PMA tutor Humphrey Evans gave a talk recently to PMA's current crop of postgrad students — including a few words on the value of NUJ membership, some of which PMA student Tori Hunt then wrote up to the PMA Postgrad blog. So what was it that earned her, and Humphrey, a mention in Press Gazette's 'Axegrinder' column, under the headline: 'Axegrinder drugs special'?
It was, of course, all innocent enough. Humphrey was merely commenting on how NUJ members could expect the union to defend them should they be alcoholics or drug-takers: "It would be reasonable to expect the employer to agree for you to go into rehab, rather than be fired," he told the students. Later that day, Tori wrote up the PMA blog, including these — and more comments from Humphrey: "Obviously no-one wants drug-dealers snorting cocaine in the office loos, but let's face it, if you're having to wait around in the cold for your witness to come home, of course you're going to start drinking. It's warm and welcoming." Press Gazette, a fan it seems of the PMA Postgrad site blog, picked up on the comments, and slotted them neatly into its 'Axegrinder drugs special' along with an item about Felix Dennis giving up crack cocaine, and another about a production company searching for journalists to take cannabis and Ecstasy for a month. There was not a single mention of another of Tori's blogged notes from Humphrey's talk — the bit about the NUJ being: "...a den of iniquity that makes the Spectator look like a creche." To read the PMA PG blog, copy and paste: http://blog1636757.123-reg-blogs.co.uk/blog/_archives/2007/7/13/3090428.html#comments Press Gazette's 'Axegrinder' blog is at http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/axegrinder/
