INDY AFTERLIFE
SO. Farewell then Andreas Whittam Smith, who has died aged 88. The saintly Whittam Strobes (as he was known in this organ) founded the
Independent
in 1986.
In tribute, the now online-only Independent ran no fewer than five heartfelt obituaries to its first editor last week. One noted a rule the journalist imposed on the new title, that journalists should “pay their way” and not accept freebies. As the writer admitted sheepishly, that aim has “largely failed to survive the test of time”, with hacks at the modern Indescribablyboring now accepting a range of free gifts as they pump out stories.