Not newsworthy?
Sir: If Stephen Glover really thinks that the Guardian's coverage of evidence given to Sir Gordon Downey 'contained little that was new' (Media studies, 29 March) he really ought to ask himself whether he is cut out for the job of media commentator.
The 'hysterical' coverage (actually rather dense transcripts of a series of questions and answers) revealed for the first time a number of Conservative MPs confessing in private to a wide range of dishonesties. What had previously been allegations were now admissions. That, by anyone's stan- dards except Mr Glover's, was news. Cer- tainly, the former editor of The Spectator, Dominic Lawson, thought such material important enough to devote more than a page of the Sunday Telegraph to this week.
Mr Glover gives two examples of unre- markable new material. It is apparently `insignificant' that Mr Hamilton has now confessed to a second freebie at the Ritz in Paris — gratefully snapped up after publica- tion of the DTI report which Mr Hamilton quoted in last week's Spectator as evidence of Mr Al Fayed's evilness.
Secondly, Mr Glover appears to find it mundane that Tim Smith was made a gov- ernment minister despite confessing his sins to the government Chief Whip five years earlier.
The Chief Whip, David Waddington, also apparently thought it a rather routine mat- ter that an MP had taken up to £25,000 in bribes — so routine that he seems to have told no one about it and kept no note of the conversation. His moral values appear to have been very similar to Mr Glover's news values.
Perhaps Lord Waddington could have a spell as The Spectator's media commenta- tor. Mr Glover might then have a bash at governing Bermuda. A plumed pith helmet would suit him rather well.
Alan Rusbridger
Guardian,
119 Farringdon Road, London EC1
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