Heard immunity – The Eye Journal

Articles revealed in The Eye are written by a workforce of contributors and edited by the multi-award profitable former BBC information and present affairs reporter, Phil Parry.

Throughout 23 years with the BBC, and 39 years in journalism (when he was skilled to make use of clear and easy language, avoiding jargon), our Editor, Welshman Phil Parry, all the time needed to take care of Media Officers (MO) or Press Officers (PO), however now not often does, but stays shocked that he acquired NO reply when he did so – after asking the enormous division retailer John Lewis (JL) why it nonetheless used an image of star actor Johnny Depp though he was discovered to be a “spouse beater”.

This extraordinary state of affairs has at the moment been thrown into stark reduction, by the revelation that Mr Depp recorded a foul-mouthed monitor on an album, which it has been reported involved his libel trial tribulations.

Up to now Phil has described how he was assisted in breaking into the South Wales Echo workplace automobile when he was a cub reporter, recalled his early profession as a journalist, the significance of expertise within the job, and made clear that the ‘calls’ to emergency companiesin addition to court docket instances are central to any media operation.

He has additionally explored how poorly paid most journalism is when trainee reporters needed to reside in squalid flats, the very important function of bills, and about one among his most essential tales on the now-scrapped 53 year-old BBC CW TV Present Affairs sequence, Week In Week Out (WIWO), which received an award even after it was axed, lengthy after his profession actually took off. 

Phil has defined too how essential it’s truly to talk to individuals, the advantage of velocity in addition to accuracy, why data of ‘historical past’ is significant, how sure materials was faraway from TV Present Affairs programmes when secret cameras had for use, and a few of these he has interviewed.

He has disclosed as properly why investigative journalism is required now greater than ever though others have completely different opinions, how the pandemic performed havoc with media schedules, and the significance of the vastly decrease common age of some political leaders in contrast with when he began reporting.

The function of a Media Officer (MO), or Press Officer (PO) is a crucial, however easy one.

It’s to offer correct, and well timed info to members of the media like me (the clue’s within the identify). REAL information (comparable to what is definitely happening inside an organisation) is infrequently given, and for that journalists have to show to nameless ‘whistle-blowers”.

However questions from members of the media about factual issues (like somebody’s title), must be answered honestly, and promptly, whereas different particulars are provided, but, frankly, could be ignored.

For example, usually the ‘announcement’ is appropriate, though it’s largely nugatory – a college would possibly, for instance, put out particulars of a scholar, or ex-student, who’s embarking on an journey overseas, or in regards to the ‘ground-breaking analysis’ work that’s being carried out. One other ‘story’ could possibly be from a large company which is accused of polluting water programs, however will present ‘information’ in regards to the monumental quantity of environmental work being undertaken.

These will not be, nevertheless, issues that I have to know, so I infrequently strategy MOs or POs, and after I do it’s purely to offer me error-free info shortly, for public consumption.

I’m, subsequently, STUNNED that I’ve acquired NOTHING WHATSOEVER from the large division retailer John Lewis (JL), about their use of an image to promote Eau de Cologne of the Hollywood actor Johnny Depp who was labelled a “spouse beater” in a UK court docket for brutal assaults on his ex, even if I used to be advised the matter can be ‘regarded into’, and I used to be requested for my deadline (which I replied instantly was ASAP).

This unbelievable state of affairs has now been put centre stage by the disclosure that Mr Depp has made a report, that (the UK media have reported), is a direct reference to his libel trial issues, after The Solar (TS) stated he was somebody who assaulted his spouse (which has been supported by a British decide).

Mr Depp recorded a monitor on the album ’18’ with ageing rocker Jeff Beck, and on it he sings: “i feel you’ve stated sufficient for one motherf…ing evening”.

On launch of the album, nevertheless, large issues had been encountered, because the pair had been accused of ‘stealing’ lyrics from a poem by a jailed man

Representatives for them have now stated they’ll evaluate these allegations.

The track “Unhappy Motherfuckin’ Parade” seems to take a number of strains from Hobo Ben, a poem and track by Slim Wilson, the alias of a self-proclaimed cheat and pimp who served time for homicide and armed theft, Rolling Stone has reported.

A spokesperson has stated: “We’re reviewing the inquiry referring to the track Unhappy Motherfuckin’ Parade on the 18 album by Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp. If acceptable, extra copyright credit can be added to all types of the album”.

The evaluations have additionally not been good.

One critic stated: “The perfunctory covers on this collaborative album serve to indicate simply how dangerous Depp’s personal songwriting is, as he rants about how terrible it’s to be him”.

Aside from dealing with the accusation of plagiarism, within the track “Unhappy Motherfuckin’ Parade” Mr Depp croons as properly: “You’re sitting there like a canine with a seven-year itch”.

It has been reported that this refers back to the acrimonious libel wranglings together with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. The Sunday Instances (ST) stated: “Depp blasts away post-courtroom blues with hate track for Heard”.

Within the authentic UK libel listening to, Mr Justice Nicol dominated that Mr Depp attacked Ms Heard on a dozen events throughout their relationship, and that an article in regards to the assaults in TS was “considerably true”. It was present in court docket, that Mr Depp put his ex-wife in “concern for her life” on three events – together with throughout a “three-day hostage state of affairs” in Australia in March 2015, the place £120,000 value of injury was precipitated to their rented house.

Nonetheless, he was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages by a court docket in Virginia, over a first-person Washington Publish article 4 years in the past from Ms Heard, through which she had claimed she was a survivor of home abuse. His former spouse had authored an opinion piece within the newspaper, which Mr Depp claimed was clearly about him, though he wasn’t named.

For her half, Ms Heard launched a $100 million counter-claim towards Mr Depp, alleging that he orchestrated a smear marketing campaign towards her.

Regardless of the libel trial judgement within the UK court docket, the enormous division retailer John Lewis (JL) continued to make use of a big image of Mr Depp to promote Dior’s Eau Sauvage within the fragrance division of its Cardiff store (maybe in different retailers too), and the ONLY response from the JL ‘Media Relations’ workplace has been: “Howdy Phil, Thanks to your electronic mail and getting in contact. We’ll look into this for you – please may you let me know what your deadline is?” (MOs/POs ALWAYS ask this!).

However those self same officers could also be conscious, the way it was additionally dominated within the UK court docket case, that

1. In early 2013, Mr Depp slapped and knocked Ms Heard to the bottom after she made a joke about his “Wino Endlessly” tattoo.
2. In March 2013, Mr Depp flew right into a rage whereas excessive on medicine and hit Ms Heard so laborious he made her lip bleed.
3. In June 2013, Mr Depp attacked Ms Herd in a trailer at Hicksville – throwing glasses at her and ripping her costume.
4. In Could 2014, Mr Depp screamed at her on a personal jet after taking medicine and boozing earlier than kicking her within the again or bum.
5. In 2014, Mr Depp grabed Ms Heard by the hair, slapped her and pushed her to the bottom on a detox journey to the Bahamas.
6. In January 2015, Mr Depp once more attacked Ms Heard whereas on medicine – this time slapping her and pushing her to the bottom. He then stood over her yelling.
7. In March 2015, Mr Depp launched right into a brutal three-day assault in Australia – leaving Ms Heard with a damaged lip, swollen nostril and cuts throughout her physique. He trashed the home in a violent rampage and pushed her to the bottom, choking her and spitting in her face.
8. In March 2015 within the couple’s LA house, Mr Depp grabbed Ms Heard in entrance of her sister and repeatedly hit her.
9. In August 2015 on the couple’s honeymoon, Mr Depp pushed Ms Heard towards a wall by grabbing her by the throat.
10. In December 2015, Mr Depp chucked a glass decanter at Ms Heard at their LA house in a drug binge. He additionally slapped her and dragged her by way of the condo by her hair – ripping a bit out. He then hit her once more at the back of the pinnacle and headbutted her within the face and screamed “I’ll f***ing kill you”. Mr Depp then pushed her face right into a mattress and repeatedly punched her at the back of the pinnacle.
11. In April 2016 at Ms. Heard’s celebration, Mr Depp assaulted her after receiving “grim information” about his funds.
12. In Could 2016, Mr Depp chucked a telephone at Ms Heard – injuring her eye – earlier than pulling her hair and putting her.

The decide within the UK libel case introduced by Mr Depp, dismissed two allegations made by Ms Heard, however did NOT conclude she had been untruthful. These had been that:

1. In December 2014, Ms Heard claimed Mr Depp was “violent in the direction of” her, and later branded himself a “f***ing savage”. That is, maybe, acceptable provided that the male fragrance Mr Depp advertises is ‘Sauvage’.
2. In November 2015, she stated Mr Depp “threw her across the room” and pushed her over a chair.

With this background, the silence by JL over the coverage of utilizing a big image of Mr Depp, to advertise the sale of male fragrance, appears weird within the excessive.

Regardless of his victory within the American court docket, Mr Depp’s movie profession has not but totally recovered, and in an interview with the ST final yr he stated he was the topic of a Hollywood boycott.

Maybe I, too, have been boycotted by the JL ‘media relations’ workplace, though I used to be advised “We’ll look into this for you”.

The function of a MO/PO appears simple sufficient – to reply questions from the media. However responding by saying NOTHING in any respect, is a brand new one on me! (See story subsequent week although…).

The recollections of Phil’s, astonishing award-winning profession in journalism (together with among the fast responses from MOs) as he was gripped by the uncommon neurological disabling situation, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been launched in a serious ebook ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the ebook now!

Regrettably publication of one other ebook, nevertheless, was refused, as a result of it was to have included names.

Tomorrow – how inevitable information that the web site of a Welsh nationalist media outlet is to shut solely a yr and a half after its launch, underlines how The Eye predicted its expiry from the start.