Hacking book: did Dickens pay the police for stories in his magazine?
Today's extract from The phone hacking scandal: journalism on trial* is a fascinating history lesson by John Tulloch, head of Lincoln university's school of journalism.He takes us on a journey back to the 19th century to explore the origins of the rel...
‘They tell me print is dead – but…’
If you have three minutes to spare, then you might like this. It's a poem-cum-rap about print not dying. There is an agenda, however. It was made for a company called Ink, which produces inflight magazines for airlines.Here's a sample of what you'll he...
Editor courts controversy with book on Islamic immigration
Danny Lockwood, an editor and publisher, has courted controversy by writing a book with a provocative title, The Islamic Republic of Dewsbury.It is a blunt assault on multi-culturalism seen through the prism of his experience of immigration in the town...
Hacking book – what happened at Wapping and what is to be done?
There are going to be many books about the News of the World phone hacking scandal. I'm particularly looking forward to two currently being written by Nick Davies and Tom Watson MP.But I want to extol the virtues of a book that's already been published...
Penguin and The Economist form partnership
Penguin has gone into partnership with The Economist. The book publisher's digital series of exclusive short works, known as Penguin Shorts, is to publish a collection of reports entitled Penguin Economist Specials. The reports, originally written for...
Hitchens – inspirational and infuriating
Christopher Hitchens managed to be both inspirational and infuriating company. Inspirational because of his wit and his ability in discussions to adopt a counter-intuitive position and argue it with vigour even when it became obvious he believed the op...
Leveson inquiry: why journalists should cry – and visit the prayer room
Evidence given to the Leveson inquiry last week appalled many veteran journalists. Among them was John Dale - a former national newspaper reporter and magazine editor - who wrote on the gentlemenranters site of "journalistic corruption and debasement" ...
news of t
Well, someone was bound to do it - and it is probably better that it came from a writer who knows of what he writes. Step forward Matthew Engel, once of this parish and now with the Financial Times. In his article today, Why we will miss the Screws, he...
Leveson inquiry: embarrassed tabloids pass the buck in their coverage
Tabloids are unused to practising self-criticism so their coverage of the Leveson inquiry hearings has resulted in fascinating buck-passing exercises. Every other paper dunnit except us, your honour. The reports have been given proportionately little s...
South Africa moves closer to enacting state secrecy law
South Africa's parliament has approved a contentious bill to protect state secrets that will severely constrict press freedom.It will hamper the ability of journalists to report on any information that the Johannesburg government deems to be secret.The...
Book that explains Gaddafi’s crazy life and brutal death