From Cambridge Daily News to the New Yorker - editorial illustrator Ronald Searle dies aged 91

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 3 January 2012 at 14:59
Tags: Journalism, People

Artist and editorial illustrator Ronald Searle, who has died aged 91, began his career aged 15 after sending in drawings on spec to the Cambridge Evening News, The Guardian notes in its obituary today.

After returning from World War Two he created the St Trinians cartoon for Lilliput magazine and in the 1950s he was a regular contributor to Punch. (more…)

When Piers met David Sherborne: ‘Barking you say?’ - ‘The man’s one sandwich short of a picnic’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 21 December 2011 at 13:49
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, People

Counsel for the phone-hacking victims David Sherborne appeared to think he was ambushing former Mirror editor Piers Morgan with a terribly incriminating smoking gun at the end of Morgan’s Leveson testimony yesterday.

But Morgan was ready for the accusation that the Mirror suppressed information about phone-hacking in 1998 and then used it for its own heinous means. And Sherborne ended up, it must be said, looking like a bit of a wally.

Here is their exchange (taken from the official transcript): (more…)

Christopher Hitchens tributes: ‘The world has lost one of its most outstanding journalists’ (video)

Posted by Christian Jensen on 16 December 2011 at 10:54
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines, National Newspapers, People

Tributes are being paid to journalist, polemicist, atheist and left-wing campaigner Christopher Hitchens - who died last night.

Vanity Fair, the magazine where Hitchens was a contributing editor, today produced this video tribute:

(more…)

Charles Arthur and Emma Barnett get mixed blessing of winning CRAPP awards

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 15 December 2011 at 10:36
Tags: Journalism, People

Guardian technology journalist Charles Arthur has been named  the journalist most likely to tell PRs to “sling their hook” in the CRAPPS, a cheeky set of awards given by PRs to journalists.

It’s the second time Arthur has been given the mixed accolade. Telegraph media and technology correspondent Emma Barnett has been described as the journalist PRs would most like to “bring to the dark side”, which is probably another mixed blessing. (more…)

Journalists most likely to tell PRs to sling their hook revealed in the CRAPPS

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 1 December 2011 at 10:43
Tags: Journalism, PR, People

PR Agency 10 yetis has released the shortlist for its cheeky annual Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals (The CRAPPS).

After receiving “thousands” of votes from PRs for the awards, which are run in association with Daryl Wilcox Publishing, here are the finalists:

(The winners are due to be announced on 15 December)

The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside: (more…)

SJA: Sunday Times to cut Kimmage and Hawkey

Posted by Press Gazette on 16 November 2011 at 08:56
Tags: National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

The Sunday Times is reported to be cutting award-winning sports interviewer Paul Kimmage and Barcelona-based football reporter Ian Hawkey, the Sports Journalists Association reports. (more…)

Matthew D’Ancona named ‘commentariat’ of the year

Posted by Press Gazette on 20 October 2011 at 09:32
Tags: People, awards

Matthew D’Ancona was named comment writer of the year at the annual comment awards organised by media networking and events company Editorial Intelligence this morning.

The Times and the Financial Times were the two publications with the most prizes, picking up four each.

Here is the full list of winners: (more…)

Obituary: Paul Bach, regional press journalist who created Saga magazine

Posted by Press Gazette on 17 October 2011 at 11:07
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines, Newspapers, People, Regional Newspapers

The Daily Telegraph today pays tribute to the founder editor of Saga Magazine, Paul Bach, who has died aged 72.
An obituary in today’s Daily Telegraph tells the story of how Bach rose from a reporter on a weekly newspaper to starting what would eventually become the largest-circulation monthly magazine in Britain.

Bach was born in Forest Gate, East London, and found his first job as a reporter on the Stratford Express, before moving to South Wales and taking up various posts with Thomson Regional Newspapers (and winning an award for his coverage of the Aberfan disaster in 1966).

He was later editor in chief of the Celtic Press group of 12 regional newspapers and became editor of the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph in 1972.

In 1976 he returned to East London as group editor of the Stratford Express series before making the move into public relations in 1979 when he moved to Saga Holidays in Folkestone.

(more…)

Video: Paul Dacre and Kelvin MacKenzie address the Leveson Inquiry

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 17 October 2011 at 09:04
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

The full video from the second Leveson Inquiry seminar held in London on 12 October has now gone online.

The two highlights are session one, where Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre gave his rousing defence of the freedom of the popular press (he starts about 17 minutes in). (more…)

Leveson Inquiry video, including: Mohan, Wallace, Witherow and Weaver

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 11 October 2011 at 15:04
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

The first Leveson Inquiry seminar on 6 October was a historic occasion - and the first time I have seen limelight-shy editors such as The Sun’s Dominic Mohan and the Mirror’s Richard Wallace speak in public. (more…)

Daily Star editor who resigned over cutbacks dies aged 67

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 11 October 2011 at 12:09
Tags: National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

Tributes have been paid to former Daily Star editor Phil Walker who died on Friday aged 67.

The Daily Mirror described Walker as one of “Fleet Street’s great characters” noting that he started out on the South Wales Echo in 1962 going on to work for the Sketch, Daily Mail and then the Daily Mirror. He was Daily Express associate editor from 1980-83 before becoming deputy editor of the Daily Mirror in 1983. (more…)

Times health editor Sam Lister joins Department of Health as comms chief

Posted by Press Gazette on 6 October 2011 at 13:45
Tags: National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

Times health editor Sam Lister is leaving journalism to become director of communications at the Department of Health.

The DoH said: “Sam brings to the department a wealth of experience on health policy and also extensive experience as a senior manager. He is expected to join the department towards the end of the year.”

Northern Echo’s Mike Amos bows out after 46 years in journalism

Posted by Press Gazette on 5 October 2011 at 09:57
Tags: Journalism, People, Regional Newspapers

Northern Echo journalist Mike Amos retires on Friday after a 46-year regional press career.

This week the Echo is publishing a six-part series of Amos columns looking back over his career, starting off with this Dickensian picture of life on the Northern Despatch in 1965. (more…)

Chris Blackhurst says sacking Johann Hari could have ‘created a problem’ legally

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 3 October 2011 at 07:06
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

Independent editor Chris Blackhurst has suggested that sacking columnist Johann Hari in the wake of plagiarism revelations could have presented legal difficulties partly because of the stance taken by his predecessor Simon Kelner. (more…)

Kelvin MacKenzie on hacking: ‘I won’t be taking News International’s money’

Posted by Press Gazette on 28 September 2011 at 13:37
Tags: Journalism, Law, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie has described the day he was told his phone had been hacked by the News of the World – but insists he will not sue his former employers News International.

Writing in this week’s edition of The Spectator (due out tomorrow), MacKenzie tells how he was invited to meet officers from the Met’s phone-hacking inquiry Operation Weeting after his name and mobile phone number were found in notebooks belonging to jailed private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. (more…)

(Video) Lebedev punches rival on TV: ‘I neutralised him’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 19 September 2011 at 06:55
Tags: Broadcast, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

Independent and Evening Standard owner Alexander Lebedev has defended punching a rival on live TV saying that he had to “neutralise” him.

The former KGB man wrote about the incident on his blog (Russian) saying: “In a critical situation, there is no choice. I see no reason to be hit with the first shot. I neutralised him.” (more…)

Scottish football blogger faces ‘ban’ after breaking post-match comments embargo

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 5 September 2011 at 09:50
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People

The editor of Scottish football website Scotzine claims that he has had his accreditation revoked by the Scottish FA after complaints were lodged against him by established media players.

Andy Muirhead launched Scotzine five years ago and last year was given access by many clubs to cover matches and post-match press conferences.

He said that his problems began when he applied to cover the Scottish Cup Final. (more…)

David Kermode appointed editor of Daybreak

Posted by Press Gazette on 2 September 2011 at 10:43
Tags: Broadcast, People, Television

The editor of 5 News, David Kermode, has been named as the new editor of ITV breakfast show Daybreak.

The Guardian reports that Kermode will replace Ian Rumsey, who announced he was stepping down from the role in July.

The news comes one year after the launch of Daybreak, which replaced GMTV when it was launched in September 2010.

(more…)

Media Trust and ITV news announce ‘Breaking Into News’ finalists

Posted by KimHeinz on 31 August 2011 at 08:09
Tags: People, Student Journalism

Six finalists have been announced for the ‘Breaking Into News 2011’ competition run by the Media Trust and ITV News.

The six were chosen from more than 300 entrants and will be mentored by experienced journalists from the ITV newsroom, including Richard Pallot and Charlene White, to develop their ideas into a news report, with the final piece considered for inclusion on the ITV News.

ITV News managing editor Robin Elias said:

Our six finalists have excellent ideas which we’ve started developing into pieces of news television.

The aim was to identify talent who wouldn’t normally find a way into somewhere like ITN. ‘Breaking Into News’ has opened that door for them.

(more…)

US freelance journalist escapes after six months in Tripoli prison

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 26 August 2011 at 07:16
Tags: Journalism, People

An American freelance journalist has escaped from a Libyan prison in Tripoli after being held in solitary confinement for six months.

Matthew VanDyke disappeared in March after travelling to Libya to chronicle the uprisings. He told the BBC: “I was in (the Libyan oil town of) Brega and I believe we were ambushed. I was hit in the head and I woke up in a room to the sounds of a man being tortured in the room above me. (more…)