Over to Sky's man not on the spot Controversy in China, although, for once, it's not Olympics-related. Some British correspondents are irritated by a recent Sky News report, filed by Asia correspondent Peter Sharp, about the terrorist attack in the province of Kashgar. Sharp visited the region last month - well before it took place - to compile a separate piece about the region which had yet to be screened. Sensibly enough, Sky used footage recorded then as part of Sharp's piece, but the report itself - including a Kashgar 'sign-off' - was filed from Beijing. A senior BBC source describes that as 'slippery', but Sky insists it made it clear their man had not been to the area in the aftermath of the attack. That settles that then.
Red faces down south 'Cameron faces music over think-tank gaffe,' reported the Times last Thursday, after right-wing think-tank the Policy Exchange said large numbers of northerners should up sticks and move down south. That must have made uncomfortable reading for two of the paper's most senior employees; Camilla Cavendish and Alice Thomson. Both are on the Policy Exchange's board of trustees.
Skirting: the issue We are all familiar with the Daily Mail's unique world view, but one contributor was taken aback recently when discussing a photograph to illustrate an article. 'We're a bit old-fashioned here,' she was told. 'Do you mind if you and your daughter both wear skirts?'
Baffled at the Beeb Even by the jargon-ridden standards of the BBC, the new post of 'Head of Knowledge Multiplatform Commissioning' is baffling to the point of nonsense. 'Ayesha Mohideen will lead the multi-platform delivery of the Knowledge strategy for BBC Vision,' reads an announcement on the Beeb's website, 'overseeing a new focus in commissioning activity for all digital platforms, managing the existing multi-platform team and joining the senior management team in BBC Vision's Knowledge commissioning operation.' Does anyone, Mohideen included, really understand all this?
Undeliverance Another set of ABC circulation figures last week, and another sterling performance from the Economist, which now boasts well over 1.3 million readers worldwide. But a production slip-up recently prevented thousands of UK subscribers from receiving their copies on time, prompting a grovelling apology from Yvonne Ossman, the publisher in charge of the UK edition. She suggested those affected buy their copies at newsagents, offering anyone who took up the offer a two-week extension to their annual subscriptions, which must have cost a few bob. It's strangely reassuring to know that even the Economist isn't perfect.
Morgan's organ His new sports column in the Mail on Sunday debuted last week, but Piers Morgan recently turned down a similar gig at the News of The World. One-nil to Associated.
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