News editors – read the comments…


I try not to do this (being far from perfect), but have a read of the following story which asks, by way of reporting, Baby joy for Kaplinsky – but are Five chiefs happy?

Natasha Kaplinsky, who six weeks ago became the face of Five News on an annual salary of £1 million, making her the richest news presenter in Britain, is three months pregnant, the station confirmed yesterday.

While Ms Kaplinsky, 35, was said by friends to be “ecstatic” about her latest good news, it is not known how senior management feel at the prospect of losing their high-profile signing to maternity leave.

Yesterday, the station insisted it shared in its new employee’s good fortune. Chris Shaw, senior controller, said, through teeth that may or may not have been gritted: “Natasha has had a tremendous impact and we’re delighted to hear the fantastic news about her pregnancy.”

As one commenter writes:

So, let me get this story right. Natasha is pregnant, she is ecstatic and her employers have said they are very happy for her. The writer then goes on to say “we don’t know” if this was said through gritted teeth…

Readers. They’re not as dumb as you think.