Classic British pretentiousness

I know what you're talking about. Back in the Bush years reading The Guardian was a welcome respite. But in recent years they've taken to ending every article with a donation request that name-checks whatever villains du jour they've got sticks up their asses about. And the tabloidish vibe you describe in the media is something I also find distasteful. Of course, the British have long thought of themselves as being the epicenter of civilization and that often results in everything they say carrying an air of superiority and condescension which they construe as speaking with authority.