More accuracy
Sir: Paul Johnson (`More matter, less art', 9 May) has got it wrong. The decision to end the National Book Awards has, to the best of my knowledge, been greeted with complete indifference by writers and their professional organisations. Moreover, the sum spent on these awards in 1980-81 was not f110,000 but £22,500. The report which Mr Johnson says is being 'suppressed' is to be published on the 29th of this month. His inaccurate quotations from press reports about the Goldsmiths' meeting may have been easy filler for his article, but are merely rehearsing other journalists' distortions.
His reference to Mr Berman's kangaroo court to 'try' the Arts Council omits to note that the so-called 'Arts Council cleaner' from whom Mr Berman invites evidence was the anonymous person who issued flagrantly falsified versions of Arts Council documents.
What, one wonders, are Mr Johnson's journalistic standards and ethics? 'More accuracy, a greater attempt to be fair' might be a useful guideline.
Roy Shaw Secretary-General, • Arts Council of Great Britain, 105 Piccadilly, London W1
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