The Guardian and The Observer are in meltdown as journalists have ditched their caramel lattes and very important meetings for the picket line. Over 500 journos voted to strike for 48 hours in protest against plans to flog The Observer to Tortoise Media. The slow-news outfit is reportedly ready to cough up £20 million for the title. The Guardian will be wishing they had those minimum service levels it so passionately campaigned against…
Picket lines have popped up outside Guardian and Observer HQ, with disgruntled hacks waving placards in solidarity. Loyal readers have been warned they may spot some changes midweek, with stories online and in print today and tomorrow pre-written, and some will carry anonymous bylines. Meanwhile, Scott Trust chair Ole Jacob Sunde isn’t backing down. While doffing his cap to the striking hacks, he’s doubling down on the sale:
“I fully respect people’s rights to take industrial action… I am confident that this has been – and continues to be – a detailed and thoughtful process.”
Not sure that’ll calm tensions…
The Guardian’s head honchos are trying to work out how to keep the paper in print on the 4th and 5th of December when the majority of their staff look set to strike over the Observer sale. They’re rattling through the usual strikebreaking tactics…
So far bosses have tried getting HR to innocently ask staff what their plans are for the strike days so they can sort out “contingency plans.” That’s much to the chagrin of the NUJ, which responds by saying hacks “are under no obligation to tell their management of their intentions. We are advising all NUJ members at The Guardian and Observer not to engage with such inappropriate requests from the company.” James Harding’s slow news outlet Tortoise has been busy justifying its attempt to buy the Observer by saying “everyone can see it is heading down a path to irrelevance and, probably sooner rather than later, closure.” Not sure that’ll calm tensions…
Editor Kath Viner is reportedly approaching hacks one-on-one to try to convince them not to strike. The paper might want to start gathering a few spare left-wing hacks to bus through the picket line in two weeks’ time. If only the Guardian had those minimum service levels it so strongly opposed…
It’s a sorry day for the Guardian’s dwindling readership as staff vote in overwhelming numbers to strike over plans to offload The Observer to Tortoise Media – a ‘slow news’ startup that can’t even turn a profit in the good times. A staggering 93% of the 600-strong workforce backed strike action, with 96% supporting measures short of a walkout. Not exactly a stampede to board another sinking ship…
Tortoise boss James Harding has spent years pushing his “centrist dad” brand with help from the BBC and other left-wing outlets. Though even Guardian staff aren’t buying into the Observer sale, promising mass walkouts as early as December if the talks aren’t called off. Staff are worried that loyal readers will be left “betrayed” if the paper is sold off to Tortoise, which has already burnt through £16.3 million since it launched in 2018. No doubt panic-stricken progressives will be distraught if press operations do shut down…
UPDATE: Both Guardian and Observer staff will strike on December 4th and 5th.
The press is piling pressure on Reeves over the LinkedIn CV fiddling Guido exposed last week. Who else to come to Reeves’ rescue than… The Guardian…
The Guardian is in full spin mode over the story. They say Downing Street has defended Reeves “as someone who’s been ‘straight with the public’ in response to claims she embellished her CV.” That is quite the interpretation of the actual quote from the PM’s spokesman, which is diversionary and unrelated to the CV claims:
“This is someone who on coming into office looked under the bonnet and exposed a £22 billion black hole in the public finances, and has been straight with the public about what is necessary to balance the books and restore financial stability in the face of that.”
In reality Downing Street refused to say if Reeves had broken the ministerial code or not and referred hacks to the Treasury’s line from last Friday. Hilariously the Guardian then goes on to wax lyrical over Reeves’ qualifications: “To get a job at the Bank of England as a graduate requires considerable ability, and Reeves has said she turned down a job offer from Goldman Sachs around the same time. Before the general election Mark Carney, a former Bank of England governor, said Reeves was the right person to be next chancellor.” If you’re explaining, you’re losing…
Hilariously the Guardian also claims “Mervyn King, Carney’s predecessor, has also spoken positively about working with Reeves at the Bank when he was in charge.” Its own article proves that to be false – it was Reeves said she had a good time at the bank: “I remember your telling me one day that the reason you enjoyed working at the Bank of England was the opportunity to work with other very bright young people.” Smacking of desperation here…
The paper also claims that “there is no evidence that Reeves has gained any career advantage by people thinking she was working as an economist at HBOS when she was there in a different role.” It’s not like she’s ever mentioned the economist thing before…
The Guardian tells its hundreds of readers, who will no doubt be dismayed, that it is quitting X:
“This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.
Our reporters will also be able to carry on using the site for news-gathering purposes, just as they use other social networks in which we do not officially engage.
Social media can be an important tool for news organisations and help us to reach new audiences but, at this point, X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work. Our journalism is available and open to all on our website and we would prefer people to come to theguardian.com and support our work there.”
De Botton making waves already. The paper finishes with a flourish: “We can do this because our business model does not rely on viral content tailored to the whims of the social media giants’ algorithms.” Translation: We’re not popular anyway…
Guardian editor Katharine Viner has been busy since Trump stormed into the White House. She penned a swift begging article yesterday asking the Guardian’s hundreds of readers to sustain its “well-funded independent journalism”…
In an email to all staff, Viner stresses that “a Trump win could reverberate for a million years.” She says she knows “the result has been very upsetting for many colleagues” and urges UK staff to “contact your American colleagues to offer your support” because “they will be most directly affected by the result.” The Guardian has always been one massive shoulder for panicked progressives to cry on…
Viner goes further and generously offers: “If you want to talk about it, your manager and members of the leadership team are all available, as the People team. There is also free access to free support services, which I’ve outlined at the end of this email.” UK staff can use a 24/7 online GP, mental health support and “virtual wellbeing tools.” Americans have not one but two Employee Assistance Programmes to help. Apparently staff in Australia can get access to “confidential, impartial professional counselling and support to all employees.” For those currently sobbing into their Vegemite sandwhiches…
Something tells Guido all the counselling in the world won’t cure them of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Read Viner’s full email to staff below:
Continue reading “Guardian Offers Free Counselling to Staff After Trump Win”
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”
