# The Daily Mash

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British satirical website

The Daily Mash Type of site Satire URL thedailymash.co.uk Commercial Yes Launched 2007 Current status Active

***The Daily Mash*** is a British [satirical](/source/Satirical) [website](/source/Website) providing [parodic](/source/Parody) commentary on [current affairs](/source/Current_affairs_(news_format)) and other [news stories](/source/News_satire). Neil Rafferty (a former political correspondent for *[The Sunday Times](/source/The_Sunday_Times)*) and Paul Stokes (former business editor of *[The Scotsman](/source/The_Scotsman)*), created the website in 2007 and remain the lead writers. Both writers earn salaries from the enterprise and also employ freelance contributors. The publication has garnered praise for its [absurd](/source/Surreal_humour), [scatological](/source/Toilet_humour) humour and insightful political satire. The current editor is comedy writer and former [BBC](/source/BBC) journalist Tim Telling. The Daily Mash has often been compared to the US publication *[The Onion](/source/The_Onion)*.

## History

*The Daily Mash* was launched in April 2007 by [journalists](/source/Journalist) Paul Stokes and Neil Rafferty. Stokes is a former business editor of *The Scotsman* and has also written for *[Scotland on Sunday](/source/Scotland_on_Sunday)* and *[The Daily Record](/source/Daily_Record_(Scotland))*. Rafferty is a former political correspondent for *The Sunday Times*, has also written for the [Press Association](/source/Press_Association) and *Business AM*, and is a former spokesman for the smokers’ lobby group [FOREST](/source/FOREST).[1] The site was originally inspired by *The Onion,* a US satirical publication, as Stokes and Rafferty saw a gap in the market for a similar publication in [Britain](/source/United_Kingdom).[2][3] Both journalists worked mainly for Scottish newspapers.

Stokes and Rafferty earn salaries from the site, and lead a small team of [freelance](/source/Freelance) writers. The site earns revenue through [advertising](/source/Advertising) and [merchandise](/source/Merchandise), and is a successful profit-making enterprise. It presents a niche opportunity to advertisers because of its apparent target audience of procrastinating office workers ([Citi](/source/Citi) employees complained to *The Daily Mash* and independent publications after the company banned them from accessing the site[4]).[2]

Highlights of the publication's first year have been published in book form as *Halfwit Nation: Frontline Reporting from the War on Stupid,*[5] both to acclaim[6] and to complaints of unintelligent, overly crude humour.[7]

According to an online survey, the site's readership mainly consists of [university](/source/University) [graduates](/source/Graduation) who also read newspapers such as *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent),* *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* and *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. According to the same survey, 65 per cent of its readers have incomes of more than £30,000, with 22 per cent earning more than £70,000.[2]

In March 2019, Mashed Productions Limited, owners of the Daily Mash, was bought for £1.2 million by [Digitalbox plc](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digitalbox_plc&action=edit&redlink=1), a media company based in [Bath](/source/Bath%2C_Somerset).[8][9]

### *The Mash Report*

In July 2017, a TV show spin-off of The Daily Mash, titled *[The Mash Report](/source/The_Mash_Report)*, first aired on [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two).[10] Its first series comprised ten episodes, and it ran for four series until it was cancelled in 2021 amid a debate about political content in comedy.[11]

## Content

*The Daily Mash* produced parodic coverage of current affairs and other stories. Noted parody stories from *The Daily Mash's* have included [Jeremy Clarkson's disparaging remarks](/source/Jeremy_Clarkson#Offensive_remarks) about [Gordon Brown](/source/Gordon_Brown) (2009),[12] the advertising deals of [Team Great Britain's](/source/Great_Britain_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics) Olympic medal winners (2012),[13] the [nationalisation of Northern Rock](/source/Nationalisation_of_Northern_Rock) (2007),[14] Gordon Brown meeting the [Pope](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI) (2007)[15] and [bankers' bonuses](/source/Bankers'_bonuses).[16]

## Reception

*The Daily Mash* has been described as the U.K.'s leading satirical news website.[2][17] The site satirises with Guardianesque centre left humour, hence its significant student appeal. [*[qualify evidence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Qualify_evidence)*][2] The site's humour has been described as "cruel," "scatological," "absurd" and "irreverent."[2][18] It is considered a British alternative and upstart rival to the better known US publication *The Onion* and its coverage has been compared favourably and in some instances considered superior to that of the latter.[2][4][17][18][19] Despite its humour, the site is considered to be insightful on occasion.[2][4][18] Some critics have remarked that not all of the site's articles succeed as satire, and that its content lacks the linguistic invention of some other satirical works.[2][18][19]

## See also

- [List of satirical magazines](/source/List_of_satirical_magazines)

- [List of satirical news websites](/source/List_of_satirical_news_websites)

- [List of satirical television news programs](/source/List_of_satirical_television_news_programs)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-the_Free_Society_1-0)** Rafferty, Neil, [Forget the nanny state, welcome to the bully state](http://www.thefreesociety.org/Columnists/Neil-Rafferty/new-labour-and-the-bully-state), *The Free Society*, 6 February 2008. Accessed 19 March 2009. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090703075338/http://www.thefreesociety.org/Columnists/Neil-Rafferty/new-labour-and-the-bully-state) July 3, 2009, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-independent_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-independent_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-independent_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-independent_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-independent_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-independent_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-independent_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-independent_2-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-independent_2-8) Luckhurst, Tim, [The Daily Mash - satirical, scatological and already profitable](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-daily-mash--satirical-scatological-and-already-profitable-899541.html), *The Independent*, 17 August 2008. Accessed 6 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-allmedia_3-0)** [Give us, This Day, our Daily Mash](http://www.allmediascotland.com/site-news/13917/give-us-this-day-our-daily-mash/), *All Media Scotland*, 20 April 2007. Accessed 6 February 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-times_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-times_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-times_4-2) Waller, Martin, [The Daily Mash bash is, sadly, no laughing matter for Citi](https://web.archive.org/web/20110612161140/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article5562595.ece), *The Times*, 22 January 2009. Accessed 7 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-thelist_5-0)** [The Hot 100 2008](http://www.list.co.uk/article/14906-the-hot-100-2008/), *The List*, 11 December 2008 (updated 6 January 2009). Accessed 6 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Ivison, John, [Near death cures Tories](http://www.financialpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=1149020)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*], *Financial Post,* 7 January 2009. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hickson, Ella, [Why can't we have more good, old-fashioned fun this Christmas](http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Why-can39t-we-have-more.4785672.jp), *The Scotsman,* 13 December 2008. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Daily Mash publisher bought for £1.2m"](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47168859). *BBC News*. 2019-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-theguardian-20199298_9-0)** Waterson, Jim (8 February 2019). ["Satirical news website the Daily Mash sold for £1.2m"](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/feb/08/the-daily-mash-sold-to-digitalbox-satirical-news). *The Guardian*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230203132654/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/feb/08/the-daily-mash-sold-to-digitalbox-satirical-news) from the original on 3 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Bernhardt, Jack (18 July 2017). ["Politics has gone beyond satire – can the Mash Report catch up? - Jack Bernhardt"](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/18/politics-daily-mash-report-satirical). *the Guardian*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The Mash Report: BBC satirical comedy cancelled after four years"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56371683). *BBC News*. 12 March 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230315034929/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56371683) from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Massie, Alex, [Dubious Proposition Of The Day](https://web.archive.org/web/20110605080113/http://www.spectator.co.uk/alexmassie/3329761/dubious-proposition-of-the-day.thtml), *The Spectator,* 6 February 2009. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Waller, Martin, [British Airways out of the medals in PR race](http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article4636655.ece) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110612112837/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article4636655.ece) 2011-06-12 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *The Times,* 30 August 2008. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Goodley, Simon, [Business Diary: FSA fixer Sir Callum could be between Rock and a new place](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2816131/Business-Diary-FSA-fixer-Sir-Callum-could-be-between-Rock-and-a-new-place.html), *The Telegraph,* 21 September 2007. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Campbell, David, [Citywire's Best of the Web](http://www.citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/citywires-best-of-the-web/a330231), *Citywire,* 20 February 2009. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Marshall, Chris, [Citywire's Best of the Web](http://www.citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/citywires-best-of-the-web/a329223), *Citywire,* 11 February 2009. Accessed 25 February 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-howdo_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-howdo_17-1) [Mansized w00t!media feasts on The Daily Mash](http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-digital-media/mansized-w00t!media-feasts-on-the-daily-mash-200806102776/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090512171410/http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-digital-media/mansized-w00t!media-feasts-on-the-daily-mash-200806102776/) 2009-05-12 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *How Do*, 10 June 2008. Accessed 6 February 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-telegraph_18-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-telegraph_18-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-telegraph_18-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-telegraph_18-3) ['Bastard Americans ruin your life': Top 5 Daily Mash financial crisis satires](https://web.archive.org/web/20090923142435/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisishumour/5394237/Bastard_Americans_ruin_your_life_Top_5_Daily_Mash_financial_crisis_satires/), *The Daily Telegraph*, 7 October 2008. Accessed 6 February 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gwg_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gwg_19-1) [The Daily Mash](http://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk/index.php?rid=4897) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200814053107/https://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk/index.php?rid=4897) 2020-08-14 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *The Good Web Guide*. Accessed 6 February 2009.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Daily Mash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Mash) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Mash?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.