letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
No nothing to do with criticising anyone, if you don't know you need to get your story right before you get on to your high horse.
Like I said not a place to post it.
Whatever happened to Les Reid (1 Viewer)
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No nothing to do with criticising anyone, if you don't know you need to get your story right before you get on to your high horse.
Like I said not a place to post it.
Cheshire Sky Blue
New Member
Was he Grendel?
He suggests the CT & Journo's were not. He is probably staying quiet now as he is trying to go to tribunal, that's not a gagging order. If you have a better more accurate reference can you share it.
I have never met Les & I do not know him at all. I do not have a detailed knowledge of his work, so can only go on the things that caused me to sit up and pay attention. The one major thing was his article (PR Article in my view) when he interviewed JS. The bias in that made me see red.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/coven...uggestions-paper-has-been-gagged-and-censored
dongonzalos
Well-Known Member
I was under the impression trinity group made a load of redundancies and he was one of quite a few that lost their job.
I think and I maybe wrong that some thought the editor may have got rid of him because the editor was friendly with the council. However I think it was the council who defended Reid when it happened. So I don't see that as correct.
I think and I maybe wrong that some thought the editor may have got rid of him because the editor was friendly with the council. However I think it was the council who defended Reid when it happened. So I don't see that as correct.
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Heard there was something going on within the mirror Group In Scouseland that may have had some relevance ,Allegedly .
TBF I didn't mind him ,thought he was a decent Journo ,however his suggestion after getting Smashed with Fisher that we all had to rollover and hand In the Keys to the Ground ,should we want our club back in the City was a tad Outlandish .
TBF I didn't mind him ,thought he was a decent Journo ,however his suggestion after getting Smashed with Fisher that we all had to rollover and hand In the Keys to the Ground ,should we want our club back in the City was a tad Outlandish .
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
To be fare to Les, I had him via Email about this at the time because I saw it (and still do) like you and his reply was he couldn't tell the other side of the story as AL was making no comment due to the council media ban on the subject. Which you can't really argue with.
Seems to me and this is just my opinion, that Les wanted to believe everything SISU was trying to get everyone to believe at the time about the smoking gun, heads will roll in the council, SISU will walk the JR etc. etc. and go with this angle in his reporting. I think his editor (and rightly so, given SISU didn't walk the JR, nobody's head rolled and there was no smoking gun) didn't buy it so wouldn't allow Les to go that route.
Is that a gagging order? I dont think so. Sounds more like an editor doing his Job to me.
Remember that girl who used to post on here for a Spell ..
My boyfriends a Journo and he's got a dossier that Is going to "smash em" ,sounds similar .
dongonzalos
Well-Known Member
Who was that?
dongonzalos
Well-Known Member
I was put off when OSB discovered something on here.
BSB pointed it out to Andy Turner. He let LR know.
LR led an 'exclusive' about it. No mention of this site.
LR asked TF about. TF said its normal dont worry.
That was that then.....
Then he made a very arrogant comment to BSB.
Also stated he had been working on it for months. Yet if I recall there was nothing in the article that was not already on here.
That was enough for me to be fair.
Think that was an accurate summary of what happened but I am a bit hazy on it.
BSB pointed it out to Andy Turner. He let LR know.
LR led an 'exclusive' about it. No mention of this site.
LR asked TF about. TF said its normal dont worry.
That was that then.....
Then he made a very arrogant comment to BSB.
Also stated he had been working on it for months. Yet if I recall there was nothing in the article that was not already on here.
That was enough for me to be fair.
Think that was an accurate summary of what happened but I am a bit hazy on it.
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Nick
Administrator
No, it was a gagging order.
dongonzalos
Well-Known Member
When served with such an order are you also not allowed to mention that you are subject to such an order.
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
So everytime you delite an unfounded comment on here thats also a gagging order is it?
letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
Wheres the link???
Nonleagueherewecome
Well-Known Member
Depends on your definition of "get into bed with SISU". Nobodies saying that he's been bribed by them, but clearly he was entirely biased in their favour. That is NOT a ridiculous assertion, that is blatantly the case to anyone who can read.
I got to the bottom of his last interview with Joy and thought "fook me, that almost read like it was written by Les Reid...oh look, it WAS written by him, LOL!" It was essentially a SISU press release. As were most of his latter articles for the CT. THAT'S why he gets a hard time: he has a reputation that he's worked very hard to cultivate. He deserves it every bit.
Essentially those shouting that it's good to "have a different point of view" basically agree with his anti-local government adjenda-one that everyone who liked your post share. Don't try and pretend that it's because he's actually been any good at his job for the last year or two as all he's done is spout SISU-line bollocks. He doesn't "care for the City": he ideologically opposes local government and that perfectly suits the SISU angle. He's obviously a SISU mouthpiece, how on earth can't you see that?
duffer
Well-Known Member
I can't see it because it's fundamentally and plainly untrue.
You really need to go back a while and read his articles and tweets about local government. From what I've read this is a man committed to localism, and away from CCFC he's clearly challenged a number of Westminster initiatives that go against it.
There are a couple of huge flaws in your argument here. One is suggesting that selling the Ricoh to SISU makes Reid anti local government. The other that criticising or looking to scrutinise the actions of the current council makes him anti local-government. Neither of those stands up to reason.
As for not liking the interviews with JS, fair enough - are you sure you're not shooting the messenger though. Here's one of the interviews that presumably upset you - read it again and show me where the 'bias' is?
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-fc-owner-joy-6096912
That interview pissed me off at the time, but it was what JS said that annoyed me. Could it possibly be that a subsequent opinion piece has coloured your view retrospectively on this? Possibly because it didn't agree with your opinion?
letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
Still waiting
Grendel
Well-Known Member
He left their employment last month which is interesting isn't it given that everyone was wondering what had happened to him.
He was still employed and I assume paid until October
letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
On Garden leave?
Nick
Administrator
Yes because the telegraph have done an article about it....
Didn't he say it without challenge the same day the editor left?
https://twitter.com/Lesreidpolitics/status/523171152953618432
This comes after writing no articles or no tweets for months and the same time a the editor leaving.
I would say that was gagging rather than "go and report on mavis and her potato patch because you are in my bad books"
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
You do need that, and FWIW never had an issue with his reporting.
He did however seem to get sucked into the trap of responding and retaliating to criticism (fair and unfair) on twitter and the like that maybe didn't reflect well.
lordsummerisle
Well-Known Member
He did get a grovelling apology off that POM blog I seem to remember.
Nobody who wants to be taken seriously should be in Twitter though.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
His use of the word 'grilled' was also somewhat misplaced!
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
Perhaps they went to a bernie grill afterwards to celebrate.
letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
So because he said so on his own blog it must be true...
Nick
Administrator
And the fact he was pretty much silent for the past year kind of gives it away doesn't it? If it was just a "taken off the SISU case" he would have been reporting other stuff wouldn't he?
olderskyblue
Well-Known Member
How do you actually "gag" a journalist to stop him reporting his view?
What contract or threat would do that?
What contract or threat would do that?
Skybluesquirrel
New Member
I had to apologise. By making a rash throwaway play on words using his name, it was possible that I could have had to pay significant sums under the law of defamation. Some one working as a journalist having been 'criticised' as largely ignored by changing a few letters in his name to subvert the meaning, could have, with the use of expensive lawyers and the backing of an editor and a multi national media company, made life very difficult in court for someone with no access to basic legal aid. If any losses were incurred, say through the loss of a job in the future, and the lawyers could convince the judge that was a valid link between the article and any future loss of earnings, it may have resulted in a claim for a significant amounts of money against me.
The same week, two facebook skits appeared about the journalist, totally independently from me, that again would likely to have been in trouble in a court of law. I had to take legal advice, from a mate who had done a law degree fifteen years ago, and the possibility of that being linked even indirectly could have made a bad situation far worse. Not left with many options.
In the piece where I criticised him, there was only on paragraph that was significantly problematic in my opinion. One that I'd rushed and hadn’t spent enough time on editing…
On of the perils of blogging alone, without any support from Editors, sub-editors, teams of lawyers and/or colleagues. No-one to stop you from fucking it up.
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
Whatever the reasons behind Les's disapearence can anyone say it was worth it? Like i said, there was no smoking gun, no heads rolled and he only came out of hiding to jump on the Wasps bandwagon via his Twitter account and a free local, even then i read it on here first with the exception of another Joy interview and even that didn't tell us anything we don't know.
It's sad really to see an award winning journo fall this far. As Tim would say, he's at the bottom of the cycle and I personaly don't think going with the whole Sisu vs CCC story will move him back up the cycle. Certainly not via twitter and a free local and that's a shame.
It's sad really to see an award winning journo fall this far. As Tim would say, he's at the bottom of the cycle and I personaly don't think going with the whole Sisu vs CCC story will move him back up the cycle. Certainly not via twitter and a free local and that's a shame.
letsallsingtogether
Well-Known Member
TBF if there was a story out there that damning of one side or the other it would have come out, gagging order or not.
Too many people in the loops on ether side to keep things that quiet.
Someone would have heard...
Too many people in the loops on ether side to keep things that quiet.
Someone would have heard...
oldskyblue58
CCFC Finance Director
Was it a specific gagging order though or was it perhaps that having been disciplined by his employers then placed on gardening leave and got the lawyers involved the legal advice to him was that any comments etc could prejudice his case? Is there still a tribunal case to follow? or has it all been settled and that's why he is free to comment? We don't actually know do we.
One thing this whole (SISU/CCC/ACL) saga has led people to do is to look for conspiracy round every corner....... quite a sad place to end up really.
One thing this whole (SISU/CCC/ACL) saga has led people to do is to look for conspiracy round every corner....... quite a sad place to end up really.
Skybluesquirrel
New Member
You see journalists portrayed on film and TV as unable to stop themselves from seeking the truth and exposing those in power, always looking for a scoop. It would be interesting to discover if he has been keeping quiet all this time to protect any possible pay-out from an employment tribunal.
Wouldn't that be self interest rather than the public interest?
But I'd be surprised if that was the case - he's won awards and written for the Guardian nearly three years ago, so was a proper journalist rather then an anonymous blogger or obsessive, ill advised campaigner.
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
I would have thought if anything it would help his case to expose any "smoking gun" proving that he was right and his employer was wrong.
Skybluesquirrel
New Member
I would have thought so too, but I haven't found him writing further on the subject apart from one possible unattributed piece in a local free paper more recently, which of course may not have had anything to do with him. Can't recall any smoking gun being exposed though.
He certainly liked to come across as a man of conviction, particularly in the extensive correspondence that I received at the time. It would sadden me to think he kept quiet for money and then allowed friends and associates to imply that he had been subjected to a gagging order.
Skybluesquirrel
New Member
I remember it as quite ironic that the day Les was on twitter telling the world that David Conn article in the Guardian was inferior in substance to his own previous article in the local rag (the one which I had objected to), this coincided with Conn receiving an national press award for his writing on football, politics and the abuse of power.
I think David Conn still works for the Guardian, too.
I think David Conn still works for the Guardian, too.
duffer
Well-Known Member
Hi SBS. I sense a bit of sarcasm here, which is a pity. I liked your blogs a lot, but if you're going to go into the realms of unnecessary personal slights then you can't grumble too much if someone takes offence.
Like other people here, instead of taking issue with the message you decided to challenge the motives of the messenger. You could have used your intelligence (and you're clearly a clever bloke and a good writer) to pull apart what JS and TF were saying - but instead you went for a insulting pun and then downhill from there. You say that you 'fucked up' and offered an apology - but it sounds an awful lot like you begrudge having to do it.
Don't get me wrong - I hate the use of defamation laws to shut anyone up, but if your job depends on your reputation, then people are going to try to defend their reputation.
The pity of it is that if you'd written a criticism of the article that was a bit less personal, and then maybe invited Reid to comment on it, then perhaps we could all have really drawn something useful out of it.
Anyway, moving on, if you've got time have a read of this:
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/conte...ter-axed-coventry-telegraph-joins-rival-title
And note these two (non-contiguous) paragraphs...
But once suspended, I understand Reid launched a formal grievance alleging “bullying”, leaving one senior Canary Wharf boss so exasperated at the delays and counter-claims that I’m told he said – and I paraphrase – “just get it sorted, whatever the cost”.
"Regardless of the rights or wrongs, the quarrel has been damaging to the Telegraph, which currently has no editor, a demoralised staff, and the prospect of its washing being laundered in public at industrial tribunal – with Reid said to be uninterested in any pay-off to buy his silence."
Does that sound like someone who has kept quiet because they wanted a pay-off in their own self-interest, or does it sound like a person who wants the truth to come out regardless of personal costs?
Is it possible that just maybe, clever bloke that you are (and I mean that genuinely and without sarcasm), you've read this situation incorrectly?
