Bullard builds an Empire

Said De Wet: “Empire will continue to use Bullard as a columnist and we'll also continue using him as an occasional essayist in Maverick. In fact, we're happy that he'll have more time to write for us now – which is the only way that his firing from the Sunday Times impacts us.”

One of the contributing factors to Bullard's eventual dismissal from the Sunday Times was due to a break down in the relationship with the Sunday Times, after a column written by Bullard in the Empire February edition criticised the Sunday Times. [Chris Moerdyk: ‘It wasn't racism that burnt Bullard's bridges', https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/15/23692.html

This column is now available in the public interest on Empire's website, www.empiremagazine.co.za.

In the column headlined, ‘There's not much distinctive motoring writing about', Bullard announced that he had decided to part company with the Sunday Times insofar as writing for their motoring pages were concerned: “Over the past few months the motoring copy has been cut by as much as forty percent because of the intrusion of advertising. Becoming a victim of your own success is one of journalism's great ironies. The motoring column had become so popular that advertisers wanted to be placed next to it. The only way that could be done was to drastically cut the copy.

“Reduced word count equals reduced remuneration and one of the last invoices I submitted was for a paltry R1 600. After tax and less costs, that netted me about R400: roughly what a beggar can make at an intersection in a good week. So I've decided to part company with the Sunday Times and write no more motoring pieces for them. It's not only about the money, although that is a large part of it. It's about the lack of vision, the pettiness and the creeping mediocrity. But mostly it's about my ego. If something goes out with my name on it I want it to be excellent. That wasn't happening at the Sunday Times because whatever I wrote got screwed over so badly that it was barely recognisable when it appeared. Not good for the Bullard brand I'm afraid…” Bullard had concluded in the Empire column.

De Wet said Empire magazine, approaching its 6th issue, is continuing to get great feedback from readers.