Axegrinder

Headline of the month winners from the February edition of Press Gazette

Duncan — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:05:13 +0000

Is it me or did the headline writers come back to their desks with a spring in their step this year?

There was certainly no shortage of contenders for Axegrinder’s monthly bottle of whisky – supplied courtesy of Jura single malt.

Here’s the shortlisted finalists:

STORY: Britain slides towards disaster as local authorities run out of grit.

HEADLINE (The Sun)

NO GRIT SHERLOCK

STORY: Pulp fiction star Uma Thurman has landed the role of snake-haired Medusa in a new movie.

HEADLINE: (The Daily Mirror)
UMA’S ADDER NEW SCARE-DO

STORY: Tight-rope walkers in South Korea have walked across the river Han as apart of an annual festival.

HEADLINE: (The Washington Post)
SKYWALKERS IN KOREA CROSS HAN SOLO

STORY: John Scampion re-appointed to the Pensions Regulator

HEADLINE: (Pensions Week)

Scampion chips in at Pensions Regulator.

STORY: The BBC may stop using the weather forecasting services of the Met Office

HEADLINE: (The Sunday Times)

BBC forecast for the Met Office changeable

But as ever there can only be one winner, and the Jura whisky this month goes to the subs’ desk on The Sun for a cryptic headline which sums up the story perfectly, if you think about it!

STORY: Rap star P. DIDDY has blown £220,000 on a luxury car for his teenage son - who does not even have his driving licence.

HEADLINE:

New car Diddy kiddy dumb daddy dough

A bottle of Jura has found its way to Wapping and to spotter John Philips

PR gaffe of the day: A thousand reasons not to interview James Max

Duncan — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:09:02 +0000

A celebrity PR caused a stir this afternoon after hitting CC rather than blind CC on an email offering the opportunity to interview Apprentice semi-finalist (aka loser) James Max.

According to Hawar Shawki from PHA Media, Max is apparently very versatile and able to “comment on a gadget, technology, style & grooming, fashion or travel related issue/story. He is also an expert on business, finance and property and comments regularly on these subjects in national newspapers and magazines”.

Given Max’s wide interests the circulation list was somewhat indiscriminate with someone from just about every TV, newspaper and magazine you can think of included on a seemingly endless list of email recipients - ranging from Hannah Fernando at Heat magazine to Celia Walden at the Daily Telegraph.

Fernando was one of those who clicked “reply to all” sending the message “Do we all need to be cc’d in?” perhaps trying to generate some email debate of the kind that always ends in frustrated tears and full in-boxes.

Graham Lorimer at Shout magazine let Shawki was surprisingly generous in his reply: “Unfortunately, this isn’t something I could use in Shout but if you’ve got anything else our readership of teenage girls would be interested in — particularly competitions related — I’d be delighted to here from you.”

John Marrs at Burda Magazines was also delighted, replying cheerfully to everyone: “Well my contacts book is now bulging, so thanks.”

For commissioning editor Megan Welford from Woman some Blitz spirit was setting in amid the email deluge. She tapped: “I’m quite enjoying it! Shall we form a facebook group? Go for a drink?”

I’ll let the final word go to Susan Swarbrick, from The Herald, who suggests that this could all be part of a PR master plan.

“James Max: currently the most emailed about topic in British journalism. Does he have a Twitter page?”

New Scientist subs’ Headline of the Month triumph

Duncan — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:55:14 +0000

As headline writers’ thoughts turned towards Christmas many of the nominations for the December Headline of the Month competition had a festive theme. Here are Axegrinder’s finalists:

STORY:

School pupils gave their nativity play a modern twist by adopting the role of radio DJs providing up-to-the minute coverage of developments in Bethlehem.

HEADLINE: (The Hartepool Mail)

MARY AND JOSEPH ‘INN DA HOUSE’

STORY:

Tiger Woods was found unconscious after hitting a fire hydrant in his car and apparently being involved in a fracas with his wife.

HEADLINE (The Times)

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN HYDRANT

STORY:

A nativity scene made entirely out of vegetables by farm workers in Tulleys Farm West Sussex has been labelled offensive to Christians.

HEADLINE (Metro)
THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

But there could be only one winner…

STORY:

A new anklet device used in America can alert the authorities if alcohol-related offenders have breached bail conditions banning them from drinking.

HEADLINE (In the New Scientist)
THE ELECTRONIC FINK THAT WILL SQUEAL IF YOU DRINK

Thanks to Rory Crew, a student journalist at No Sweat journalism training in London, for nominating the winning headline. A bottle of Jura single malt whisky is on its way to him and to the subs desk at the New Scientist.

The deadline for nominations for Headline of the Month nominations to appear in the February edition is Friday 22 January. Please email them to pged@Pressgazette.co.uk

Rat joins nightshift at the Press Association

Duncan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:25:39 +0000

Word reaches me of strange nocturnal goings on at the Press Association’s Victoria office, where a family of rats is believed to have moved in.

My mole [shouldn't that be rat, ed] tells me the following:

“Thought you might be interested in the new arrivals at the Press Association’s Victoria office - a family of rats.
“The night editor - a no-nonsense Northerner, known for his cool head and quick temper - didn’t believe the poor reporters when he was first told and refused to think it could be anything other than a little mouse. “That was until Daddy Rat sauntered up to the desk to check him out. The poor night ed leapt on to the desk quicker than Daddy Rat up a drain pipe. Luckily picture desk were on hand to scare the beast away and even tried to catch the rodent with a straw hat. However he remains at large and the night editor has taken to keeping an umbrella at his side in case Daddy Rat attacks again.”

Official sources at PA were unable to confirm this version of events. But they did say there had been a rat sighting and said that a final solution to the problem was being formulated by the facilities department.

Headline of the month victory for Wembley and Kingsbury Times

Duncan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:26:53 +0000

This month’s headline of the month postbag included an eclectic bunch of offerings. Here are Axegrinder’s favourites:

The Times

Story: Andrew Billen’s review of a warts-and-all BBC biopic of the Enid Blyton starring Helena Bonham-Carter.

Headline: BLIGHT ON ENID

Venue (Bristol what’s on guide)
Story: Kate Macleod tries out the latest health craze to his Bristol – Bikram Yoga.

Headline: BEND IT LIKE BIKRAM

The Times

Story: Matt Rudd tries out an iPhone app that tells you the value of a house by pointing your phone at it.

Headlines: PRICE ON APPLICATION

But this month’s winner is from the Archant-owned Wembley and Kingsbury Times.

Story: A shop owner in Kingsbury has been fined for selling fake Durex condoms.

Headline: JOHNNY ROTTEN.

Thanks to sub editor and reporter Lorraine King for nominating this one and for sports editor Ben Pearce for coming up with the headline.

A bottle of Jura Single malt whisky is its way to you both: Happy Christmas!

The deadline for entries for the January edition is fast approaching, we need them in please by next Wednesday.

Email nominations to pged@pressgazette.co.uk.

The Nation in Bangkok gets its Robsons mixed up

Duncan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:01:31 +0000

Strange goings on at The Nation newspaper in Bangkok which is carrying a picture caption from new Thailand national manager ‘Byran Robson’ alongside a picture of the late great England manager Bobby Robson.

Do they perhaps mean new Thailand national team manager Bryan Robson?

My work experience at the Evening Standard: Tantrums, sick jokes and paranoid conspiracies

Duncan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:38:56 +0000

Harlow College journalism student Alex Plough decided to tell-it-as-it-is on his blog while still on a work experience placement at the Evening Standard.

He writes: “I have been there for coming up to three weeks now; I’ve seen subs throwing tantrums, laughed at the sick jokes and needle-sharp wit of the news-editors, listened to half-joking paranoid conspiracies and cringed at the oblivious conceit.

“It has also been a momentous time in this particular newsroom….A journalistic giant has lurched forward, punch-drunk and reeling from a vicious combination of jabs. But this veteran brawler is not out yet, it’s gambled everything on a final stand that will end in glory or death. And the hacks are nervous.”

Axegrinder admires his chutzpah but fears his placement may not extend into week four…

Rumours abound of News International red-top reshuffle

Duncan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:31:09 +0000

The Wapping rumour mill is going into overdrive as News International staffers await word of an expected reshuffle following Dominic Mohan’s appointment as Sun editor.

The smart money is currently on Sun head of features and entertainment Victoria Newton moving to the News of the World as deputy editor and replacing Jane Johnson who may be moving to an executive features role at The Sun.

One of my sources tells me News International boss Rebekah Brooks has Newton ear-marked as future editor material.

Headline heroes: The shortlist and winner for headline of the month

Duncan — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:05:07 +0000

Competition is hotting up in Press Gazette’s relaunched Headline of the Month competition, sponsored by Jura single malt whisky.

This month’s contenders were:

Story: A farmer has been given £500,000 to clean up the country air turning pig muck into electricity.

Headline in Metro:

And this little piggy went to spark it.

Story: Alan Duncan is sacked from the Shadow Cabinet after claiming MPs were living “on rations”.

Headline in The Sun:

Dave’s dunked Duncan donut.

Story: A man was jailed for “pleasuring himself” with a muck-spreader.

Headline in The Sun:

You can’t slurry love

Story: Germans and Austrians claim they are not getting enough beans in the cans of Heinz baked beans.

Headline in Metro:

Mean beanz, Heinz!

Story: About the things people leave behind in hotel bedrooms when they check out – including a dog.

Headline in the Daily Echo, Bournemouth:

Left be-hound.

Story: Schools give pupils chocolates to ease their exam nerves.

Headline in The Sun

Exam smarties.

The winner is…And this little piggy went to spark it, written by Metro Scotland editor Kie Miskelly who will receive a bottle of Jura single malt whisky.

The deadline for nominations in the November competition is 23 October.

Video: Suffering from journalism? Try Printoxafin

Duncan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:26:43 +0000

Suffering from journalism?

Help is at hand from the pharmaceutical industry apparently, in the form of a new drug called Printoxafin.

Hear all about it in this bonkers video produced by Glasgow-based journalist Tristan Stewart-Robertson of W5 Press Agency.