That used to be a favourite phrase of Kelvin MacKenzie's.
Kelvin used to be the editor of the Sun newspaper in the 1980's. Notoriously he chose to run a story in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy, under the headline 'The Truth', making lurid claims about the conduct of the Liverpool fans on that day 23 years ago. It wasn't any kind of truth and the city of Liverpool has never forgiven him.
Now, it appears, Kelvin has instructed his lawyers to write to South Yorkshire Police seeking an apology for the 'personal vilification' he's suffered, because, as we now know, it was South Yorkshire Police who were the source of that Sun story.
Kelvin claims that many other publications picked up the same story and is now wondering why the Sun was singled out. Well it might have something to do with other newspapers deciding to check their sources, finding they couldn't substantiate the Police's claims and treating the story very differently, Kelvin. Just a guess...
The Mirror's take on it, for example was headlined 'Fury as police claim victims were robbed.' Bit different, wouldn't you say Kelvin?
But Kelvin - a man with more front than Woolworths* - just ploughs on, ironically enough, regardless of the truth. OK he's now admitted he was wrong after 23 years, but does he really think he should be 'seeking recompense' from South Yorkshire Police 'for the lies their officers told'.
Sorry Kelvin, you ran the story, decided the angle, you chose the headine.
Basic rule of journalism - if you cannot back a story up, don't publish.
That may not have been a fashionable point of view at the Sun in the 1980's and it's just possible that other stories which may have had an element of wish fulfilment, made it into that paper before April 1989. Which might go some way towards explaining why Kelvin got it so wrong, but as a defence, it's pretty weak.
So Kelvin, do you really expect an apology for running a story without checking it out? Perhaps you wanted it to be true just a bit too much...
Oh and when it comes to apologies, Kelvin, there are at least 96 families ahead of you in the queue.
MacKenzie has often been described as someone who shoots from the hip. Only this time he's shot himself in the foot and now seems to be flailing around desperately looking for someone else to blame.
He's right about one thing though, the surviving South Yorkshire police officers involved do have a lot to answer for. But not to you Kelvin. Certainly not to you.
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*Younger readers may have to consult an old person for an explanation of this pre-X factor generation reference.
Kelvin used to be the editor of the Sun newspaper in the 1980's. Notoriously he chose to run a story in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy, under the headline 'The Truth', making lurid claims about the conduct of the Liverpool fans on that day 23 years ago. It wasn't any kind of truth and the city of Liverpool has never forgiven him.
Now, it appears, Kelvin has instructed his lawyers to write to South Yorkshire Police seeking an apology for the 'personal vilification' he's suffered, because, as we now know, it was South Yorkshire Police who were the source of that Sun story.
Kelvin claims that many other publications picked up the same story and is now wondering why the Sun was singled out. Well it might have something to do with other newspapers deciding to check their sources, finding they couldn't substantiate the Police's claims and treating the story very differently, Kelvin. Just a guess...
The Mirror's take on it, for example was headlined 'Fury as police claim victims were robbed.' Bit different, wouldn't you say Kelvin?
But Kelvin - a man with more front than Woolworths* - just ploughs on, ironically enough, regardless of the truth. OK he's now admitted he was wrong after 23 years, but does he really think he should be 'seeking recompense' from South Yorkshire Police 'for the lies their officers told'.
Sorry Kelvin, you ran the story, decided the angle, you chose the headine.
Basic rule of journalism - if you cannot back a story up, don't publish.
That may not have been a fashionable point of view at the Sun in the 1980's and it's just possible that other stories which may have had an element of wish fulfilment, made it into that paper before April 1989. Which might go some way towards explaining why Kelvin got it so wrong, but as a defence, it's pretty weak.
So Kelvin, do you really expect an apology for running a story without checking it out? Perhaps you wanted it to be true just a bit too much...
Oh and when it comes to apologies, Kelvin, there are at least 96 families ahead of you in the queue.
MacKenzie has often been described as someone who shoots from the hip. Only this time he's shot himself in the foot and now seems to be flailing around desperately looking for someone else to blame.
He's right about one thing though, the surviving South Yorkshire police officers involved do have a lot to answer for. But not to you Kelvin. Certainly not to you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Younger readers may have to consult an old person for an explanation of this pre-X factor generation reference.
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