For the record: 22/06/2009

Now that Perez Hilton has swapped his famously snarky style for a more advertising-friendly format, to whom can we turn for our daily fix of online gossip? (Getty)

'The Lobby is an obedience school: Come to heel and you get your titbits. That is not journalism; that is copytaking.' Guido Fawkes woos the Association for Journalism Education

Griffin goes online

Now that Perez Hilton has swapped his famously snarky style for a more advertising-friendly format, to whom can we turn for our daily fix of online gossip? For The Record’s favourite, by far, is the new blog from Zoe Griffin. Remember: formerly of the Sunday Mirror? The ex-showbiz editor – who hit the headlines herself after Kelly Osbourne was arrested in January for allegedly slapping her – has launched a site to rival Perez’s. But what does she make of her US rival’s make-under? “It doesn’t surprise me,” says Griffin. “It just proved what I’ve always believed – you don’t need to be nasty for no reason. Well, not if your stories are good enough.” Perez, sounds like you have some competition.

School for stunnas

FTR is unsure whether or not to feel insulted after receiving an email, courtesy of Pennant Publishing, subject: WOMEN JOURNALISTS: COME FREE TO “GET THE GUY” SEMINAR THIS WEEKEND! The missive continued: “Want To Have Astonishing Results In Attracting The RIGHT Men? Learn The Secrets Of Male Attraction That 99% Of Women Don’t Know About!” Are female hacks really such a sorry lot? In the name of investigative journalism, we called to find out. Have they had many responses? Apparently so – from one paper, anyway. Men of The Sun, it’s your lucky day.