February 22nd, 2012
TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2012 /CNW/ – Scotiabank, together with Canadian
Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and Massey College at the
University of Toronto, look forward to welcoming another Latin American
journalist to take part in the eight-month Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism
Fellowship at Massey College at the University of Toronto in 2012-2013.
Now in its third year, this program creates an opportunity for a
mid-career journalist from South America, Central America, the
Caribbean or Mexico to participate in a two-semester fellowship hosted
by Massey College at the University of Toronto.
“As Canada’s most international bank, we work with reporters in many
countries who regularly demonstrate their professionalism and we
commend the contribution that they make to the society around them,
sometimes at great personal risk,” said Sue Graham Parker, Senior Vice
President, Scotiabank Public, Corporate and Public Affairs. “Past
participants in this fellowship have validated the importance of this
kind of opportunity and we are proud to partner with CJFE and Massey
College to make it happen.”
“We see this fellowship as one that is essential to helping increase, as
Canadians, our knowledge of a huge region that has largely been ignored
by North America for too long,” said John Fraser, Master of Massey
College. “With our fine collaboration with Scotiabank and CJFE, this
can only succeed.”
“We are proud to be part of this great partnership and this unique
program, which continues to build awareness and strengthen connections
between journalists in Canada and Latin America,” said Annie Game,
President of CJFE. “We look forward to welcoming the 2012-2013 Fellow
to Toronto, and increasing our understanding of the working conditions
faced by journalists throughout Latin America.”
Run in tandem with the Canadian Journalism Fellowships, the
Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism Fellow has an opportunity to broaden his or
her horizons by spending eight months at Massey College and auditing
courses at the University of Toronto. The Fellowship also provides an
opportunity to forge new connections with the Canadian media, while
expanding on work related to a significant issue, always with a view to
applying this experience upon return to their home country. The
deadline for applications for the 2012-2013 Fellowship is March 2,
2012.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is a Canadian organization founded in 1981 that works to defend and
protect the right to free expression in Canada and around the world.
CJFE champions the free expression rights of journalists and media
workers around the world and is an active participant and builder of
the global free expression community, particularly through its
management of the IFEX Clearing House.
www.cjfe.org
Massey College is the only independent residential college solely for graduate
students in the University of Toronto. Its architect-designed
facilities provide a community for distinguished senior scholars, for
elected graduates who are called Junior Fellows and some eminent
members of the non-academic world. Since its inception in 1963, the
College has also hosted the Journalism Fellowship Program (initially
named the Southam Journalism Fellowships) whereby several mid-career
journalists are annually offered Fellowships allowing them to take a
leave of absence from their work to audit courses of any subject at
University of Toronto and to generally broaden their horizons.
www.masseycollege.ca/
Scotiabank is one of North America’s premier financial institutions and Canada’s
most international bank. With more than 70,000 employees, Scotiabank
Group and its affiliates serve some 18.6 million customers in more than
50 countries around the world. Scotiabank offers a broad range of
products and services including personal, commercial, corporate and
investment banking. With assets above $526 billion (as at October 31,
2010), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (BNS) and New York Exchanges
(BNS). For more information please visit www.scotiabank.com
Posted in Journalism Fellowships | No Comments »
February 21st, 2012
Going mobile: the art of being a one-man-band. Panelists include WUSA TV’s Scott Broom, WTOP’s Neal Augenstein, WBAL Radio’s Robert Lang and (Merrill alum) WHAG TV’s Dawn White
Visual Storytelling: video shooting and editing tips. Panelists include (Merrill’s own) Stan Heist, WBFF reporter Kathleen Cairns and (Merrill alum) Ben Worsley, WBFF photographer
Performance: making the most of your on air presentation. Panelists include WBFF reporter Melinda Roeder and WJLA reporter Jummy Olanbanji
Working the live shot: Instructors include: WJZ reporter Weijia Jiang, WTTG’s Don Watrud, and Jeff Kramer, executive producer for Kramer Communications,
Opening Session: Getting that first job: Panelists include: Mitchell Miller, Assistant News Director, WTOP Radio; Pieter Bickford, Assistant News Director, WHAG TV
Closing Session: Making that resume reel work for you! Students will also have the opportunity to get both individual and group feedback on their resume reels.
REGISTRATION COST: (college and high school students): $15, which includes lunch and a one-year membership in NATAS. That registration fee will double after Friday, Feb. 24 (when early-bird registration ends).
For more details and to register, see: http://www.capitalemmys.tv/face-time-with-the-pros.
Posted in Journalism Tips | No Comments »
February 20th, 2012
London (CNN) — Media magnate Rupert Murdoch traveled to London Friday as he seeks to rein in a crisis over alleged misconduct at the embattled Sun newspaper, part of his huge News Corp. empire.
Murdoch’s visit follows the Saturday arrests of five Sun journalists as part of an inquiry into alleged illegal payments to British police and officials.
In what appeared to be a bid to boost morale, Murdoch told staffers at The Sun — Britain’s best selling newspaper — that the company will launch a Sunday edition of the paper.
Staff at the paper have reacted angrily to the arrests and internal investigations of their journalistic practices, which they have likened to a witch-hunt.
The launch of a Sun on Sunday newspaper to replace the News of the World, a sister paper to The Sun that was shuttered amid a phone-hacking scandal in the summer, had been widely rumored.
However, this is the first time News Corp.’s UK subsidiary, News International, has confirmed the move.
In an e-mail to staff at The Sun, Murdoch said the company would “build on The Sun’s proud heritage by launching The Sun on Sunday very soon.”
He also said he had great respect for the “exceptional journalism” produced by The Sun, but that it must abide by the law.
“My continuing respect makes this situation a source of great pain for me, as I know it is for each of you,” he wrote.
“We will obey the law. Illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated — at any of our publications.”
In a sign of support for the arrested journalists, none of whom have been charged, Murdoch said all suspensions had been lifted and that they could return to work.
News Corp. will cover their legal expenses, he said, adding: “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”
But he made clear that the newspaper could not protect anyone who had paid public officials.
The arrests are part of Operation Elveden, an investigation running in parallel with a police inquiry into alleged phone hacking by the media, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
The five journalists, aged 45 to 68, were arrested at their homes in London, Kent and Essex on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both offenses, police said.
Their arrests followed those of four current and former Sun employees two weeks earlier in connection with the same investigation.
Allegations of payoffs to public officials by Sun employees threaten to bring the UK crisis across the Atlantic to the United States, where the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prevents companies from paying bribes overseas.
“At the moment it appears he is ready to sacrifice the journalists and journalism in London to do whatever it takes to be seen to be cleaning up his act there so that it will play better in the United States,” Andrew Neil, a former editor of Murdoch paper, The Times, told CNN Thursday.
“The consequence of that is quite amazing — The Sun, which is the most loyal newspaper Murdoch has ever owned — now believes it is being hung out to dry and the Sun journalists are turning against them.”
Murdoch’s UK interests only represent a $1.6 billion slice of his $32 billion News Corp. empire, which includes movie studio 20th Century Fox, the Fox Broadcasting Co. and Harper Collins Publishers, as well as The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones newswires.
“This is for Rupert Murdoch no longer about journalism. This is about defending News Corp., his American based parent company, from judicial action and investigation in the United States,” Neil said.
Such actions could put broadcast operations, the most profitable part of the News Corp. operations, in jeopardy, said Porter Bibb of Mediatech Capital Partners in New York.
“If it can be proven that anybody working for News Corp. bribed or gave money to an official of a foreign government — i.e. the UK — that’s a clear violation and the Justice Department will start the wheels in motion, and I think that’s what Rupert Murdoch has been gearing up for in the past few months,” Bibb said.
Following the arrests, Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corp, assured an executive he would continue to own and publish The Sun newspaper, according to an internal staff memo sent by News International Chief Executive Tom Mockridge.
Mockridge also said he was “very saddened” by the arrests of deputy editor Geoff Webster, picture editor John Edwards, chief reporter John Kay, chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker and John Sturgis, who is a news editor.
Analysis: Murdoch empire – and journalism – on the line
News Corp. said in a statement last Saturday that it “remains committed to ensuring that unacceptable news gathering practices by individuals in the past will not be repeated.”
News Corp.’s Management and Standards Committee, set up in the wake of the scandal that engulfed the News of the World tabloid, provided the information to police that led to the arrests.
The move prompted fury among many reporters at the paper.
Trevor Kavanagh, associate editor of The Sun, wrote a column Monday in which he said the paper’s journalists were being subjected to a “witch-hunt.”
“The Sun is not a ‘swamp’ that needs draining. Nor are those other great News International titles, The Times and The Sunday Times,” he wrote.
“Yet in what would at any other time cause uproar in Parliament and among civil liberty and human rights campaigners, its journalists are being treated like members of an organized crime gang.”
He said it was right police inquiries are carried out separately from the journalists under investigation.
But he added: “It is also important our parent company, News Corp, protects its reputation in the United States and the interests of its shareholders. But some of the greatest legends in Fleet Street have been held, at least on the basis of evidence so far revealed, for simply doing their jobs as journalists on behalf of the company.”
Murdoch may be hoping his visit to London will lessen the anger felt by staff at The Sun, Britain’s best-selling newspaper. Editor Dominic Mohan has said the paper has a readership of more than 7.7 million.
The arrests of the Sun employees comes after Murdoch-owned newspaper News of the World was alleged to have hacked into private voice mails of a wide range of public officials, celebrities and victims of crime.
The phone-hacking scandal prompted Murdoch’s son, News Corp. executive James Murdoch, to shut down News of the World in July. The best-selling British newspaper was 168 years old.
So far, News Corp. and its subsidiary companies have paid more than $200 million in legal fees and settlement of 59 of 60 lawsuits filed over phone hacking claims.
James Murdoch is facing new e-mail evidence that would have made him aware of widespread phone-hacking at the newspaper. The younger Murdoch has appeared twice before UK. lawmakers and said he had no knowledge of the practice.
CNN’s Kevin Voight and Bharati Naik contributed to this report.
Posted in Journalism | No Comments »
February 20th, 2012
Editor’s note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
Anthony Shadid’s death inspired much conversation from our readers. Shadid, 43, died Thursday of an apparent asthma attack while reporting in eastern Syria, according to The New York Times.
New York Times reporter dies in Syria
One reader wrote in to share their admiration of Shadid’s work.
shakti1111: “The world has lost a very talented and extremely dedicated reporter. My condolences go out to Anthony’s wife, children, family and friends. As someone who worked side-by-side with Anthony on the editorial staff of our college newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin, it was clear from his very first news reporting that Anthony was destined for bigger issues than the city council. That he chose to commit himself to bringing untold stories to light, providing voice for the voiceless, bringing the intricacies of the modern Middle East into focus for the rest of the world, only shows his noble spirit and tremendous character. May he be remembered for his outstanding contributions to journalism and great authenticity as a person.”
This reader said they don’t want to see outsiders getting too involved in Syria.
Sargemdf: “I’m sorry the man died; but I have to ask why do American reporters always feel that they need to go to the very region where we are hated so much just for a so-called story? We should never again send any American troops into any Arab country. Let them work the situation our among themselves. If we go, we are hated. If we stay out, we are hated. So why waste one American life for those people?”
Several readers referenced the cameraman who carried Shadid’s body out of Syria.
thr2: ”The man was reporting, which was his job. He was a Pulitzer Prize winner. His cameraman carried his body across the border, obviously showing his love for his co-worker. Why would dying of asthma be different than dying from being shot?”
Graced: ”This man – and his comrades in real journalism – have been responsible for bringing the truth to the world when hideous regimes would have it hidden. Thank God he had the courage and desire to show the rest of the world the problems that exist. Rest in peace, and condolences/prayers to his family. And a heartfelt thanks to the photographer who made the trek with his body.”
Some of the commenters noted the death was not a result of violence or conflict.
svscnn: ”He wasn’t ‘killed’ by anything other than a congenital lung disease.”
Another reader said they don’t agree with everything they see in the newspaper, but they still respect Shadid’s work.
upsetinCA: “The life lost of a reporter trying to shed light on the darkness of the situation in Syria is very sad. Some of us know how to separate the two. Thanks … RIP Anthony.”
The same reader added:
“Asthma can kill. Most attacks are minor, but I’ve had friends and family hospitalized because of severe attacks. Your airway muscles freeze. I don’t see how you can say it’s not fatal when a person’s body is starved of oxygen. Put your head underwater for 10 minutes and tell me how it goes – same thing.”
Indeed, many people responding to the story talked about the challenges of asthma.
RationalDoc: “Horses can be a strong allergen for some people. I have patients in my practice who cannot get near them. He may not have previously been diagnosed with this particular allergy which triggered his previously known asthma. And, his first exposure may have caused a further sensitization such that his second exposure was all the more fulminant.”
lokester: “Thanks, Doc. I have very little experience with/knowledge of acute asthma. I’ve always wondered when patients who are aware of their condition, and presumably in possession of medications to stave off emergency attacks, die as a result of an asthma episode. Are sudden attacks which resist emergency treatment a real possibility? Could a patient like Mr. Shadid suddenly experience so profound an attack as to expire in spite of his access to medications?”
This Canadian reader shared their condolences.
MarcfromNB: “Reminds me of my own condition I suffer, though I keep in good shape and think mine is relatively mild, you never know. There is a reason the military doesn’t let people with asthma in, even though I would’ve loved to have been in the army. Guess I will have to settle through servitude through science then …”
Location makes a difference, according to this reader.
BOBDELROSSO: ”If he had the asthma attack in New York, he would probably still be alive today. “
What do you think? Share your opinion in the comments area below and in the latest stories on CNN.com. Or sound off on video via CNN iReport.
Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.
Posted in Journalism | No Comments »
February 20th, 2012
I have been tweeting on and on about the pathetic waste of time that is the LA Times “investigative” report – “Umasking The Academy” – on The Academy’s membership.
The whole enterprise speaks to everything that is now wrong with entertainment journalism and why no one in the film industry but Oscar advertisers and employees really care whether the LAT continues to cover this industry. I’ve already gotten into a conversation in public with someone I respect about whether this survey adds anything to the conversation. He felt it was factual, therefore of value. I feel that it is a massive waste of hours and resources by a paper that refuses to get serious about industry coverage, even though they have a large, experienced, and talented staff.
But I’ll restrain myself for the moment and focus on the lead of one of the four packages… as this is what pissed me off first and most profoundly…
“Which two of these four entertainment names — Woody Allen, George Lucas, Meat Loaf, Erik Estrada — are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences?
It’d be understandable if you guessed Allen and Lucas: The directors made such classics as “Annie Hall” and “Star Wars.”
But neither filmmaker is a member.
On the other hand, the man known for sweating on stage performing “Bat Out of Hell” and the 1970s pinup who as Frank “Ponch” Poncherello in “CHiPs” fought freeway mayhem while wearing oversized sunglasses and a tight uniform have been ensconced for years (both in the actors branch).”
So we’re mocking Meatloaf and Erik Estrada here, right? Unnecessary and cheap. Mean spirited. And though they do get into when Meatloaf was invited to join – while not mentioning that in the same year, he was heavily buzzed for a Supporting Actor nod for Fight Club – they don’t get into Estrada’s entry… and only one of the other eight members they bring up for mockery.
And back to Meatloaf… they add this shitty slap, “Meat Loaf, who noted that “War Horse” was his favorite movie of 2011 because it made him cry five times.” Seriously… fuck off. This is the scummy way of writing stories… mock and then try to cheap shot people though smirky associations, even though many people probably cried 5 times in War Horse. If you wouldn’t laugh in Meat Loaf’s face when he said it and face the consequences, it’s cowardly and lame to throw it in there as an attempted cheap shot.
Oh yeah… and Woody Allen and George Lucas, used for the shock gag opposite Meat Loaf and Estrada… both passed on Academy membership. So what’s the point? It’s such a cheap game! The hypothesis is that the wrong people are in The Academy… but it’s not because Meat Loaf took Woody Allen’s spot or that The Academy is taking Meat Loaf because they can’t get Woody Allen. It’s NOTHING but a cheap, lazy device. And it’s embarrassing that the LAT needs to stoop to that.
I often say that in 95% of docs in which a quality, experienced documentarian whose device isn’t being a part of the story shows up in the doc, it means that they didn’t get the story they were after… they failed to nail it. Same is true with this kind of cheap spin. If there was really a story there, they wouldn’t have to resort to insulting .2% of the Academy or spinning an angle behind two guys who passed on membership. Epic big paper fail.
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February 19th, 2012
TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2012 /CNW/ – Scotiabank, together with Canadian
Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and Massey College at the
University of Toronto, look forward to welcoming another Latin American
journalist to take part in the eight-month Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism
Fellowship at Massey College at the University of Toronto in 2012-2013.
Now in its third year, this program creates an opportunity for a
mid-career journalist from South America, Central America, the
Caribbean or Mexico to participate in a two-semester fellowship hosted
by Massey College at the University of Toronto.
“As Canada’s most international bank, we work with reporters in many
countries who regularly demonstrate their professionalism and we
commend the contribution that they make to the society around them,
sometimes at great personal risk,” said Sue Graham Parker, Senior Vice
President, Scotiabank Public, Corporate and Public Affairs. “Past
participants in this fellowship have validated the importance of this
kind of opportunity and we are proud to partner with CJFE and Massey
College to make it happen.”
“We see this fellowship as one that is essential to helping increase, as
Canadians, our knowledge of a huge region that has largely been ignored
by North America for too long,” said John Fraser, Master of Massey
College. “With our fine collaboration with Scotiabank and CJFE, this
can only succeed.”
“We are proud to be part of this great partnership and this unique
program, which continues to build awareness and strengthen connections
between journalists in Canada and Latin America,” said Annie Game,
President of CJFE. “We look forward to welcoming the 2012-2013 Fellow
to Toronto, and increasing our understanding of the working conditions
faced by journalists throughout Latin America.”
Run in tandem with the Canadian Journalism Fellowships, the
Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism Fellow has an opportunity to broaden his or
her horizons by spending eight months at Massey College and auditing
courses at the University of Toronto. The Fellowship also provides an
opportunity to forge new connections with the Canadian media, while
expanding on work related to a significant issue, always with a view to
applying this experience upon return to their home country. The
deadline for applications for the 2012-2013 Fellowship is March 2,
2012.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is a Canadian organization founded in 1981 that works to defend and
protect the right to free expression in Canada and around the world.
CJFE champions the free expression rights of journalists and media
workers around the world and is an active participant and builder of
the global free expression community, particularly through its
management of the IFEX Clearing House.
www.cjfe.org
Massey College is the only independent residential college solely for graduate
students in the University of Toronto. Its architect-designed
facilities provide a community for distinguished senior scholars, for
elected graduates who are called Junior Fellows and some eminent
members of the non-academic world. Since its inception in 1963, the
College has also hosted the Journalism Fellowship Program (initially
named the Southam Journalism Fellowships) whereby several mid-career
journalists are annually offered Fellowships allowing them to take a
leave of absence from their work to audit courses of any subject at
University of Toronto and to generally broaden their horizons.
www.masseycollege.ca/
Scotiabank is one of North America’s premier financial institutions and Canada’s
most international bank. With more than 70,000 employees, Scotiabank
Group and its affiliates serve some 18.6 million customers in more than
50 countries around the world. Scotiabank offers a broad range of
products and services including personal, commercial, corporate and
investment banking. With assets above $526 billion (as at October 31,
2010), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (BNS) and New York Exchanges
(BNS). For more information please visit www.scotiabank.com
Posted in Journalism Fellowships | No Comments »
February 18th, 2012
Xconomy’s national biotech editor, Luke Timmerman, has won a national award for column-writing from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. It’s the first national journalism award for Xconomy, which was founded in 2007 and now operates a six-city network of news sites focused on business innovation.
The award is for Luke’s weekly BioBeat column, which he started writing a year ago to give an analytical take on life sciences news and trends. Judges looked at five different columns, three from dates selected at random by the organization, to determine the winners.
There were three, unranked winners overall in the category of best column for digital media outlets with fewer than 500,000 unique visitors per month. Joining Luke in winning honors were Jesse Eisinger of ProPublica, for The Trade Columns, and a team from Reuters, for columns from Breakingviews.
“This is a much-deserved award for Luke and fantastic recognition for Xconomy as a growing young media company dedicated to great journalism,” says Bob Buderi, our CEO. “Luke’s BioBeat column has become a must read for leaders in the biotech industry and Big Pharma, as he has created a national following by providing thoughtful and insightful perspective on some of the biggest and toughest issues the industry faces. We’re extremely proud of him.”
There were more than 200 winners in nearly 90 categories in the competition, which also includes honors for newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters. There were more than 1,000 entries vying for this year’s awards.
SABEW said leading national winners included Bloomberg News and GlobalPost, which collected nine wins each, and CNNMoney.com and the Financial Times, with seven wins each.
Curt Woodward is senior editor at Xconomy Seattle. Reach me at cwoodward@xconomy.com. Get story feeds and more on Twitter @curtwoodward and Facebook on.fb.me/curtwoodward.
Posted in Journalism | No Comments »
February 18th, 2012
The Guardian newspaper has organized a panel discussion in the United Arab Emirates featuring Arab bloggers.
Bloggers include Issandr El Amrani of The Arabist and Mohammad El Dahshan who blogs at Traveller Within.
The panel will take place on March 4 at 5:00 p.m. in Dubai.
Panelists will discuss the new ways to deliver the news and the best ways to blend old fashioned reporting with today’s real-time world. It will also discuss weather the current ways of telling stories is trustworthy and true.
Katharine Viner, The Guardian’s deputy editor, will moderate the debate.
The debate will run as part of Dubai International Advertising Festival, Dubai Lynx 2012.
Click here for more information.
Posted in Journalism Tips | No Comments »
February 16th, 2012
15 February 2012
Last updated at 08:09 ET
Even though we knew it was coming, the shock of Rangers being placed in administration reverberates well beyond Ibrox.
At least three clubs await significant payments from Rangers for transfers and gate receipts – Dunfermline, Hearts and Dundee United – and they will have to take their place in the queue of creditors.
But what about the broadcast rights? The rights for radio coverage of the SPL for next season onwards are being re-negotiated. The finances of the commercial radio stations have not been that great anyway, so they may choose not to roll over their arrangements.
The BBC has the national rights package for radio commentary, online and TV highlights, and the uncertainty over Rangers’ future puts the corporation in a stronger negotiating position for next season’s deal.
The big money is in live TV rights, which Sky and ESPN have already signed off from the start of next season – worth £80m for five years.
But a former SPL chief executive has told BBC Scotland that the contract is likely to include a break clause if the Old Firm clubs are not in a position to participate at the start of next season.
So if Rangers finds there’s a long delay in getting out of administration, and its role in the SPL is in doubt, there could be doubt about that TV rights deal going ahead. And of course, that affects other clubs who depend on income from that contract.
If you stretch that hypothetical a bit further, it gives the other clubs an incentive to fast-track New Rangers (or Rangers Lite?) into the SPL for the start of next season.
It’s the most obvious illustration of how much other clubs need the club to be revived, including its arch-rival at Parkhead.
‘Mind-boggling and shocking’
As I write, fans are protesting outside Ibrox. They’ve had trouble with an inflatable banner, which is a metaphor for something, but I’m not yet sure what. The banner calls for answers from Craig Whyte.
Let’s gloss over the fact that my colleagues in the BBC newsroom’s investigations department have been asking questions of Mr Whyte’s business practices for rather longer, and getting roundly abused by fans for doing so.
Let’s look instead at the blame game. The choice is either to condemn former chairman Sir David Murray for overspending, building up debt and trying to get round tax liability by paying players through an offshore trust, or to blame Craig Whyte.
The evidence from yesterday’s revelations make it clear that they can share the blame.
Sir David’s legacy is well known, and has been blamed by Craig Whyte. But we now know that Craig Whyte has deducted PAYE income tax from payroll, and not passed it on to HMRC, while VAT has also built up, to a total of around £9m.
That’s a rate of £1m per month additional back tax for every month that he’s been in charge. Breathtaking.
Or as Alastair Johnston, the former chairman says, yesterday’s events were “mind-boggling and quite shocking”.
Blame game
He’s been on BBC 5Live, giving an explanation of the larger tax bill which I had only heard portions of before. This is the £49m or so, which HM Revenue and Customs say they’re owed for player payments paid through an offshore Employee Benefit Trust.
Asked if HMRC had said in the past that such an arrangement was OK with them, he made it clear that the tax authorities had not approved it. Instead, this was an arrangement strictly between Sir David Murray and the top players.
It was “orchestrated by Murray, all negotiations and interfacing was by Murray. Even after I became chairman, all negotiations came from Murray, with his advisers and financial people”.
Mr Johnston said Sir David appeared to be taking the very best advice, from barristers and lawyers, and was confident the offshore payment arrangement would stand up to scrutiny.
You can conclude two things from this. The former directors are clearly pinning the blame for the ‘big tax bill’ on Sir David, but conversely, it looks like they were failing in their duty to protect the interests of the club and those who own the remaining 15% of shares.
Profoundly unhealthy
It’s not hard to see why that happened. Sir David was ruthless in his use of power at the club, and it wasn’t wise to challenge him or question him too closely.
This has been particularly clear to sports journalists across the media, for whom administration at Rangers may seem like a liberation. Anyone covering sports is under pressure to kow-tow to those who control the top football clubs. That doesn’t only mean Sir David, and it doesn’t only mean Rangers.
The big clubs know the sports media need access, and they control it to their advantage. Not being a sports journalist, it rarely affected me.
So I can say with some detachment that relationships have not been in the interests of good, open, inquiring journalism. And as the fans outside Ibrox today now know, it’s not in the interests of fans to rely on club managers to tell it straight.
This has been a profoundly unhealthy relationship. And while there are many hopes that good can come out of the Rangers financial debacle – including a rejuvenated, financially healthy club – this may be a time to set a course for a more open approach.
Posted in Top Journalism | No Comments »
February 16th, 2012
OTTAWA, Feb. 15, 2012 /CNW/ – The Michener Awards Foundation today
issued a “last call” to journalists for applications for its new
education fellowship – as well as a fellowship for investigative
reporting and the prestigious annual Michener Award. The deadline for
all three is February 24, 2012.
For the first time, the foundation is funding a fellowship dedicated to
education. It will support a journalist-in-residence for a semester in
a recognized Canadian journalism department. This is in addition to
the Michener-Deacon Fellowship for Investigative Journalism that
supports a reporting project on issues that serve the public interest.
Both fellowships provide $30,000 and $5,000 in expenses to a successful
applicant.
The foundation administers the Michener Award for Journalism that makes
a significant impact for the public good. Since it was established in
1970 by Governor General Roland Michener, the award has been recognized
as Canada’s premier honour for investigative journalism that achieves
results in public policy or in the lives of Canadians.
The fellowship winners will be announced in May and presented by The
Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at a
ceremony in Ottawa on June 12 when the winner of the Michener Award
will also be announced.
Posted in Journalism Fellowships | No Comments »
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