Mumbai and the T-word

Good analysis here at the WSJ of the language used to decsribe the attacks and attackers by various journalists and news outlets. Is it really true that Jon Snow on Channel 4 News called the terrorists 'practitioners'? Insert your own George Orwell reference here.

Disturbing stuff, and enough to give one a little flush of the 'Mad Mels'.

"Showbiz" journalism: Just as long as it takes some space up

Exhibit A

22 October 2008: lovely, tragic, Kerry Katona appears on popular TV programme This Morning. In an incoherent interview, she touches on several topics, including medical warnings that, following cosmetic surgery, if she continues to smoke her nipples will fall off, a bombshell reported in this blog the following day (via a story on the Mail website; sadly, the army of researchers at JMP Towers didn't catch that edition of This Morning).

11 November 2008: the story appears for the first time in The Sun's Bizarre showbusiness column, simply repeating what Katona said in that interview.

Exhibit B

Viz's Matthew Shight column from about 2001, a one-off satire of piss-poor tabloid show-biz columns ("I went to see my superstar pal, Madonna, at the Hammersmith Odeon last week. After a wonderful gig, I went backstage where she opened her heart exclusively to yours truly. "Who's this asshole? How did he get past security?" she gushed."). At the bottom of the page: "KNOW ANYTHING THAT MIGHT FILL THIS COLUMN? ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING. JUST AS LONG AS IT TAKES SOME SPACE UP. CALL ME ON 09090 400 919"

Quote of the day

"Were I to be called, like Cincinnatus from my plough, obviously it would be a huge privilege to serve. But you may have a long time to wait. I am on record as saying that I am more likely to be reincarnated as a hobbit - or locked in a disused fridge." - Boris Johnson

How many MP's know who Cincinnatus was, let alone would mention him in a public comment? And I love the "locked in a disused fridge" image. No doubt this is the type of thing that makes the blood of the Zoe Williamses of this world boil. Well, frankly they can fuck off. Boris adds something unique and life-enhancing to the political life of this country. It's a bit like having Stephen Fry as PUS at the Department of Transport.

PS That god-awful ZW hitpiece has my vote as worst bit of journalism of the past twelve months.