Congratulations to Sir Michael Willocks, the man formerly known as Black Rod, on his appointment as Press Complaints Commission commissioner. Black Rod replaces outgoing chief of the PCC Sir Christopher Meyer. Black Rod’s full former title was the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. His duties included carrying the Mace into and out of the [...]
Is it surprising that Robert Peston won this year’s TV performer of the year award? He is, after all, ubiquitous. The BBC must be steeling itself for yet another scandal – how can one man legitimately win, when there is no one else to vote for? Peston’s omnipresence is matched, in legal circles, by that [...]
“You cannot be serious!?” said John McEnroe, former tennis superstar, when Manhattan police told him that he was one of various victims in an $88m art fraud. “I’m afraid we are,” said police. “You cannot be *x*xxx* serious!” replied McEnroe. “We are. I’m sorry for your loss,” said a particularly authoritative policeman. “Are you some kind [...]
Speaking for himself, as a scribe, Blade has no problem with PRs. They do their job, and journalists do another. There are those, such as Nick Davies, who aren’t convinced that the PR industry is a force for good, but Blade believes that across its various sectors, from legal PR to environmental PR, even including [...]
Regular readers of Swordplay will be aware that we hew, from deep within the labyrinths in which we toil, a thought for the day. We do so every day, save on weekends, when we try to suspend thought and simply be. We are not alone in enjoying a thought for the day, for it is [...]
Is there a geek inside all of us?
Excellent Nike ad
Memo to would-be hacks: good writing is no longer a tool of your trade
Released almost a year ago, Spada’s groundbreaking research report, British Professions Today, is available for free download
This bank is so well designed that many of its staff never go home (allegedly)
In the latest of our series of white papers, Spada Research examines trends in environmental reporting.
After a raft of phone-hacking admissions and allegations, we are no longer seen as the gruff but dependable watchdog. Neville Thurlbeck, formerly of the News of the World (part of his Damascene conversion; to be continued).