For the record: 19/01/2009

"This is not my way to make money, but I'd like to explain to the public that newspapers are something they should love and cherish" – Alexander Lebedev speaking of his interest in buying the London 'Evening Standard'

It's an ill wind...

If nothing else, the Israeli invasion of Gaza will benefit the circulation of the 'New Statesman' ahead of publication of its biannual ABCs next month. The 'Staggers' opted out of releasing its six-monthly figure last time, but that's not an option now. Sources at the magazine say the paid-for sale is between 18,000 and 20,000, having been close to 28,000 in 2007. Only the "controlled lists" of free copies and 5,000 airline giveaways will bring respectability. New editor Jason Cowley is reshaping the mag but faces the loss of literary editor Ian Irvine, associate editor Barbara Gunnell and arts editor Alice O'Keeffe, after earlier departures of Andrew Stephen, the US editor, and Brian Cathcart, media columnist. Gaza, a huge 'Statesman' story, has come at just the right time.

Strip choker

Manchester City's attempt to prise Kaka away from AC Milan is worrying news for Sony and its ad agency Fallon, which has a blockbuster ad in the pipeline featuring the Brazilian superstar showing off his football skills... in his AC Milan kit.

Just cause?

Problems at Just Journalism, a media monitoring group dedicated to "systematic and rigorous" analysis of the media's coverage of Israel. First, the group accuses Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East editor, of bias. Now Adel Darwish, the journalist and Middle East expert, has quit as director and released an email in which he says the staff are "young, inexperienced, overzealous, and emotional in witch-hunting any item of news or commentary they see as critical of Israel" and that "no one in the entire organisation has had any experience of working as a proper reporter". Jeremy will allow himself a wry smile.

Not talk, but sport

As predicted in this column last week, TalkSport has decided not to replace Jon Gaunt with another news-based shock jock and given his slot to Mike Parry and Andy Townsend for another football phone-in.