Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 08:11
Tags: Journalism
ITV has called time on its Sunday morning political show, The Sunday Programme.
According to the Observer, the end of the show leaves ITV with no political output at all, outside of news.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 08:08
Tags: Journalism
Trinity Mirror had considered taking legal action against newspapers and websites that reported the company was struggling with its pension fund.
According to the Observer, chief executive Sly Bailey and finance director Vijay Vaghela were incensed by the reports, which followed an analysts’ note claiming the publisher was having difficulty with its £1.5bn scheme.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 07:57
Tags: Journalism
The BBC has launched an internal investigation into staff complaints that digital radio station the Asian Network is operating with an anti-Muslim policy.
According to the Mail on Sunday, around 20 station employees, past and present, have complained to the corporation, claiming Muslim presenters and reporters are sidelined in favour of staff from other backgrounds.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 07:54
Tags: Journalism
New political monthly Standpoint has lost its publisher, less than two months after his appointment.
According to the Independent on Sunday, Simon Tiffin is “gone, nowhere to be seen” from the title, which is edited by Daniel Johnson.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 07:42
Tags: Journalism
Reed Elsevier has received around two dozen expressions of interest in its up-for-sale B2B magazine division, Reed Business Information.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, the New Scientist publisher has received approaches from American publishing giant McGraw Hill and a number of private equity groups, including Bain, TPG, Candover, Cinven, Permira and Providence.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 07:22
Tags: Journalism
The Commons culture select committee has launched an investigation into the growing power of the BBC’s commercial activities, trading as BBC Worldwide.
According to the Daily Telegraph, MPs are concerned that the corporation’s business operations are hurting private sector rivals. BBC Worldwide made a £118m last year, according to its recently released annual report.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 07:11
Tags: Journalism
For years, a handful of German weekly magazines have capitalised on the fact that the House of Windsor does not sue by publishing a steady stream of made-up stories about the British royal family.
But the most daring in the long line of concoctions came last week when Frau mit Herz magazine (Woman with Heart) splashed with: “World sensation! Elizabeth to abdicate.”
According to the Times, the title’s editor could not be reached to explain where the story came from. One rival editor says it’s all above board: “We get the photos in, we look at the facial expressions and put two and two together. We’re not pulling the wool over readers’ eyes.”
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 06:59
Tags: Journalism
The BBC is to carry out a review of the TV licence, amid fears that the growing popularity of online TV viewing is undermining support for the £139-a-year fee.
According to the Times, the BBC Trust review will look into how the TV licence scheme is operated and collected. Under the current system, all “live” programming is covered, but the BBC’s seven-day online catch-up service, the iPlayer, is not.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 06:51
Tags: Journalism
Ofcom is expected later this morning to censure Channel 4 for a controversial climate change documentary which “misrepresented some of the world’s leading scientists“.
The Great Global Warming Swindle prompted complaints about privacy and fairness. According to the Guadian, the regulator will today uphold most of these complaints, but will rule that the overall programme did not mislead viewers.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 06:43
Tags: Journalism
Shares in the big three publicly listed regional newspaper publishers rallied on Friday, after a vote of confidence from a broker who said newspapers were among the first to recover from a downturn.
The Collins Stewart report noted that although the press was one of the first-hit areas in a recession, it was also one of the earliest sectors to come out of it as firms began advertising again.
Johnston Press gained 26 per cent to 50.75p. Trinity Mirror was up 15.25 per cent to 85p. DMGT rose five per cent to 331.5p.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 21 July 2008 at 06:31
Tags: Journalism
A cross-party group of more than 50 MPs has signed a Commons motion backing The Indepdendent’s campaign for fair tips for hospitality workers, including restaurant, bar and hotel staff.
The paper is campaigning for an EU-wide protocol on tipping, with staff paid at least the minimum wage before tips. A debate on the issue is due to take place when the Strasbourg parliament reconvenes after the summer break.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 10:40
Tags: New Media
Erik Huggers has been confirmed as the BBC’s new director of future media and technology, replacing Ashley Highfield, who left in July to oversee the joint-venture TV catch-up service Kangaroo.
Huggers starts in the new role on 1 August, responsible for all of the corporation’s output on the internet, interactive TV and mobile - including the BBC iPlayer.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 10:36
Tags: National Newspapers
The Sun is increasing its cover price to 30p in London and the south-east from Monday, the Guardian reports.
The red-top has had been sold at the reduced price of 25p in the region since September.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:55
Tags: Magazines
The Big Issue is to launch in India by the end of this year, MediaGuardian.co.uk reports.
Ten journalists will oversee the launch, led by Big Issue managing director Ian McArthur.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:51
Tags: Television
The Ofcom chairman, Lord Currie, has suggested a cut in the BBC licence fee as one of three possible options for the £139-a-year fee after digital switchover.
According to the Daily Mail, the amount the BBC spends on digital switchover will either be deducted from the fee after 2012, given to other broadcasters, or used to fund new BBC services.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:43
Tags: Television
Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan is on the verge of signing a chat show deal with US TV network NBC, according to the Daily Mail.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:32
Tags: Television
The BBC has been criticised by some staff after it spent £6m on gas turbines to power TV Centre in London - and didn’t use them.
According to MediaGuardian.co.uk, the turbines were intended to supply the BBC with its own power instead of using mains electricity.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:29
Tags: Magazines, Online
Fashion bible Vogue is to produce a web-based reality TV series based on the fashion industry.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the $3m project is one of the biggest-budget web TV projects to date.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 18 July 2008 at 09:24
Tags: Television
An Australian TV journalist has been arrested in Singapore for alleged drug possession.
According to Reuters, Australian Broadcasting Corporation correspondent Peter Lloyd faces up to 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane if found guilty.
Posted by
Paul McNally
on 15 July 2008 at 15:36
Tags: Journalism, Online, Regional Newspapers
Trinity Mirror weekly title The Uxbridge Gazette has relaunched its website, including 10 hyperlocal community mini-sites which the paper hopes will allow journalists to gather material that can be “reverse published” into print.
In a press release, the Uxbridge Gazette editor-in-chief, Adrian Seal, said: “We are particularly excited about the new hyperlocal sites we have developed and it’s great that they are open to everyone from Scout groups to churches and schools and local residents in those areas.”
