mike west tries a piece of humble pie, page-11

The following is Crikey's Thursday entry under Tips and Rumours: -

[[Michael West at Fairfax reports that City Pacific made an offer for the management of the MFS Premium Income Fund. This is not true. No offer was made on completion of due diligence (which apparently took less than half a day) because the thing (PIF) is such a mess. MFS management don't even know who the money has been lent to in some cases, and in many cases the money has been in invested in other MFS ventures, mostly in NZ issued debentures. It is a real train smash with no prospect of recovery. So CIY has better things to do with its cash than p-ss it up against the wall on a dead duck beyond redemption (pardon the pun). Who is feeding West this garbage? Ask the question would you. More to come... ]]

And here's Mr West's dummy spit the following day: -

[[Michael West, Fairfax Digital, writes: Re. "Tips and rumours" (yesterday, item 7). This is the second time in two weeks Crikey has used this anonymous space to bag me. Crikey are responsible for this, not the anonymous person or whoever duped you. I don't mind being bagged, bring it on, but in allowing people to do it on the quiet you are damaging your own brand by pandering to vested interests. Perhaps you could call to check the facts before you run such a "tip" next time. Despite the baggings, I like Crikey and always thought it a vital print outlet in a market dominated by two giants. Sadly, it has now been corporatised because you are now bagging rival business voices but there has been zilch, at least that I have seen, about the growing digital business publications associated with your stable. What differentiates Crikey now from the giants? The fact that you bag your rivals? No - it is the fact that you don't second source stories. It's time now that you are making money to do the right thing and try to firm things up. Are you in the game simply to get eyeballs to the page or because, in the tradition of founder Stephen Mayne, you give a damn?]]

Are Crikey into Herograms?