Porn mag ed sacked for inadequate smut

Men Only 'artistic differences' kerfuffle

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 12th June 2007 16:18 GMT

Free whitepaper – Systems management simplified

The former editor of Men Only has won an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal after being shown the door for refusing requests to use younger models and "bigger and more graphic photos", The Evening Standard reports.

Pierre Perrone, 49, fell out with owner Paul Raymond's nephew, Mark Quinn, over the former's decision to target the grumble mag at "discerning older gentlemen". Perrone took the helm in 2004, when the publication's circulation was in free-fall, pressured by net smut, hardcore imports, and "competition from lifestyle magazines such as FHM and GQ".

He explained to the tribunal he "believed the title had become tired and he had tried to target the more discerning market, using slightly older models". Quinn was unimpressed, and "repeatedly ordered him to replace the chosen models with younger-looking women" while offering "more explicit" content.

As a result, Mr Perrone said these "artistic differences led to him being demoted, then axed in a sham redundancy" from his £50k a year post. Paul Raymond Publications asserted that he'd been canned because of falling sales and was "genuinely redundant".

The tribunal found in favour of Perrone, declaring: "The view we have formed is that Mr Quinn had identified the claimant to be someone he wanted out of the organisation." The panel "found the process of selecting staff for redundancy was rigged and that no effort was made to find Mr Perrone another job in the organisation".

Following its defeat, Paul Raymond Publications paid Mr Perrone an undisclosed amount - estimated to be a five-figure sum - in an out-of-court settlement. ®

Free whitepaper – Dell PowerEdge servers product guide