By Lou Thomas
The compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List has revealed that, in contrast to previous years, the paper now has more problems with people exaggerating their wealth than those trying to hide it.
Phillip Beresford said: "My biggest problem now is trying to sort out reality from what I term the hype merchants.
The battle with them over what they reckon they’re worth and what I reckon they’re worth is going to get bigger and bigger as we become more established and people have less inhibitions about talking about money.
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"I would say that there are a dozen people in the list who are keen to inflate their value beyond what I’ve got them at."
This year’s list revealed that Viscount Rothermere (£1,020 million) and archrival Richard Desmond (£1,900 million), proprietors of the Mail and Express titles respectively, are at the top of the media earnings tree.
The annual list of the UK’s 1,000 richest people includes 57 people or families "in media, television and films, publishing, [and] novels".
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Of these, 17 have a connection with journalism.
The Sunday Times sold 1.41 million copies on Sunday — up 218,000 on Easter Sunday, the week before and up on the newspaper’s 1.356 million average sale for March.
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