The Metropolis

Time Out writers were told to go easy on Boris Johnson says former Time Out writer

Darren Atwater | Monday 25 June, 2012 10:59

In today’s edition of the British Journalism Review, former travel editor Chris Moss laments the dwindling influence of Time Out and accuses the new investors of issuing a pro-Boris agenda.

… it was made clear to many writers – including this one – that we were to refrain from attacks on the City and on Boris Johnson. The former left most of the journalists incredulous. The latter was a major turnaround as Ken Livingstone had long been Time Out’s friend and ally, even serving as its gardening columnist for a spell. But [Peter Dubens, chair of the hedge fund that purchased half of Time Out] supports Johnson and he, it was evident, was now the editor-in-chief as well as the owner of the only part of the company that was expanding. Tony Elliott’s 50 per cent was a shrinking half; appropriately, the magazine was cut to 124 pages – the thinnest it had been in years.

It’s too bad, now we’ll never know which cupcake shops Ken Livingstone prefers or have an indepth investigation on the Greater London Assembly’s views on the top 10 vintage markets.

H/T Peter Watts

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