Comments on: DUPED: The Age’s exclusive blows up in its face

By: Shoddy work shames the profession | Australian Newspapers

Shoddy work shames the profession | Australian Newspapers — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:54:35 +0000

[...] Melbourne radio that reporter Rohan Connolly had not even spoken to him regarding the story, which Vexnews claimed was published “on the express orders of (new) Editor-in-Chief Paul [...]

By: Jack Jones

Jack Jones — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:59:25 +0000

The Norwegian storm troopers in Norway during Quisling’s regime in World War 2 were called the Hird.

James Hird ought to change his name or he’ll find only neo-Nazis will support his team.

By: Rita Randles

Rita Randles — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:55:48 +0000

The other blog certainly didn’t pick this up. That’s why Vexnews is now Australia’s best source of news.

Interesting story on the other blog by a person claimed to be an old trade teacher in a Victorian technical school and I’ll plagiarise it for the benefit of Vexnews readers.

It’s about how a relation of James Hird used to run education in Victoria during the 1980s. His name was Alan Hird and it was claimed the then Technical Teachers Union, which we all know was ultra corrupt, called him Hird the Turd. A little unfair, as Alan Hird was really just a lackey for his boss, the very able Mr Alan Hunt, father of Greg, the current MHR for the Opposition down Flinders way. The union used to say “Hird’s a turd and Hunt’s a c__t.” Not very nice but that’s the level of personal abuse the other blog stoops to.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:43:49 +0000

Especially ironic considering their attack on Andy over Hicks. Rank, front-page hypocrisy.

By: Jim Bob

Jim Bob — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:57:43 +0000

and what happened to the old-fashioned idea of going to the source?
nowhere in the story, or Connolly’s “think piece” in the sport liftout is there any indication the Age tried to contact Hird.
Instead he quotes an unnamed former teammate as saying Hird was keeping fit.
then proceeds as if the whol thing’s a fait accompli.
shocking journalism.

By: anon

anon — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:49:56 +0000

Another ‘exclusive’ front page debacle for The Age in season 2008. First it was Caroline Wilson with her ‘exclusive’ page 1 story on the supposed West Sydney Celtics team – emphatically denied by the AFL and emphatically ignored by everyone else. Now it’s Hird.

One journalistic stuff-up that big could be an accident. Two in one season really is carelessness.