Infamy

I came across this word from the article, “A Literary Visitor Strolls in From the Airport”. It is in the fourth paragraph and found in the sentence, “During Britain’s general selection of 1997, he set a new standard for journalistic infamy by getting himself bounced off John Major’s campaign plane for snorting heroin in the bathroom.” From learning this word, I understand that William Self set a new standard in evil reputation for journalism.