F E B R U A R Y 1 9 9 6
BY JON SLATTERY
The IRA bombs Docklands A huge IRA bomb explosion in the Isle of Dogs injured nine staff employed by The Builder Group of magazines. It also disrupted the production of The Guardian whose London printing plant was just 200 yards from the blast and suffered damage estimated at around £2 million. The offices of three Thomson’s titles, including Police Review, were also hit by the blast. Police Review lost most of its picture library and 103 years of bound copies. Frustrated Mirror, Independent and Telegraph journalists were kept out of Canary Wharf by police when they wanted to get inside to cover the story. In a sign of things to come, The Guardian managed to get the bombing story on the internet, using Cambridge company New Media Factory.
Loaded’s amazing rise Only two years old, Loaded was piling on the sales. The lads’ mags revolution was in full swing and Loaded had posted an amazing 82 per cent year-on-year circulation rise to hit sales of 174,763.
Emap’s Maxpower — described as ‘Loaded on four wheels’ — had become the number-one selling car magazine, with sales of 160,461, an increase of 43 per cent.
Sun ed gets the scoop The Sun’s editor Stuart Higgins had picked up Scoop of the Year in the What The Papers Say awards for his exclusive that the Queen had ordered Prince Charles and Princess Diana to hurry up and divorce.
The judges said: "There have been many royal scoops this year, but none got so near to the centre of power itself — the Queen."
Bella abolishes its subs desk Bella editor Jackie Highe had caused consternation by abolishing the magazine’s subs desk. The news was broken to staff in a memo.
"I am changing the magazine’s internal schedule to help us keep on time and run more efficiently. This involves removing the subs. Final copy fitting will be done by two people in new positions."
Allen lifts picture eds’ award Roger Allen of the Daily Mirror had been named Photographer of the Year in the British Picture Editors’ Awards. In a double triumph he was also named Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year. His portfolio included this picture of comedian Norman Wisdom leaving Buckingham Palace after his investiture.
Sceptical BoS on web Owner Frank Branston remained sceptical about the benefits after Bedfordshire on Sunday had launched itself onto the internet.
"I think the internet is over-rated. It is just a day out for nerds and anoraks," he said.
A bunny writes… PG had received a letter from a rabbit, disputing a story. It was Live TV’s News Bunny, which denied that Kelvin MacKenzie and Nick Ferrari had fallen out over who had created the creature for the Mirror Group’s entertaining, but short-lived television channel. News Bunny wrote: "I want to get one thing clear — there is absolutely no squabble over who created me. It was that nice Kelvin MacKenzie."
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