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The Economist under fire over Egypt advertorial

If reports that Pearson will soon sell their stake in the Economist magazine are to be believed, Mr S hopes that the publication’s latest ‘cover’ won’t dent the brand’s value. Steerpike understands that the usually independent-minded magazine has received a number of complaints from readers after they ran a cover on Egypt’s Suez Canal project with the title ‘Egypt’s gift to the world’:

This left some readers puzzled as to why the magazine had taken such an overwhelmingly positive stance on the government development, which has made the news after an Egyptian economist claimed the project’s financial predictions are ‘totally impossible’.

https://twitter.com/Egypt_Speaks/status/628612386233057280

Buried at the bottom of the cover is a disclaimer from the magazine, in which they explain that this is a ‘promotional cover wrap’ and ‘no endorsement is implied’.

economistdisclaimer

They could have fooled Mr S.

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

This article originally appeared in the UK edition

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