Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Curious Case of The Times' Missing Simon Cowell Report: Author is binned!
Private Eye moves on my Nov 5 exclusive story on the Curious Case of the Missing Simon Cowell Times article. Readers will recall that the Murdoch paper's media editor Dan Sabbagh wrote an unusually frank report on Sir Philip Green's plans for Cowell, the proposed US The X Factor and Murdoch Fox's part in all this. He even disclosed in his Sept 2 article that Fox had failed to return his call and that Cowell was envious of another show format. I revealed that the piece has since mysteriously disappeared from the paper's archive and from Google. Sabbagh's hubris could not go unpunished, apparently: he has now been shifted and replaced by a safer pair of hands. That's journalism for you - only the Eye followed up this story.
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19 comments:
Perhaps one of the plaintiffs successfully sued to have the article removed?
If there's a plaintiff there must be a lawsuit and a case: do I see it reported? You tell me.
Well done Madame! We shouldnot be surprised that perhaps Murdoch himself had the story deleted for fear of offending the mighty Cowell.
Private Eye is crap these days.
Get a proper job you tart
A friend was surprised to see an article supposedly written by him in the Daily Wail (the hack asked him for 'off the record' quotes which she used in 'his' article. He successfully sued the paper (without going to court), who removed the article from their website and paid his legal fees - all done off the record!
Yes, the situation you describe is not uncommon. But in this instance, you have an employee of Murdoch writing a forthright report on other Murdoch companies in discussions with important Murdoch business associates: Fox won't have threatened to sue The Times because both are Murdoch companies: Green won't have threatened to sue because he wants more from Murdoch for Cowell: and Cowell would never imperil his Murdoch link by threatening legal action. I don't believe for one moment anyone threatened legal action - unless another party, a possible Murdoch rival, took offence. A complaint of some sort may have been made and in consequence a lot of effort went into deleting the cause of the offence. It is most unusual for an entire article, most of which must have been factually correct given the author, to be disappeared without explanation, apology or correction.
The plot sickens.
Anon's Daily Wail story is interesting. In these difficult times for journalism many conventions like confidentiality for sources are bein trashed.
We love Simon Cowell.
What's scandalous is that The Times is engaged in a cover-up involving itself. After all, it was the paper that ran the story about Cowell and Murdoch: it appears to have censored itself. perhaps it has sued itself.
Not in this case though. Who would get out such an injunction against itself or against its own business associates? Doesn't make sense.
Oh, move on for fuck's sake and read 'Splendour & Squalor' - Atlantic Books - the bible of Arcatistas.
No.
Yes of course darling. I hope all goes favourably. x
great post ! thanks
The intriguing story that an anonymous contributor sent me cannot be used as presented: you would need to email me so I can ask a few questions in confidence.
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