Max and the City

Former Daily Telegraph and Evening Standard editor Max Hastings was in fine form giving the James Cameron Memorial Lecture at the City University last night. He took a swipe at ex-editors who are now media commentators (who could he mean?) claiming their columns were "sour and spiky" and looked back to the "good old days". Hastings said The Guardian's media section had asked him four times to write for them but he had declined. He added: "When the adolescent at the other end of the line asked 'why?' I said 'can you name one ex-editor who pontificates about newspapers whom you have the smallest respect?' He giggled. I said 'I rest my case' ."

Hastings spoke most passionately about reporting and said reporters were "far more worthy than the commentariat." Stressing the importance of reporters getting out of the office, away from their screens and lunching and dining people for stories, Hastings drew a nice analogy for the demands on multi-media journalists forced to write, broadcast and blog. He said it was like asking someone to cook the meal, take the order and then wait on tables.