Feb 26 2007. Sex toys; Slavery sculpture; Harry home
Decided not to go with the sex toys promotion. Can't decide whether I took good advice, saw sense, or simply bottled it. Newspapers in their print form have been losing sales for 40 years. Yet we still shift uneasily whenever we contemplate something new and bold.
This is what settled it for me. Shortly after I was made the editor of The Echo I went on holiday and read Piers Morgan's brilliant book The Insider.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/politicsphilosophyandsociety/0,,1430627,00.html
It was memorable for many things: an insight into the mind of a brilliantly instinctive tabloid journalist was one of them; an insight into the mind of a man spiralling out of control and high on his own self-importance was another.
Morgan did brilliant things as an editor and he did mad, destructive things. Things that ultimately cost his paper circulation and Morgan his job.
What struck me was that there seemed to be no-one at The Daily Mirror who was bold enough to curb his excesses. As he careered from triumph to catastrophe was there anyone who would say 'hold on a minute Pieres, that's a crap idea'. Or 'let's not do that Piers, it'll go horribly pear-shaped'? No.
Instead - and I have only the book to guide me on this - it was a case of 'yes boss, no boss, whatever you say boss.'
When I took the Echo job I said to one or two people close to me: 'If I'm doing something stupid let me know. For God's sake, you WILL tell me?'
I'd kicked around the 25%-off-at-Nice-and-Naughty offer for days. In my head. In meetings.
Picture editor Steve Shakeshaft, who I've known since I arrived at the Echo as assistant editor 13 year ago, and who was very kind to me then, said; 'Ali. Don't do it. This is a Piers Morgan moment.'
So I didn't.
Was at the Maritime Museum last night (Monday) for the unveiling of an new sculpture marking freedom from slavery and created by artists and young people from Haiti. A powerful subject and a piece that will require more scrutiny than I was able to muster by glancing through a sea of heads.
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/
Chance though, to chat with Philharmonic boss Mick Elliott about how the 08 programme is taking shape and for a brief word with Museums chief David Fleming who says this is just the beginning of how Liverpool will face up to its slavery-strewn past.
On way out managed a few seconds with Gee Walker, mother of murdered black Huyton teenager Anthony. She is a great supporter of a host of events. Said to her that she must fancy a night in in front of the telly now and again. She laughed her quiet, shy laugh and said nights like that 'were a thing of the past'. I marvel at her courage.
Harry is back after nine days on a Spanish exchange visit. I never knew I could miss him so much. The house was so quiet. I missed his chatter, his fellowship. I even missed his mess, his incessant prattle about films I've never heard of and him lying on the floor in front of the telly. I don't know how I'll cope when he leaves home.
How do you?
