That’s the way the cookie crumbles
By Andrew Grant-Adamson • Sep 29th, 2007 • Category: Broadcasting, Journalism, NewspapersThe sound of feet shuffling is almost audible in the stories today about the addition of the late-arriving James Purnell, the culture secretary, to a photograph of MPs organised by Tameside and Glossop NHS Trust. It seems to hinge on whether Mr Purnell understood the meaning of the word “merge” or whether he thought it would be OK because they were only going to lie to health service staff. The explanations are a bit different in the Telegraph and Guardian reports.
I am happy to put it all down to misunderstanding, but the idea that anyone could have thought it acceptable in any circumstances suggests media illiteracy. What really worries me is that Purnell has been spouting about trust in the media and the need to learn lessons from the fixing of phone polls.
It does not look likely that anyone’s head will roll over the picture, That is right, but it is worrying that the episode of the naming of the Blue Peter cat has reportedly led to the sacking of the editor. I do hope Mr Purnell will put in a good word for Richard Marson, of Blue Peter, next time he bumps into Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general.
Andrew Grant-Adamson is Andrew Grant-Adamson is a journalist who now teaches a new generation of writers, subs and editors at the University of Westminster.
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Posted 16 hours agoThat’s the way the cookie crumblesThe sound of feet shuffling is almost audible in the stories today about the addition of the late-arriving James Purnell, the culture secretary, to a photograph of MPs organised by Tameside and Glo…