Paxo on the naughty step

The Independent's John Rentoul seems to relish the thought of BBC Director of News, Helen Boaden, giving Jeremy Paxman a ticking off.  The paper has copies of correspondence between Helen and one Stan Rosenthal, who complained about a Paxo piece in the Guardian last November.  It was a commentary on his chosen "Photograph of the Decade", an AP shot of the huge statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled in downtown Bagdad. Helen tells Stan it's a fair cop.

"There are two aspects of your complaint which I do wish to uphold.  I do not think it was appropriate for the article to refer to “the initial lies that took us to war”. Given that we do not know the truth about what lies may or may not have been told, we cannot attribute such a motive to Tony Blair’s government and making such an unequivocal statement gives a partial impression.  It should indeed have been phrased differently....  I also agree with you that it sounds somewhat sneering to refer to “little George Bush” and I don’t think that Jeremy Paxman would have said that on air.  I think the references to “Tony Blair’s striding around with his new best friend” and “the excruciating ‘ball crushing jeans’” are borderline in terms of tone.


Indeed, had he asked for approval for this article, we would have asked him to change some elements.  I shall be drawing his attention to my view of aspects of this article and will remind him of the need to appear impartial at all times while retaining his much admired and valued iconoclastic style. I shall also remind him of the need to seek approval from the Head of Department before publication of such articles."


One has some sympathy with Paxo - at least as far as the piece might have slipped under the wire; it was part of a celebrity series, in the Culture/Art & Design section, with other photos selected by luminaries such as Philip Pullman, Germaine Greer and Will Self.  Not a big earner - and one of only four from the Paxo pen over the last 12 months.  The others were clearly less controversial - "My Hero: The BBC World Service", a review of a Jonathan Coe novel, and a dyspeptic outburst, "Litter: our legacy to future generations". Elsewhere at BBC News, John Humphrys supplements his Today and Mastermind earnings more systematically, with around 15 pieces, none short, over the past 12 months, giving the "Head of Department" much more to read and approve.

More interesting, perhaps, in this case, is the closeness of spirit between John Rentoul and Stan Rosenthal, explained in this piece by John.   Angry Stan is still not happy; he's asking the BBC Trust to deliver "a more forthright and public verdict" against the presenter.  Presumably to get wider coverage than that afforded by John Rentoul.