Latest from Duncan Holley
The media are turning, mainly because they cannot believe this strike is still ongoing for the simple reason he wants to "punish" strikers. I have spoken over the last few days to every media outlet available (except the Daily Mail) and they are horrified. Even the Daily Telegraph said to me last night - "the problem is Walsh you know". Hello?
I wonder who is giving the delightful Mr Holley his media briefings?
I remember years back to when I had the good fortune to attend a course on dealing with the press which was tutored by some of Fleet streets finest hacks. Their take on newspaper journolism followed, roughly, this:
The newspaper journilist is, will be and always will be your 'bestest' buddy if you are an ordinary Joe Public or minor official who holds no power or public voice. They will agree to everything you say, accept your viewpoint and sympathise with your stance. They will press you to explain whilst stoking your anger/emotions in order to try to make you lose control and provide information you possibly didn't want to divulge. Once they have plumbed the depths of your position and garnered every sound bite, information morsel and scoop they can they will conclude the interview.
What they write in the piece afterwards very, very rarely resembles what you thought you said in the interview or what you believed their opinion on your stance was. All told, from the Fleet street hacks themselves, stick purely to facts, don't employ rhetoric and keep calm when dealing with the press.
Good luck Mr Holley, it seems you have messed up on your media course in the same way you did at BA. Hope your attendence record at Unite is better than your last one.
I await the future press releases with unreserved glee.