One of Arcati's new best friends, David, writes wonderfully on why the Observer has become such a terrible newspaper; one so untrue to itself. The staff and new editor of the paper should read David's comments and remember that without readers' trust you may as well start thinking of working for Richard Desmond:
Alton may have been an All-Round-Nice-Guy, but my response is as a reader. He has ushered in some of the most facile journalism the paper's ever seen. Sense of humour? Don't make me (not) laugh. Ever laughed at Barbara Ellen? Lucy Siegle raises a cackle, does she? Jasper has you rolling in the aisles? Nick Cohen creases you up, does he? Do you howl with joy at a women's magazine that has rolled by the notion of feminism by 30 years? Really?
Such a dreary, grinding lack of ambition and scope. Such a tiny demographic it purports to speak on behalf. Somewhere along the way it forgot to be honest and just became aspirational. And what pathetic aspirations ('10 Things to Look for in a Nanny' '20 reasons to be seen at the Ivy'. 'How you can save the planet AND wear a mini skirt in this not at all fatuous guide' 'Is plastic surgery the new football?'). It is a DIRE newspaper and as the standard bearer for liberal journalism on a Sunday, it is a perennial crushing disappointment.
Alton might have been nice to his staff but he was clearly intellectually barren.
Showing posts with label Observer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Observer. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2007
Roger Alton and Kamal Ahmed - government stooges
The person who first told Arcatiland that Roger Alton could be in trouble at the Observer writes again ...
Your Gorgeousness,
You know I have form on this, having first tipped you off. So here goes.
Re. Alton going/Ahmed etc.
Kamal loved all the fuss the last few weeks, much as he loved trying to be Alastair’s friend – he seemed to care little for how much he was being used, little for any journalistic pride in doing a good, independent job. (And re. his new job, he also loved banging on about waste of public money on quangos and the like – er, hello. ) ...
Forget the sexing up chatter – that'll be more a question of Kamal inflating own importance. But Davies is missing the larger point: The Observer, for several years, barely qualified as an independent voice, so slavishly did it follow whatever Blair/Campbell dictated.
This was the truly sad thing for an otherwise v. good newspaper. The slavishness
to the Campbell/Blair line was often embarrassing. Forget Ahmed. He's just an arse, who was doing Campbell’s bidding.
The most depressing thing, ultimately, is that as Observer editor Alton often thought it more important to keep the government happy than to offer a proud, independent voice.
To read our source's original tip-off, click here
Your Gorgeousness,
You know I have form on this, having first tipped you off. So here goes.
Re. Alton going/Ahmed etc.
Kamal loved all the fuss the last few weeks, much as he loved trying to be Alastair’s friend – he seemed to care little for how much he was being used, little for any journalistic pride in doing a good, independent job. (And re. his new job, he also loved banging on about waste of public money on quangos and the like – er, hello. ) ...
Forget the sexing up chatter – that'll be more a question of Kamal inflating own importance. But Davies is missing the larger point: The Observer, for several years, barely qualified as an independent voice, so slavishly did it follow whatever Blair/Campbell dictated.
This was the truly sad thing for an otherwise v. good newspaper. The slavishness
to the Campbell/Blair line was often embarrassing. Forget Ahmed. He's just an arse, who was doing Campbell’s bidding.
The most depressing thing, ultimately, is that as Observer editor Alton often thought it more important to keep the government happy than to offer a proud, independent voice.
To read our source's original tip-off, click here
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Is Kamal Ahmed off the hook now?
Nick Davies, author of Flat Earth News, has commented on Roy Greenslade's Guardian blog, attempting to set the record straight on the Observer/Guardian "feud" business.
The first thing to be noted is this: "The hacks who have said that the book accuses Kamal Ahmed of helping to write or edit the dodgy dossier are simply wrong. The book doesn't say that." He also writes: "I went back and told him [Alan Rusbridger, Guardian editor] I'd done a chapter on the Observer's coverage of the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, which is a fascinating and worrying story."
Davies' book is not out until February so we'll have to take him at his word for now. However, I note that Ahmed himself has said that Davies asked him about his contribution to the Iraq dossier - and he denied any. It shouldn't surprise us then that the book does not accuse Ahmed in the purported absence of any counter-evidence. It could simply be the case that Davies was unable to pursue this line. Surely the accusation wasn't just dreamt up? Why do so many Observer news hacks think Ahmed did have something to do with the dossier? I am intrigued by Davies' assertion that the Observer's Iraq coverage is a "fascinating and worrying story." Why worrying? Did the Observer get too close to the government over Iraq? What delights await? I think this is known in the trade as a teaser. And teased I am.
Davies adds: "I don't know exactly why Kamal and Roger have resigned. The book may have been a factor ..." Why should it be if Alton and Ahmed have nothing to worry about?
The first thing to be noted is this: "The hacks who have said that the book accuses Kamal Ahmed of helping to write or edit the dodgy dossier are simply wrong. The book doesn't say that." He also writes: "I went back and told him [Alan Rusbridger, Guardian editor] I'd done a chapter on the Observer's coverage of the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, which is a fascinating and worrying story."
Davies' book is not out until February so we'll have to take him at his word for now. However, I note that Ahmed himself has said that Davies asked him about his contribution to the Iraq dossier - and he denied any. It shouldn't surprise us then that the book does not accuse Ahmed in the purported absence of any counter-evidence. It could simply be the case that Davies was unable to pursue this line. Surely the accusation wasn't just dreamt up? Why do so many Observer news hacks think Ahmed did have something to do with the dossier? I am intrigued by Davies' assertion that the Observer's Iraq coverage is a "fascinating and worrying story." Why worrying? Did the Observer get too close to the government over Iraq? What delights await? I think this is known in the trade as a teaser. And teased I am.
Davies adds: "I don't know exactly why Kamal and Roger have resigned. The book may have been a factor ..." Why should it be if Alton and Ahmed have nothing to worry about?
Roger Alton quits Observer editorship
Roger Alton has resigned the Observer editorship - click here for details. My thanks to contributors who brought this to my attention this morning.
No crocodile tears from me - regular Arcati readers will know I campaigned for his removal because of his support for the Iraq War: the Observer was not the right paper to be backing the government on this issue. We can now look forward to the dismissal of columnist Jasper Gerard and other right-wing cuckoos who can be gainfully employed elsewhere - perhaps the Sunday Express will help out. Left to me and I would call the Observer the Guardian on Sunday - that way, it might be freed from its curse of morally dubious editors and might develop a coherent politics true to its left-of-centre nature.
On the matter of Observer news editor Kamal Ahmed and his alleged role in sexing up the Iraq dossier with Alastair Campbell - I shall be reading Flat Earth News with great interest, particularly in the light of Roy Greenslade's ridiculous piece in the Standard yesterday in which he disingenuously claimed there was no feud between the Guardian and Observer and that the the allegation against Ahmed was just inaccurate spin from a single paragraph in the book. We shall see. But why does the Standard employ a mouthpiece for the Guardian in Greenslade? Put another way, how likely was it that Greenslade would admit there was a feud between the Scott Trust sister papers? Not likely.
An Arcati source hinted at Alton's likely demise a little while ago - click here.
No crocodile tears from me - regular Arcati readers will know I campaigned for his removal because of his support for the Iraq War: the Observer was not the right paper to be backing the government on this issue. We can now look forward to the dismissal of columnist Jasper Gerard and other right-wing cuckoos who can be gainfully employed elsewhere - perhaps the Sunday Express will help out. Left to me and I would call the Observer the Guardian on Sunday - that way, it might be freed from its curse of morally dubious editors and might develop a coherent politics true to its left-of-centre nature.
On the matter of Observer news editor Kamal Ahmed and his alleged role in sexing up the Iraq dossier with Alastair Campbell - I shall be reading Flat Earth News with great interest, particularly in the light of Roy Greenslade's ridiculous piece in the Standard yesterday in which he disingenuously claimed there was no feud between the Guardian and Observer and that the the allegation against Ahmed was just inaccurate spin from a single paragraph in the book. We shall see. But why does the Standard employ a mouthpiece for the Guardian in Greenslade? Put another way, how likely was it that Greenslade would admit there was a feud between the Scott Trust sister papers? Not likely.
An Arcati source hinted at Alton's likely demise a little while ago - click here.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Observer - news editor helped sex up Iraq dossier?
My thanks to Liz for drawing my attention to a new book coming out which claims that the outgoing Observer news editor Kamal Ahmed helped Alistair Campbell "sex up" the dodgy dossier on Iraq. The book is Flat Earth News written by Nick Davies - a Guardian writer who is said to be close to the editor Alan Rusbridger. This may explain the tensions between the sister papers in recent weeks: Ahmed is known to be very close to Alton and the Observer took a pro-Iraq War line while the Guardian was and is hostile.
The Mail reports: "According to publishing sources, the book will claim that Mr Ahmed and Mr Campbell worked on the dossier in February 2003 – a critical point in the diplomatic build-up to war – when Mr Ahmed was The Observer's political editor and Mr Campbell was Mr Blair's director of communications.
"It alleges that Mr Campbell asked Mr Ahmed to help write the anti-Saddam presentation when they were flying to a Blair-Bush summit.
"The dossier, which was later pushed under the hotel doors of journalists covering the trip, made a number of claims about Iraq's evasion of weapons inspections."
Ahmed denies these allegations, as does Alton - but I don't believe them. Click here for full story. And follow Arcati labels for the story on Ahmed's resignation from the Observer to take up a six-figure salaried job on a government quango - a timely appointment.
For some time now I have said that Alton is the wrong editor for the Observer - he is a right-winger with no real sympathy for the paper's natural leftish-liberal tendency. Why the Scott Trust appointed him in the first place is a complete mystery to me.
The Mail reports: "According to publishing sources, the book will claim that Mr Ahmed and Mr Campbell worked on the dossier in February 2003 – a critical point in the diplomatic build-up to war – when Mr Ahmed was The Observer's political editor and Mr Campbell was Mr Blair's director of communications.
"It alleges that Mr Campbell asked Mr Ahmed to help write the anti-Saddam presentation when they were flying to a Blair-Bush summit.
"The dossier, which was later pushed under the hotel doors of journalists covering the trip, made a number of claims about Iraq's evasion of weapons inspections."
Ahmed denies these allegations, as does Alton - but I don't believe them. Click here for full story. And follow Arcati labels for the story on Ahmed's resignation from the Observer to take up a six-figure salaried job on a government quango - a timely appointment.
For some time now I have said that Alton is the wrong editor for the Observer - he is a right-winger with no real sympathy for the paper's natural leftish-liberal tendency. Why the Scott Trust appointed him in the first place is a complete mystery to me.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Observer's woes - Arcati was right
An Arcati source recently gave very accurate information about the various problems at the rightward-drifting Observer, one or two relating to its troubled news editor Kamal Ahmed. Press Gazette now reports that he "has left the paper to work for the Equality and Human Rights Commission." Foul-mouthed editor Roger Alton put out a bye bye email in which he wrote - "A sad moment for me personally, and I am sure for everyone." Er, no. Not at all, you arrogant, deluded sod. You'll be out soon yourself with your other pet, the awful Jasper Gerard who's better suited to the Sunday Express. To read the full report, click here. My thanks to to the correspondent who drew my attention to this.
To read the original Arcati report, click here
To read the original Arcati report, click here
Monday, September 24, 2007
Murdochs on Facebook - hardly gossip, darling
Another sweety-pops friend of the Cult of Arcati writes to point out a little tardiness in the Observer's gossip column apropos Facebook and the presence of a nest of MySpace-owning Murdochs thereon ...
Greetings, Madame!
I hope this finds you well.
Just a small thing, but irritating... The Observer's Pendennis, Oliver Marre, is incredibly pleased with himself today, since he is 'able to reveal' that Rupert Murdoch's daughter, Elizabeth, 'is the latest member of the family to have signed up to the Facebook online networking website.' This comes on the back of his previous 'revelation', not long ago, that Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch had joined Facebook, despite Lachlan's pater having shelled out tens of millions to buy up Myspace.
Dear Oli really is slow off the mark. My own casual Facebook trawlings back in June - via the basic search function that absolutely anybody can use - showed that all three of the afore-mentioned Murdochs were active members back then; I was surprised that the amusing Facebook/Myspace conflict of familial interest hadn't already been picked up. Matthew Freud's full Facebook profile is publicly viewable, and his news feed shows that his lovely wife sent him a lipstick kiss on June 26, with the message 'From me to you. xxxx' So much for her having just joined, and so much for Marre's electrifying research skills.
Oh, and he doesn't even spell her name correctly. As Ms Minnelli might have put it: it's Elisabeth - with an 's', not a 'z'.
Very best
Sir ...[initial withheld]
PS: A noticeable lack of heartwarming family anecdotes, and mentions of 'the Husband' (previously a regular cast member), in Allison Pearson's columns of late. Absolutely zilch, actually. Wonder why?
Dear Sir ....
Thank you for these observations. Allison is a devoted reader of Arcati and has wisely adapted to public knowledge of her domestic arrangements. I am still awaiting an invitation to her wedding; a Christian one it is to be hoped ...
Best wishes MA x
Greetings, Madame!
I hope this finds you well.
Just a small thing, but irritating... The Observer's Pendennis, Oliver Marre, is incredibly pleased with himself today, since he is 'able to reveal' that Rupert Murdoch's daughter, Elizabeth, 'is the latest member of the family to have signed up to the Facebook online networking website.' This comes on the back of his previous 'revelation', not long ago, that Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch had joined Facebook, despite Lachlan's pater having shelled out tens of millions to buy up Myspace.
Dear Oli really is slow off the mark. My own casual Facebook trawlings back in June - via the basic search function that absolutely anybody can use - showed that all three of the afore-mentioned Murdochs were active members back then; I was surprised that the amusing Facebook/Myspace conflict of familial interest hadn't already been picked up. Matthew Freud's full Facebook profile is publicly viewable, and his news feed shows that his lovely wife sent him a lipstick kiss on June 26, with the message 'From me to you. xxxx' So much for her having just joined, and so much for Marre's electrifying research skills.
Oh, and he doesn't even spell her name correctly. As Ms Minnelli might have put it: it's Elisabeth - with an 's', not a 'z'.
Very best
Sir ...[initial withheld]
PS: A noticeable lack of heartwarming family anecdotes, and mentions of 'the Husband' (previously a regular cast member), in Allison Pearson's columns of late. Absolutely zilch, actually. Wonder why?
Dear Sir ....
Thank you for these observations. Allison is a devoted reader of Arcati and has wisely adapted to public knowledge of her domestic arrangements. I am still awaiting an invitation to her wedding; a Christian one it is to be hoped ...
Best wishes MA x
Friday, September 21, 2007
Roger Alton and trouble at t'Observer
A poppet insider relates the following ...
Your Gorgeousness
Keep an eye on the Observer over the next weeks. The rumour in the week that editor Roger Alton had got the push/resigned not entirely without foundation as there is now a huge wedge between the Guardian and The Observer. (And this in the week when there was an awayday for senior execs to discuss greater integration.)
This is the result of news ed Kamal Ahmed getting to keep his job - the result of an investigation into the embarrassment over the MMR splash that wasn't a story of two months ago (Catch up here, on the very good bad science website, http://www.badscience.net/index.php?s=observer). The Scott Trust got involved, editor Roger Alton had to go to before them and receive six of the best like a naughty schoolboy.
Alton, in turn, is annoyed because, despite a sustained pisspoor news performance, Alton has done his best to support ailing news ed Ahmed who was seen crying in the editor's office last week.. Not for long, if the experienced hands in the newsroom get their way - Alton has now realised that a news ed who behaves all the time like a pre-teen who's drunk too much fizzy pop is perhaps not a good idea. And some of the older reporters don't want to work for him. Watch this space...
Your Gorgeousness
Keep an eye on the Observer over the next weeks. The rumour in the week that editor Roger Alton had got the push/resigned not entirely without foundation as there is now a huge wedge between the Guardian and The Observer. (And this in the week when there was an awayday for senior execs to discuss greater integration.)
This is the result of news ed Kamal Ahmed getting to keep his job - the result of an investigation into the embarrassment over the MMR splash that wasn't a story of two months ago (Catch up here, on the very good bad science website, http://www.badscience.net/index.php?s=observer). The Scott Trust got involved, editor Roger Alton had to go to before them and receive six of the best like a naughty schoolboy.
Alton, in turn, is annoyed because, despite a sustained pisspoor news performance, Alton has done his best to support ailing news ed Ahmed who was seen crying in the editor's office last week.. Not for long, if the experienced hands in the newsroom get their way - Alton has now realised that a news ed who behaves all the time like a pre-teen who's drunk too much fizzy pop is perhaps not a good idea. And some of the older reporters don't want to work for him. Watch this space...
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