A few more details about the successor to the late lamented 18 Doughty Street have emerged. ConservativeHome revealed yesterday that The Observer's Andrew Rawnsley is to be the editor in chief of PoliticsHomeIndex.com. This is certainly quite a coup for them. When Rawnsley's Sunday political programme was axed I approached him to become involved in 18DS, so I am pleased it has come to fruition.I understand that former BBC political journalist Nick Assinder, who left the corporation last year, has also joined the company. Apart from ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie, Martin Bright, political editor of the New Statesman is also involved the initiative, which is intended to be politically balanced. The project is being run by Freddie Sayers, who is an occasional contributor to The Spectator and a close friend of the Clintons. I understand PHI is being billed as a 'Bloomberg for politics' and will aggregate all the latest political news stories in one place. It's very much a news based site and unlike 18DS will have no original programming content. A major part of its appeal is based on a daily opinion poll (called the PHI - The PoliticsHome Index) of 100 Westminster insiders.
I'm not sure exactly when it is launching fully but I really wish it well and hope that it will fill a niche in political life on the internet.
More on ConservativeHome and Puffbox.
PS. Just to be clear, I left 18 Doughty Street at the end of November. I have no involvement in the new project and am not part of the PHI poll of Westminster insiders - in case you were wondering!
That's the logo of Phaidon Press, a long established publisher of art books. Can you copyright a Greek letter? Probably not. But how careless.
ReplyDeleteI very much miss Rawnsley on the Westminster Hour, which used to be a 'must' for me.
ReplyDeleteI rarely listen now, as Caroline Quin regularly drives me to distraction with her hesitant delivery and patronising tone.
Rawnsley, Bright and a Beeboid! So we'll get another load of left-wing propaganda! I thought the point of 18DS was to provide a non-left-wing alternative to Al-Beeb and the other broadcasters. Why is it considered "balanced", to have a Labour loving socialist like Rawnsley as editor-in-chief? How about a conservative, just for a change?? If this takes-off, I can imagine what the recruitment policy will be, having a Labour Party membership card, will at least secure an interview! This venture will just end up as son of BBC. Excuse me whilst I emigrate to a country where, the same minority opnioned left-wing cliques, don't run the whole of broadcast news.
ReplyDeleteRawnsley, Assinder and Bright are all lefties, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteSince when did 18 Doughty Street become "Lamented" ?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a cable TV station for the Westminster village. I hope impression is proven wrong, as Westminster's stock has never been lower in the wider country.
ReplyDeleteReally miss 18DS
ReplyDeleteAndrew Rawnsley has even nicer hair than Michael Portillo.
ReplyDelete.
Very dissappointed said...
ReplyDelete"I thought the point of 18DS was to provide a non-left-wing alternative to Al-Beeb and the other broadcasters."
It was, but we are talking about PoliticsHomeIndex.com which, as Iain says, is supposed to be politically balanced.
"It was, but we are talking about PoliticsHomeIndex.com which, as Iain says, is supposed to be politically balanced."
ReplyDeleteRead the rest of my post to see my point!!!
Why is a default "balanced" position only demonstrated by using a known bunch of lefties! I understand that they have to employ experienced people, but is it impossible to have people who have never been paid-up members of the Labour Party??
Andrew Rawnsley is one of those poor unfortunates who has suddenly aged very considerably.
ReplyDeleteFive years ago he looked 40, now he looks 55 and oh sooo middle aged.
Iain,
ReplyDeleteHow on earth you can call this lot- politically balanced - stretches logic.
I would like to see John Gaunt and Richard Littlejohn aboard to bring some real balance!
I just feel the whole thing sounds far too pompous. Far too close for any real objective comment.
Another way to knock the Tories. I am amazed you welcome it.
concerned Politicaly balanced will mean Leftie, With Rawnsley involved is has to be.
ReplyDeleteNot precisely an alternative to the existing MSM. What is the point of this?
ReplyDeleteThink you've made a mistake. Assinder is staying at the BBC!
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