Rhys Jones court case blog a success with readers

Posted by Martina Booth on 19 December 2008 at 11:36
Tags: New Media, Online, Regional Newspapers

The Liverpool Echo’s live blog of the Rhys Jones murder trial has proved a success with readers, claims the paper, attracting 100, 000 page impressions throughout the court case.

Sean Mercer, 18, was found guilty of Rhys’ murder and jailed for life on Tuesday, following a nine-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

11-year-old Rhys was tragically shot dead in Croxteth, Liverpool, in August 2007, as he walked home from football practice.

In what the Echo claim is a media first, copy was filed straight from the court by reporters and published onto the blog within three minutes, which also displayed pictures and videos shown to the court.

Alastair Machray, editor of the Liverpool Echo, said: “The fact so many people have logged on and followed proceedings on our website shows that putting the resource into the live blog was the right thing to do.

“Unusually for our live blogs, we have not allowed user interaction, but that has not stopped people submitting comments thanking us for the blog. Other than actually sitting in court, this was the only way people could continually monitor what was happening.

“The success of the live blog has confirmed to me that live news must be delivered on demand and that the deadline is now.”

The blog was also hosted on the Liverpool Daily Post’s companion site.

Internet advertising spend growth to take a big hit in 2009

Posted by Martina Booth on 17 December 2008 at 17:06
Tags: Advertising, New Media, Online

A new report has halved its predicted UK internet advertising spend growth for next year, warning that digital media will not fully recover from the economic downtown until 2012.

According to Media Guardian, research firm eMarketer predicts a “very tough year” for digital media in 2009.

In May, eMarketer predicted that the sector will grow 17.2 per cent year-on-year in 2009, but this has now been cut to 7.2 per cent.

The UK online ad market would “slowly” improve within two years, with a 14.6 per cent year-on-year digital growth surge predicted for 2012, the year of the London Olympics.

The Times claims victory in family courts reform

Posted by Martina Booth on 17 December 2008 at 11:19
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers

The Times has claimed credit for Justice Secretary Jack Straw’s decision to open the family courts to journalists and allow them report on cases.

They have “campaigned vociferously” for the change, “arguing that keeping the media out of certain courts has led to miscarriages of justice.”

The paper has received correspondence from hundreds of people who have been gagged and rendered powerless to challenge the decisions of social workers and other experts.

Straw credited The Times for having brought the issue to his attention “more graphically than it otherwise would have done”.

“You have to deal with shedloads of issues in jobs like this … if something isn’t a particular issue at the time, you don’t go around searching for it. I commend The Times for running such a professional campaign,” he said.

Double win at Motoring Writers Awards for Daily Mail man

Posted by Martina Booth on 16 December 2008 at 15:18
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, People

The Daily Mail’s Transport Editor Ray Massey and author Karl Ludvigsen were big winners at this year’s Guild of Motoring Writers Awards.

Massey was awarded for his coverage of environmental and road safety issues in motoring and the motor industry, while Ludvigsen was recognised for his coverage of the history of motoring and motorcycling and automotive technology.

The ceremony was held at the RAC Club in London’s Pall Mall last Friday.

The full list of Guild of Motoring Writers award winners are as follows:

(more…)

Erotic magazine launched in Lebanon

Posted by Martina Booth on 15 December 2008 at 12:23
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Launch Pad, Magazines

An Arabic-language erotic magazine has been launched in Lebanon.

Jasad, the title of which translates into “body” in Arabic, has been founded by Joumana Haddad, cultural editor of Beirut’s An-Nahar newspaper. (more…)

Panorama investigation prompts BBC to abandon Crufts

Posted by Martina Booth on 12 December 2008 at 17:12
Tags: Television

The BBC will not broadcast Crufts next year after a Panorama investigation earlier this year found that dogs featured on the show suffered from genetic diseases as a result of in-breeding.

The Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, said that coverage was being dropped because it could not comply with the BBC’s request that particular breeds be excluded from the show. It said the documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, did not reflect its “deep commitment to the health and welfare of dogs”

The RSPCA, The Dogs Trust and sponsor Pedigree have all withdrawn their support for the show.

Crufts, currently going into its 118th year, has been covered by the BBC for the past 40 years.

BBC to share iPlayer content with Telegraph Media Group

Posted by Martina Booth on 12 December 2008 at 16:27
Tags: Broadcast, National Newspapers, Television

The BBC could soon be sharing some of its content with the Telegraph Media Group, as part of the corporation’s newly announced plans to create new partnerships with other media organisations.

According to the Guardian, the BBC iPlayer could soon be embedded on the Telegraph.co.uk website, while other BBC news articles and blogposts may also be shared with TMG.

Yesterday, BBC director general Mark Thompson unveiled a broad range of partnership proposals designed to improve the funding issues facing other public service broadcasters. It is also offering to “do more to support the newspaper industry”.

Judge rejects Elton John libel bid over Guardian satire

Posted by Martina Booth on 12 December 2008 at 16:01
Tags: National Newspapers

A high court judge has struck out Sir Elton John’s libel claim against the Guardian, according to the paper.

The singer was seeking damages and an apology after he was the subject of the satirical ‘Peek in the Diary’ column in the Weekend section of the Guardian.

He claimed writer Marina Hyde had used a “gratuitously offensive, nasty and snide tone” in the piece, published in July 2008.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Tugendhat agreed with the Guardian that the words “were obviously a form of teasing.”

Should Sky broadcast documentary on assisted suicide?

Posted by Martina Booth on 10 December 2008 at 12:58
Tags: Broadcast, Television

News that Sky is preparing to broadcast a documentary tonight that includes footage of a man’s assisted suicide at a Swiss clinic has drawn conflicting coverage in today’s papers.

Craig Ewert, a 59-year-old retired university professor with motor neurone disease, will be seen drinking a lethal dose of barbiturates before turning off his ventilator with a mouth-operated switch in tonight’s “Right to Die” documentary on Sky Real Lives. (more…)

Deloitte says more newspapers will close or go online

Posted by Martina Booth on 10 December 2008 at 11:53
Tags: National Newspapers

Newspapers and magazines are in a “downward spiral” that will only get worse, according to a report by Deloitte.

The Financial Times reports that 10 per cent of print publications may have to drastically reduce publication frequency, move online or close entirely as circulation and advertising rates continues to decline.

The report finds that companies either need to force savings from suppliers or reduce print frequency, as a “return to viable business models cannot be achieved through drastic job cuts,” and.

The report also says that newspapers may need to significantly reduce their online presence in order to encourage people back to the physical product.

Jeremy Paxman honoured by Media Society

Posted by Martina Booth on 10 December 2008 at 11:37
Tags: Broadcast, Television

Jeremy Paxman is to be awarded the Media Society Award next year to honour his career in broadcasting and journalism.

Paxman began his BBC career in 1977 as a reporter covering the troubles in Northern Ireland. He has worked on Panorama, the Six O’Clock News and BBC Breakfast Time, and has presented Newsnight since 1989 and chaired University Challenge since 1994.

Geraldine Sharpe Newton, president of the Media Society, said Paxman was “a true journalist’s journalist” who represents “the very quality and standards which we are committed to upholding.”

Past winners of the Media Society award include John Humprhys, Alistair Cooke and Sir David Frost.

Concerns about financial position of New York Times

Posted by Martina Booth on 9 December 2008 at 13:19
Tags: National Newspapers

The New York Times Company is due to discuss its outlook for 2009, following yesterday’s bankruptcy of the Tribune Company, owner of 12 American newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun.

The company will talk at the UBS 36^th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference in New York.

Chief executive Janet Robinson said that the worsening economy had made it particularly difficult for the paper to secure entertainment, real estate and automotive advertising.

“There is no doubt that 2009 will be among the most challenging years we have faced,” she added.

CNN wonders how The New York Times Company, which now has a negative net worth, will deal with the $400 million debt repayment that is due in five months.

According to Bloomberg, it may have to re-mortgage its offices to meet the May deadline for repayment, borrowing as much as $225 million against its Manhattan headquarters.

James Folio, senior vice president of The New York Times Company, confirmed that the group had begun the process of re-mortgaging. He added that they were also looking at “other financial alternatives, including revolvers, public offerings or private placements.”

As The Economist reports, the company’s share price has fallen by almost 60% this year, with advertising revenues falling by 13.7% in the third quarter.

North Yorkshire weekly switches to tabloid after 200 years

Posted by Martina Booth on 9 December 2008 at 13:17
Tags: Regional Newspapers

The weekly Gazette and Herald paper in Ryedale, North Yorkshire, has gone tabloid after 200 years as a broadsheet.

HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk reports the the title, which turned compact at the end of November, has a seven per cent rise in sales as a result of the switch.

Bain Capital favourite to take Reed Business Information

Posted by Martina Booth on 8 December 2008 at 14:12
Tags: B2B Magazines, Magazines, Media Business

US buyout firm Bain Capital is reportedly now the favourite to buy the business-publishing arm of Reed Elseiver, after private equity-firm Texas Pacific Group pulled out of negotiations this weekend.

Reed Elsevier announced in February that it was looking to sell Reed Business Information (RBI), which publishes New Scientist and Farmers Weekly.

However, The Sunday Telegraph reports that the sale of RBI “is far from being concluded” as Reed Elseiver’s management remain unhappy about Bain Capital’s conditions relating to the sale, some of which could tie key executives to RBI for a number of years.

A “shortage of bidders and weak debt market” may yet cause the sale to be scrapped, according to The Sunday Times. The group had hoped to raise £1.2bn from the sale, but offers are now around the £650m mark.

Five News settles Selina Scott age discrimination claim

Posted by Martina Booth on 8 December 2008 at 12:43
Tags: Broadcast, Television

News presenter Selina Scott has received an apology and a reported £250,000 payout from Channel Five after settling an age discrimination case against the broadcaster.

The Sun reports that Scott, 57, sued Five after the broadcaster went back on an agreement that she would cover Natasha Kaplinsky’s maternity leave.

Scott was reportedly axed because Five wanted a younger face, instead choosing Isla Traquair, 28 and Mart Barbet, 32, to cover for Kaplinsky. The full complaint was due to have been heard on Monday at an employment tribunal in central London.

According to the Daily Mail, Five settled the case before then because the channel “was petrified by claims that Scott was prepared to reveal potentially damaging information about Five.”

Journalist and TV presenter Joan Bakewell told The Independent that it was wrong for a job with “such a central role in society” to be confined to those under 50.

In The Observer, former BBC newsreader Anna Ford said that Scott’s case was indicative of a wider problem in Britain. “In America, there are women with white hair who are heads of banks, heads of corporations. Where are those women here?” she asked.