The Margin suggested last week that the appointment of Janet Street-Porter was not universally saluted as a journalistic coup. That was before the Margin read an editorial, no less, in the Daily Telegraph. It was short, though not sweet. "Yesterday, the Independent on Sunday sacked its existing editor Kim Fletcher and replaced him with Janet Street-Porter. This is perhaps the most spectacular example of `dumbing down' in modern media history (though dumb, in its original meaning, is the wrong word to use about the loquacious Ms Street-Porter). Presumably, the paper's chairman, Tony O'Reilly, thinks that editing is a branch of the performing arts. Certainly, he is playing the part of the clown."

There are rumours the owner of the Telegraph, Conrad Black, is no admirer of Tony O`Reilly. We can take it the rumours are now confirmed.