The King of Rock’n’Roll, Elvis Presley, died on 16 August 1977 – some 37 years ago – at the age of 42. As we approach what would have been his 80th birthday, on 8 January 2015, Channel Five is having an Elvis Night tomorrow. They are showing NBC’s 1968 Comeback Special and the 2005 television […]
Category: Media
Argie-Bargie: FOI Act request discloses truth behind Top Gear’s H982 FKL car
Ever since Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear buddies were forced to flee Argentina in a row over the number plate on a Porsche 928 GT they were using to film a special edition of the programme; there have been claims and counter-claims that the Top Gear programme – never known to be deliberately uncontroversial […]
A puppy and a bikini brings global fame to singer
Kendra Moriah is a singer. I can’t tell you whether or not she’s a good singer because I’ve not heard any of her songs. She’s probably fantastic and this post is not intended to denigrate her in any way. The only negative thing that I can say about Kendra – and this isn’t really a negative […]
Screaming black eyed child ghost terror
“Screaming black eyed child ghost terror” screams the front page of today’s Daily Star with a story of a ghostly apparition on Cannock Chase – the Staffordshire beauty spot that is, literally, on my doorstep. I don’t give such stories much credence. It’s up there with the Cannock Chase Pig Man; the Cannock Chase Puma; […]
When is a journalist a “commercial observer”?
The Conservatives are in town – that’s if your town is Birmingham. They are relatively frequent visitors to the Midlands and a few years ago, with a confirmed commission, I applied for media accreditation to cover the conference. My application was denied. The reason that was given was that I was not representing a national publication […]
Will you pray for the media?
What do you think of when somebody says “the media”? For most people, the term is synonymous with “Fleet Street” – the eponymous collective of scribes, hacks, journalists, reporters, photographers, snappers – whatever you want to call us, that write or take pictures for newspapers. Whenever I deliver media training, I always try to dissuade the participants from talking […]
British Airways’ “insensitive” Indian Ocean advert
British Airways has apologised for an “inappropriate” advert encouraging people to “forget the commute and discover the Indian Ocean.” In a statement, the airline says: “Our Indian Ocean advert contained pre-scheduled content that we recognise is inappropriate at this time. We’re sorry for any offence caused.” Is it really inappropriate? Was an apology really necessary? […]
When Christians lie to abuse the truth
Recently, a couple of websites have been created to cast doubt on last year’s investigation into the shamed evangelist Tony Anthony. I had carried out an extensive investigation into Tony Anthony’s “story”, supported by a group of concerned Christians who had been carrying out their own investigation. A subsequent investigation by an independent panel nominated […]
Police Interceptors highlights mockery of justice
Watching the fly-on-the-wall documentary Police Intercepters on 5* tonight, it’s impossible not to think that the English justice system is not fit for purpose. In one case, a couple were caught cultivating cannabis in their loft with a full hydroponic kit – lighting, insulation, the works. The commentator explained that the CPS dropped charges against […]
Goodnight Madiba
Nelson Mandela has died, it has been confirmed tonight. Madiba, as he was known, was the first post-apartheid President of South Africa, but he was far more than that. By the time I was born in 1970, Mandela had already been in prison for eight years for his leadership of the anti-Apartheid activists. This week […]