Thread by @DrEvanHarris

Here’s a thread about why Royal reporting is barely journalism

The Sunday Times’ @RoyaNikkah is very proud of her multi-page puff piece on #PrinceWilliam

thetimes.co.uk/article/up-clo… (£)

I am sure he’s a nice fella, but there only one attributable source (a Mr Miguel Head).
1/5

..It seems Ms Nikkah could not persuade anyone else to say all these (nice) things about #PrinceWilliam on the record.

This "journalism" relies on the actual existence and cowardly anonymity of.. (deep breath)..

Two “a senior Royal source” (gosh - senior and Royal!)
and...
2/5

..Two “a source close to William” (even better)
One “a source close to William and Harry” (wow!)
One “A source” (common or garden variety)
Four “a friend says” (vanilla)
Two “friends say” (vanilla plural)
One “another friend says” (the extra word is not helping)
and..
3/5

...
One “a close friend says” (aha – close!)
One “William’s close friends” (finally people who actually knows the guy)
One “a close friend of both brothers” (I suspect that is no longer true)
One “a confidante”
One “a former Royal aide” (a bit passé, need current aide)
and..
4/5

...One “an aide” (phew!)
One “a close aide”(even better)
One “another close aide” (blimey –another one)
And finally “a courtier” (in case you thought we had left the 18th century)

1 attributable, and 21 anonymous sources

**Is this journalism or just just PR in newsprint?**
5/5