Leveson hears from old contact

I was interested to the read latest from the Leveson Inquiry, which touched on how an old contact Martin Salter was treated by the News of the World when he was my MP in Reading. My old paper the Reading Chronicle reported on his written evidence as part of Labour MP Tom Watson’s appearance at [...]

Daily Mail editor’s speech at media enquiry

The heavyweight appearances at the Leveson inquiry keep coming, with Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre giving a rare and fascinating personal insight this afternoon into the issues facing today’s media. His defence of self regulation and the Press Complaints Commission may have come too late, but there were some notable concessions in his speech too, including a promise to have a corrections column in [...]

Links I like 11.10.9

In praise of the Peak District – Living with rats Sheffield-based journalist Julian Dobson writes about one of England’s treasures, on the fringes of the Steel City. I got married in the Peak District when we lived in the north and will always have fond memories of the area. I enjoyed reading this piece over [...]

In defence of (some) blagging

Part of the emerging narrative about journalism appears to criticise all newspapers for recklessly (or ‘illegally’) blagging people’s personal details without justification for doing so. If this is accurate, the public would be right to believe that every journalist who ’blags’ information (or pays someone to do it for them) is as bad as the rest. This appears to be the mood amongst many on Twitter, as well [...]

Phone hacking is only part of the story

Anyone who’s worked in a newsroom will understand the uncomfortable situations journalists sometimes have to address when pursuing a story. A very good example of this – which I have experienced – is the ‘death knock’, where reporters are sent to interview a family who has just suffered a tragedy. Often, the best stories result [...]

Some feelings on phone hacking and journalism

I’ve followed the unfolding phone hacking saga with interest over the last couple of years, since The Guardian first broke the story, and with amazement as the crisis escalated to claim The News of the World, which has been culled today. It’s an amazing story, which everyone has commented on but no-one connected with it [...]

Links I like 11.03.04

Richard Peppiatt’s letter to Daily Star proprietor Richard Desmond – Media Guardian One of the best resignation letters ever, from a former Daily Star reporter driven to distraction by working on the paper. Most journalists can identify with some of the problems he complains to boss Richard Desmond about. But the main thrust of his letter - that he [...]

Links I like 11.01.30

George Eustice: The dilemma for Coulson’s heir – PR Week David Cameron’s former press secretary and Camborne and Redruth MP George Eustice gives his take on the Government’s communications challenge in the wake of Andy Coulson’s resignation. He makes the point (which I agree with) that there is a difference between managing the press and obsessing over [...]

‘Andy Gray-gate’ highlights slack media practice

Andy Gray’s sacking today after another of his puerile outbursts (this time to colleague Charlotte Jackson last month, above) has taught him a harsh lesson. Someone of his experience should know that ‘private’ (as in off air) comments are still fair game if someone within earshot finds them offensive enough to share with the media. In fact, if you utter them in a room [...]

Links I like 11.01.23

‘Rupert Murdoch’s arrogant empire must be reined  in’ – The Observer One of a number of pieces about the News of the World phone hacking scandal in The Guardian’s sister paper today. Campaigning journalist Henry Porter draws our attention to the ‘bigger picture’, reminding us that this story is about much more than one high profile individual. It [...]