Copyright 2002 Guardian Newspapers Limited
The Observer

May 12, 2002

SECTION: Observer Business Pages, Pg. 7

LENGTH: 531 words

HEADLINE: Business & Media: Media: Media diary

BODY:
Defamation or just self-abuse?

AFTER reading the Evening Standard on Thursday, Diary has taken the unprecedented step of banning its team of crack reporters from phoning in stories. It believes sports hack Michael Hart's description of Arsenal's victory at Old Trafford - presumably phoned to copytakers - may actually be libellous The man in the sheepskin coat filed: 'Ferguson was a disconsolate figure, flinging his chewing come on to the pitchside in disgust.' The image. . . the horror.

Fan with a habit for own goals

MARVELLOUS Mirror front page following Arsenal's triumphant double. Such fulsome tributes to the Gunners were only to be expected - editor Piers Morgan is a rabid fan of the North London team. So much so that a few years ago he persuaded Arsenal's vice chairman, David Dein, to sell him a chunk of the club, listed on the Ofex stock exchange. Piers, remember what happened last time. . .

Another giant of a man for Ulrika

GREAT to see Ulrika's career taking off again after her dalliance with Sven Gali Eriksson. Soon the former weather girl will be seen in an ad luring on an ageing grey-haired man who has brought joy to millions. Nope, not the England manager, but Billy Connolly in a forthcoming TV ad for Camelot . . . sorry Lotto.

Taking liberties with the language

AN INTRIGUING press release from something called the Libertarian Alliance lands on Diary's desk. It opens: 'Responding to criticisms of his media group's "Free Country"campaign, a Telegraph journalist has told Sean Gabb of the Libertarian Alliance to "fuck off".' The Alliance, which describes itself as Britain's most radical civil liberties and free-market policy institute recently inundated hacks with its views, only for ingrate Patrick Barclay, football correspondent for The Sunday Telegraph, to email back: 'Dear Mr Gabb, would you please fuck off, yours very sincerely, Patrick Barclay.' Gabb believes this to be poor behaviour. But hasn't he heard of freedom of speech?

The Daily Tottygraph

EVEN by the Telegraph 's exacting standards, the paper's totty count last Friday was sky-high. Cath Zeta Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer on the front, Sven's Italian squeeze on three, Mariah Carey on six, Sara Cox on nine, Gwyneth on 11, Julia Roberts on 15. . . and that's before we get to the fashion pages.

Hague's spinner simply cannot fail

DIARY is sad to announce it is parting company with its PR company, Brunswick. Having failed to raise this column's profile to that enjoyed by the 3AM girls, we have had to give the firm the boot. We may still work together on special projects, chiefly Diary's long held ambition to buy ITV, but from now on the account passes to Gavin Anderson & Company, whose new chief exec, ex- Sunday Telegraph City editor Neil Bennett, took over last month. Neil, whose PR skills were confirmed helping rebrand William Hague, cannot fail.

Help expose Holborn's orgiastic class

FOLLOWING the Standard 's shocking revelation that 50 'middle-class' couples engaged in a mass orgy in Corts, a Holborn wine bar, while a Telegraph exec looked on, Diary is offering a crate of champers for a name. Two for pic.