Daily Mail libel threat provides larger audience for blogger

Interesting to see that the Daily Mail's Paul Dacre is as keen to threaten a libel action as the average celeb.

As Roy Greenslade's blogpost Daily Mail threatens 'abusive' blogger with libel action points out the threat of action will serve only to bring the blogger's original post to the attention of a wider audience.

I always think people in the public eye should consider PR as much as legal principle when deciding whether to sue for libel.

Also, here's a quick reminder of what libel is from the folk at useful resource, Law on the Web.

New defamation bill could make things worse...

If you're interested in current debate on libel and defamation, this story on www.journalism.co.uk story is worth a look.

New defamation bill could make things worse, warns Civil Justice Council

Meanwhile Index on Censorship offers a rare opportunity to read an interview with Justice Eady, this time on privacy, by BBC legal correspondent Joshua Rozenberg.

Interviewing tips for journalists

You can find a series of interesting tips on conducting different types of interview over at Wannabehacks, covering:

• Face to face interviewing
• Phone interviews
• E-mail interviews

Use silence
One of the tips I strongly support is not being afraid to hold a silence for a few seconds once you've asked a question.  The interviewee may well fill that pause with an extra comment - maybe something they shouldn't really have said.

Listen and observe
Another tip I'd add is that good interviewing is about listening and observing. 

Listen to what the interviewee is telling you and ask supplementary questions based on their answer. You'll be able to examine the issue in more detail, which means you'll probably get more useful quotes and information.

Look at - and/or listen to - how they answer too. Body language and speed and tone of speech can also give you a few clues as to whether you've hit on an interesting and/or sensitive topic.

Proof reading error...

Fab proof-reading error tweeted by @timwalker and RT'd by @kate_day.

There but for the grace of God go all of us...

When we read, we scan.  That's why it's easy to miss stuff when you're proofing.

A few quick proof reading tips:

• Always check large type eg headlines, titles closely.
• It's easy to scan over errors in caps - take a good look.
• Are figures, symbols, telephone numbers, urls etc correct?
• Cover lines below the text you're reading so you focus exclusively on that line.
• Read upwards from the bottom of a column if necessary.
• Check for what makes sense as well as for literals, spellings etc
• Ask yourself whether anything's missing.

 
 

www.twitter.com/timwalker

Jon Slattery: Is missing pull quote what Bono is looking for?

Jon Slattery: Is missing pull quote what Bono is looking for?:

Says Slattery:
'From today's Guardian letters... Next to your article on page 28 (Why Bono should welcome his Glastonbury reckoning, 7 June) are the words.""Pullquote over five / lines in here / here herey / herey herey / type over text". Surely the lyrics of an unreleased U2 song, showing that Bono is a genius and the true heir of James Joyce.'