Festive Cheer

CHRISTMAS wouldn’t be the same at a newspaper without tighter-than-tight deadlines. The week before the main event we were writing for three papers instead of the usual two before the week was out. All the while planning for the fourth.
I’m sure it’s the same everywhere, but you notice as a reader that dailies come out as they always do, only they look leaner and so are faster to get through.
But the news journalists can’t really write in advance so their deadlines are still daily – albeit earlier on in the day.
For those of us on weeklies we have to ensure that we get our dates in the right order so that we’re clear about when things are happening. This isn’t always easy when you’re writing for several papers at the same time that come out on different days, about stuff before it happened, when the readers will see the paper after it has. Confused? There were moments we were too.
But it was all quite funny really.
The layout-plans for the final paper that we are to produce during this writing-with-no-sense-of real-time situation, will come out today at midday for us to fill.
And I'm just starting to get the hang of this time-warp just when it's all over.
But hey -good practice for the same again next year I guess.
Happy Winterville and a merry new year!

Benazir Bhutto Assassinated

BENAZIR Bhutto was killed today. Assassinated.

A bomb exploded next to the vehicle she was in during a rally in Rawalpindi in a gun and suicide bomb attack.
There’ve been several attempts on the Pakistan opposition leader's life before, which is why she's been living in exhile and only returned to her home-country in October.

She's renowned for wearing a bullet-proof vest in public.
Well, somebody got her in the end.
For her supporters it will be a sad loss - some of whom might seek revenge.
For those that hate her, it will be an utter triumph.

I’d say it must be pretty sad to know that there are a hefty number in the latter camp, which leads to you having to wear a protective armour in the first place.
But there you go.
It was breaking hard stuff that flashed onto our computer screens in the newsroom today and stopped me still - only for a brief moment though.
Then I rushed to put the television on.
We all looked on in silence and intrigue.

Before postponing our interest for a couple of hours in order to do our own stories.

Pakistan was a country already in political crisis.

Now things are likely to flare up even more.
Ongoing reports will continue anon no doubt.

It'll be on all the fronts tomorrow.

And I am poised to see what unfolds.

Tis the season to feel heavy

POST Crimbo and there are many people who may be feeling worse for wear having succumbed a notch too far during the season of indulging in too much of everything, leaving them sitting around feeling like sackfuls of cement, unable to move.
Not so for the four of us covering the office over the holiday period.
Things have been quiet back at the ranch.
A woman from the advertising department said: “It’s like a morgue”, and groaned.
I quite like it.
There’s a ghostly feel in the air, with a mischievous tinge to it – as though we shouldn’t be there. Then the phone rings and it’s obvious why we are.
It’s like feeling a fluttering breeze after the frenzied storm we swept through last week.
A time to wind down, reflect on a messy desk and find those scoops to fire off come the new year.

Quotes of the year - 2007

A FEW, as foraged from today's Guardian:

The fear of missing out means today's media, more than ever before, hunts in a pack. In these modes it is like a feral beast, just tearing people and reputations to bits.

(Former Prime Minister) Tony Blair

Newspapers have a good future. A laptop runs out of battery and you can't tuck it under your arm.

Google co-founder Larry Page

I have never acted on a press release or gone out to dinner with a PR. I think PR is a ridiculous job. They are the headlice of civilisation.

Journalist and food writer AA Gill

You have all let me down. You are a disgrace.

The Sun editor, Rebekah Wade emails her staff after the Daily Mirror got a Pete Doherty scoop

The only people who wear ties daily are male politicians and reporters and dodgy estate agents.

BBC journalist Jeremy Paxman

I've had worse press than a paedophile or a murderer, and I've done nothing but charity for 20 years.

Heather Mills McCartney on GMTV