines 2003
Magazines 2006

• Diane Simpson started another regular column in
  Legal week and an occasional one in UNISON
  magazine.

Emma Bache analysed handwritten Christmas
greetings in a 3 page article 'Christmas Cards
say you're Crackers!' (The Field November)
29
Magazine coverage
Celebrity analysis
Others
Reader analyses
30
Newspapers

• Newspapers fall into many categories
• Daily
• Weekly
• Local
• National
• International

31
Newspapers 1997

• Boulevard Magazine (Sunday Express 23 Feb
  pp.18-21) had 21 celebrity signatures analysed by
  Mary Nicholson and Corinne Corre.
• Margaret White was featured in an article on
  assessing job candidates (Financial Mail on
  Sunday 30 March pg.39).
• Tony Blair's writing was examined on 3 April by
  Diane Simpson (Guardian) and Andrea Lyttleton
  (Daily Telegraph front page)
• The Independent on Sunday Review (25 May pg.45)
  discussed graphology in medical diagnosis.

32
Newspapers 1997

• Allan Conway has been featured in local
  publications (Limited Edition May pg.11 and Times
  Group August).
• Pg.2 of the Daily Telegraph's Connected (1 July)
  reported the Handwriting Analyzer software
  designed by RI Software.
• The Sun 7 July p7 asked whether Camilla
  Parker-Bowles would make a good Queen. Erik Rees
  and Margaret White agreed that she would!
• Erik Rees was in the Evening Standard, 7 Oct.

33
Newspapers 1998

• Valentine Day analyses were made for Express
  Newspapers by Bernadette O'Keefe (13 Feb) and
  Pamela Brown (14 Feb).
• Gillette Stationery Product Group mentioned
  graphology in a recruitment advert.
• (Telegraph Appointments 19 Feb p.20)
• Frits Cohen appeared in Brainpower supplement
• (The Sunday Times 15 Feb p.20).
• Lawrence Warner and Jacqui Tew were featured in
  an article (Daily Telegraph 9 April p.A7).

34
Newspapers 1998

• The Derbyshire Times (16 April p21) Dr. Peter
  Scott, a Direct Analysis Society Diploma-holder
  analysed four local residents.
• The Express (21 May p68) featured Pamela Brown
  and Frits Cohen.
• Long-term critic Adrian Furnham said graphology
  tests are nonsense but that body language is
  invaluable. (Telegraph 18 June p.A6).
• Eric Rees in The Daily Express (13 August).

35
Newspapers 1999

• Erik Rees analysed a letter sent by the Bramley
  Family who disappeared on Sept 98 with two
  children they had fostered.
  
  (Express 14 Jan)
• The Times (23 Jan) ran an analysis by Lawrence
  Warner.
• The UK Times section inter//face described Bart
  Baggett's web pages (27 Jan p2).

36
Newspapers 1999

• Documents released by the Public Records Office
  show that the British Intelligence Service (MI5)
  used graphology as early as 1940 in their work.
• The records have a graphological analysis of
  Vera Erikson, a German spy caught in wartime
  Britain on 30 Sept 1940. (Telegraph Daily Mail
  27 January)

37
Newspapers 1999

• Ruth Myers analysed the writing of "mass killer"
  Rose West. (The Sun 15 Feb pp1-5)
• Employment Agency H W Group say graphology is
  used by 6 of large and medium-sized companies.
  (Telegraph Appointments 29 April Pg. A1).
• Graphology was featured in the UK News of the
  World (6/6/99 pg.29) in relationship
  compatibility.

38
Newspapers 1999

• Bridget Hickey was interviewed
• (Edinburgh Evening News 19 Sept and 19 Nov)
• Ruth Myers wrote on Jeffrey Archer's handwriting
  (Daily Express p5 Daily Mirror/Record p3 Nov 26)
  
• Bernadette Keefe was mentioned
• (Independent 15 August pg.11 and 22 Dec pg.12)
• The Express featured graphology (UK 27 Dec pg.50)

39
Newspapers 2000

• Margaret Webb and Pat Leeson analysed the serial
  killer Shipman (Daily Mail 1 Feb p13 and Express
  1 Feb p10)
• Elaine Quigley spoke of handwriting variations
• (Telegraph 5 April pg.21).
• Three British Graphologists were mentioned in an
  article
• (FT Magazine 8 April pp.32-35).
• Sue Pritchard and Elaine Quigley were mentioned
  in the Independent (25 June p8 and 6 August p 7
  respectively).
• Graphology was used to confirm that Douglas
  Fairbanks Jnr. was involved in a 1956 sex scandal
  (Telegraph 10 August).

40
Newspapers 2000

• The London College of Graphology recruitment
  Campaign appeared in The Times, The Daily
  Telegraph, The Sunday Times, the Mail and the
  Evening Standard in September.
• Elaine Quigley Erik Rees
• (Sunday Mail Financial Section 29 Oct p51)
• Allan Conway's forthcoming book
• (Telegraph 25 Oct p28).
• Erik Rees Frits Cohen were featured in weekend
  newspapers relating to a document 'leaked' from
  Downing Street. (Sunday Times 26 Nov p1).

41
Newspapers 2001

• Lord Hollick and Carol Galley's writings were
  analysed (Sun Times Business 21 Jan p16).
• Diana Simpson wrote a Valentine's special (Daily
  Mirror 14 Feb pp.2-3)
• Then we had September 11

42
2001

• Eric Rees describes
• Osama Bin Laden in the Times
• 25 Sept
• Front page

43
2001

• Murray, Mullan Herbert describe
• Osama Bin Laden in the Telegraph
• 25 Sept
• Front Page

44
Newspapers 2002

• On Sixsmith "This is a sensitive person with
  immaculate integrity. I would trust him with my
  last cent. He is a quick thinking man but never
  hasty. He is absolutely balanced,
  well-controlled, with strong self-discipline. To
  a large extent he is a private person who
  considers what he does carefully before he does
  it."
• On Byers "This is a very arrogant and conceited
  person. There is that huge capital 'S' of
  Stephen. The 't' is dwarfed by this huge,
  swan-like 'S'. If you take that away, what do you
  have left? (Eric Rees in The Mirror 26 Feb)

45
Newspapers 2002

• In August 2002 two ten-year old girls were
  murdered in Cambridgeshire. Suspects analysed for
  the News of the World by Lorraine Herbert (13
  Oct) Daniel Goodman (20 Oct)
• Analyses of Princess Diana and butler made by
  Emma Bache (Sun 12 Nov pg 6)
• The front page of the Times carried a
  graphological analysis by Erik Rees of the new
  Archbishop of Canterbury (3 Dec)

46
Newspapers 2002

• A FRIEND of Diana hit back at Prince Philip
  yesterday by insisting she had seen his letters
  calling the Princess a "harlot" and "trollop".
• "I clearly remember the day I saw them. We were
  looking at a book on graphology, and she took out
  letters so we could analyse the handwriting.
  Mirror 25 Nov 2002)

47
Newspapers 2003

• Simpson, Rees, Conway and Quigley in the Guardian
  (3 Feb)
• NACF used Elaine Quigley to inspect Mary Queen of
  Scots. (The Times 13 April)
• Graphologist Jennifer Crosse, 41, was asked to be
  chief bridesmaid at a wedding. Crosse had chosen
  the husband's handwriting from replies to a
  "Lonely Hearts" advertisement. (Sun 23 April)

48
Newspapers 2003

• The Times appointed a resident graphologist -
  Emma Bache began her Saturday column in the Times
  in February 2003 and it ran weekly.
• The UK Psychologist Magazine carried letters of
  protest (May and July).
• The Times continued to carry other graphology
  articles e.g. Mary Queen of Scots (13 Oct) and
  Princess Diana (22 Oct)

49
Newspapers 2004

• Denise Young wrote portraits of celebrities
  doodles for National Doodle Day. (The Sun, 19
  March p56)
• An article on Margaret Thatcher included a
  graphological analysis by Elaine Quigley (Times 3
  May p10).
• Elaine Quigley commented on a survey by Joslin
  Rowe Recruitment Agency. It indicated that
  graphology is becoming interesting to recruiters
  in accountancy, management consultancy and legal
  companies.
• (Evening Standard 8 June page 61).

50
Newspapers 2005

• February Emma Bache (Times), Elaine Quigley
  (Daily Mirror) and Helen Taylor (Independent)
  interpreted notes attributed to Tony Blair.
• They were in fact doodles made by Bill Gates
• Elaine Quigley described Gordon Brown (Daily
  Telegraph 19 August 2005).
• .

51
Newspapers 2006

• Elaine Quigley made an analysis of the Moors
  Murderer Ian Brady (Sun 21 February)
• The Shadow Chancellor Osborne taunted Gordon
  Brown in the Commons with a graphological
  analysis (The Sun and others 28 Nov)
• Sir Paul McCartneys estranged wife Heather is a
  liar who lives in an unreal world of her own, a
  handwriting expert claimed last night. (The Sun
  1 Dec 2006)

52
Newspaper coverage
News articles
Others
Letters Pages
53
Key Media Graphologists

• For each medium and for each year a graphologist
  was identified and underlined
• This is a view of the impact I feel the person
  had based on my knowledge of the item.
• This identifies people who have experience and
  may feel able to offer practical tips on handling
  the media. So who are they?

54
Television
Radio

• Allan Conway (2)
• Olivia Graham
• Anna Koren
• Elaine Quigley (3)
• Adrien Stringer
• Margaret White

John Beck (2) Jean Elliot Sarah Mooney Elaine
Quigley (2) Ruth Rostron Alex Tulloch
55
Magazine
Newspaper

• Emma Bache
• Lorraine Herbert
• Peter Marshall
• Elaine Quigley
• Eric Rees
• Diane Simpson (3)

Emma Bache Frits Cohen Mary Nicholson Elaine
Quigley (3) Eric Rees (4) Diane Simpson Margaret
White
56
Key Media Graphologists

1. Elaine Quigley (9)
2. Eric Rees (5)
3. Diane Simpson (4)
4. Emma Bache (2)
5. John Beck (2)
6. Allan Conway (2)

57
Overview

• Graphology has had less coverage and less impact
  than we might think
• When used in entertainment (games shows, reality
  TV, listeners portraits) it is not portrayed
  negatively
• Whether the coverage is negative or positive, it
  is often buried in other stories and therefore
  lost after a few days

58
Questions to Discuss later

1. Were you selected via Yellow Pages?
2. Why were you selected?
3. Why did you agree to do the work?
4. Why did you refuse some assignments?
5. What role does money play?

59
Graphology the Media

• By Nigel Bradley Email bradlen_at_wmin.ac.uk
• Harrow Business School,
• University of Westminster
• A paper presented to the conference "Graphology 
  - Building a Positive Media Image" 3 March 2007
• The Novartis Foundation, 41 Portland Place
  London W1B 1BN