Journalism in the UK - a job for the wealthy

In 1969, the late Nicholas Tomalin, the star foreign correspondent of his day, observed that national newspapers in Britain were "feudal fiefdoms all bound up in intimate friendships and shared values".

To get in and get on, he advised, young people needed to cultivate "pals at court". And the best allies of all were famous or well-connected parents. "Journalism, being fashionable, is a privilege profession. In its present state it shows many of the aspects of the aristocracy, and lineal descent is one of them."

Nearly 40 years - and several thousand newspaper leaders about equal opportunities - later, you might expect things to have improved. In fact, they are far, far worse.