Difference between revisions of "Roger Alton"
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| − | '''Roger Alton''' was the editor (1998–2007) of The Observer, in April 2008, he was appointed senior editor of the Independent (seemingly in line to replace Simon Kelner -- who at the time was | + | '''Roger Alton''' was the editor (1998–2007) of ''The Observer'', in April 2008, he was appointed senior editor of the ''Independent'' (seemingly in line to replace Simon Kelner -- who at the time was 'editor-in-chief'. <ref>Stephen Glover, '[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/comment/stephen-glover/stephen-glover-on-the-press-808594.html Onward, upward: the road Mr. Alton should follow]', ''Independent'', 14 April 2008.</ref> And about his role: |
| − | :Is Mr Alton the right man for the job? He was a very successful editor of The Observer, but he tended to take that paper a shade downmarket. He should do the opposite with The Independent. Mr Kelner is evidently going to burnish the brand so that the paper is again seen as the fashionable, must-read accessory of the intellectual elite. If Mr Alton produces an exciting and upmarket newspaper, they could be in business.<ref>ibid.</ref> | + | :Is Mr Alton the right man for the job? He was a very successful editor of ''The Observer'', but he tended to take that paper a shade downmarket. He should do the opposite with The Independent. Mr Kelner is evidently going to burnish the brand so that the paper is again seen as the fashionable, must-read accessory of the intellectual elite. If Mr Alton produces an exciting and upmarket newspaper, they could be in business. <ref>ibid.</ref> |
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| + | =='Lobbying hard for war'== | ||
| + | In February 2003, the ''Independent'' columnist [[Johann Hari]] (who has since apologised for his pro-war stance <ref>Johann Hari, [http://www.johannhari.com/archive/article.php?id=831 After three years, after 150,000 dead, why I was wrong about Iraq], JohannHari.com, 18 March 2006</ref>) identified Alton as one of a group of centre-left figures 'lobbying hard' for the US/UK invasion of Iraq: | ||
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| + | <blockquote style="background-color:ivory;border:1pt solid Darkgoldenrod;padding:1%;font-size:10pt">A year ago, the proposals for a second Gulf War seemed very much the brainchild of the American right. The intellectual arguments backing the conflict emerged almost entirely from hard-right US think-tanks and senators. But then, a funny thing happened: a significant portion of the dissident left began to come out, in dribs and drabs, for overthrowing Saddam by force. There is now a considerable school of British centre-left thinkers and commentators who are lobbying hard for war, so that the Iraqi people can be freed: [[Christopher Hitchens]], [[Nick Cohen]], [[John Lloyd]], [[Julie Burchill]], Roger Alton and [[David Aaronovitch]].<ref>Johann Hari, ‘[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/whose-side-are-you-on-598732.html Whose side are you on?]’, ''Independent'', 25 February 2003</ref></blockquote> | ||
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| + | ==Views== | ||
| + | On Tony Blair: | ||
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| + | <blockquote style="background-color:ivory;border:1pt solid Darkgoldenrod;padding:1%;font-size:10pt">'''You've been one of Fleet Street's most loyal supporters of Tony Blair. How do you feel about him now?'''<p>I think he's a very good prime minister and an exceptional politician who will be much missed when he's gone. Some of the hostility to him is quite baffling. I just can't understand it. It doesn't logically relate to things - I mean, if you think of civil partnerships, the minimum wage, improvements in health ...</p><p>'''Aren't we forgetting Iraq?'''</p><p>Well, you can rerun the tapes and cuttings but personally I can't find any kind of point of view which says the world would be a better place if Saddam Hussein was in power. <ref>Jane Thynne, '[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/roger-alton--the-guardian-of-old-fleet-street-424838.html Roger Alton - The guardian of old Fleet Street]', ''Independent on Sunday'', 19 November 2006</ref></p></blockquote> | ||
==Contact, References and Resources== | ==Contact, References and Resources== | ||
===Contact=== | ===Contact=== | ||
===Resources=== | ===Resources=== | ||
| + | *Media Lens, [http://www.medialens.org/alerts/08/080429_flexible_friends_the.php Flexible Friends - The Observer, The Independent, and The Myth of a Media Spectrum], 29 April 2008 | ||
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===References=== | ===References=== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Journalists|Alton, Roger]] | [[Category:Journalists|Alton, Roger]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:14, 22 September 2009
Roger Alton was the editor (1998–2007) of The Observer, in April 2008, he was appointed senior editor of the Independent (seemingly in line to replace Simon Kelner -- who at the time was 'editor-in-chief'. [1] And about his role:
- Is Mr Alton the right man for the job? He was a very successful editor of The Observer, but he tended to take that paper a shade downmarket. He should do the opposite with The Independent. Mr Kelner is evidently going to burnish the brand so that the paper is again seen as the fashionable, must-read accessory of the intellectual elite. If Mr Alton produces an exciting and upmarket newspaper, they could be in business. [2]
Contents
'Lobbying hard for war'
In February 2003, the Independent columnist Johann Hari (who has since apologised for his pro-war stance [3]) identified Alton as one of a group of centre-left figures 'lobbying hard' for the US/UK invasion of Iraq:
A year ago, the proposals for a second Gulf War seemed very much the brainchild of the American right. The intellectual arguments backing the conflict emerged almost entirely from hard-right US think-tanks and senators. But then, a funny thing happened: a significant portion of the dissident left began to come out, in dribs and drabs, for overthrowing Saddam by force. There is now a considerable school of British centre-left thinkers and commentators who are lobbying hard for war, so that the Iraqi people can be freed: Christopher Hitchens, Nick Cohen, John Lloyd, Julie Burchill, Roger Alton and David Aaronovitch.[4]
Views
On Tony Blair:
You've been one of Fleet Street's most loyal supporters of Tony Blair. How do you feel about him now?
I think he's a very good prime minister and an exceptional politician who will be much missed when he's gone. Some of the hostility to him is quite baffling. I just can't understand it. It doesn't logically relate to things - I mean, if you think of civil partnerships, the minimum wage, improvements in health ...
Aren't we forgetting Iraq?
Well, you can rerun the tapes and cuttings but personally I can't find any kind of point of view which says the world would be a better place if Saddam Hussein was in power. [5]
Contact, References and Resources
Contact
Resources
- Media Lens, Flexible Friends - The Observer, The Independent, and The Myth of a Media Spectrum, 29 April 2008
References
- ↑ Stephen Glover, 'Onward, upward: the road Mr. Alton should follow', Independent, 14 April 2008.
- ↑ ibid.
- ↑ Johann Hari, After three years, after 150,000 dead, why I was wrong about Iraq, JohannHari.com, 18 March 2006
- ↑ Johann Hari, ‘Whose side are you on?’, Independent, 25 February 2003
- ↑ Jane Thynne, 'Roger Alton - The guardian of old Fleet Street', Independent on Sunday, 19 November 2006
