Paper Monitor
A service highlighting the riches of the daily press.
First of all, Paper Monitor would like to offer an apology.
Over the years, it may have appeared that Paper Monitor was of the impression that newspapers were primarily a repository of silly ephemera.
But one cannot help but be reminded today that newspapers do something important. Turn to page 12 and 13 of the Times and.
Here over two pages the Times sets out the work it has done to investigate the 1993 conviction of Eddie Gilfoyle for murdering his wife. Gilfoyle's supporters say he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice, while the justice system says otherwise.
Whatever you think, the role of the Times and other newspapers has to be applauded.
Right, now back onto the silly ephemera.
Paper Monitor loves "nibs". These news-in-briefs are the first assignment for many cub reporters. And it's an art packing a whole story into a single paragraph.
The Sun does them beautifully.
Here's a crop from today:
"Robots resembling Star Wars droids like R2-D2 serve food to diners at a restaurant in Jinan, China."
And:
"Volunteers will eat cheese for six nights to see if it causes bad dreams in tests at Brecon, Powys."
Pithy.
Also amusing today is the Daily Mail's concentration on the hair of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. It accuses David Cameron's hair of having gone from "thinning" to "luxuriant".
And it accuses Ed Miliband of having done something to his grey streak.
Back in the Sun, there's a splendid intro.
"A boss who won't buy heaters for his freezing staff has had them hypnotised into thinking they're warm."
Paper Monitor notes that the place of business is a cobblers.