Female broadcast journalist, over 50, under valued? Move to China

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 3 March 2010 at 10:05
Tags: Broadcast, People, Radio

Former BBC broadcast journalist Susan Osman has found a new job as a breakfast news presenter in China after feeling that she had hit the “silver ceiling” in the UK, The Guardian reports.

Osman claims that there is more respect for the older generation in China and that it is a great place for a 51-year-old female broadcaster to work - provided you don’t mention the private lives of politicals leaders, the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests of 1989; or banned spiritual movement, Falun Gon.

Osman tells The Guardian: “I don’t think I have ever – ever – been treated with so much respect in a working environment..They listen, seem to admire me and seem to understand what changes I’m trying to bring here.”

NUJ: ‘We cannot stand by and watch BBC sacrificed to satisfy Rupert Murdoch’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 3 March 2010 at 08:28
Tags: Broadcast, New Media, Online, Radio, Television

The National Union of Journalists has said it “cannot stand by and watch staff and outstanding public service content sacrificed to satisfy the demands of Rupert Murdoch and other commercial interests”.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: “BBC management’s strategy of desperate, hopeful self-sacrifice is fundamentally flawed. Far from convincing an incoming government or commercial rivals that the BBC should now be left well alone, their self-harming approach will only encourage commercial media operations to demand more cuts.” (more…)

BBC Trust chairman’s statement following reports of deep cuts resulting from strategic review

Posted by Press Gazette on 1 March 2010 at 08:05
Tags: Broadcast, Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business, New Media, Online, Radio, Television

Following reports last week suggesting the BBC was about to close two radio stations, cut the size of its website and dispose of its magazines, BBC Trust chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, made the following statement:

“In its first three years, the Trust has focussed on addressing the concerns of audiences and re-shaping the BBC. In particular this has meant working to ensure the BBC delivers genuinely distinctive content, serves all audiences across the UK, and provides value for money for licence fee payers. (more…)

BBC veteran reporters only on ‘30-day contracts’, claims Mail

Posted by Press Gazette on 22 February 2010 at 09:36
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, People, Radio, Television

The appointment by the BBC of the veteran reporters Julia Somerville and Fiona Armstrong was seen as a well-timed response to accusations of ageism at the corporation.

However, the Daily Mail claimed today that both reporters, who returned to screens just days ago, are only on 30-day contracts. (more…)

Former ITN chief executive to lead Scottish IFNC bid

Posted by Press Gazette on 8 February 2010 at 08:28
Tags: Broadcast, New Media, Newspapers, Online, Radio, Television

Former ITN chief executive Mark Wood has been appointed chairman of a consortium bidding to run the Independently Funded News Consortia pilot in Scotland.

The move will put Wood in direct competition with his former employers in the battle to secure public money for the venture. (more…)

Hidden sex camera BBC producer faces up to two years jail

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 1 February 2010 at 12:48
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Radio, Television

A former BBC local radio reporter of the year is facing possible jail after admitting secretly taping sexual encounters with six different women using a hidden camera in his bedroom.

Benjamin Wilkins resigned from his job as a BBC producer when the charges first came to light in 2008, the Daily Mail reports. It says that some of the women Wilkins filmed, who cannot be named, hold senior presenting and production roles in TV and radio.

Wilkins was also a journalism lecturer at the London College of Communications.

He is due to be sentenced at London Crown Court later this month, the Mail reports. It states in its report that voyeurism carries a maximum charge of two years in prison.

BBC dominates shortlist for SJA Sports Broadcast Awards

Posted by Press Gazette on 27 January 2010 at 12:54
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Journalism, Radio, Television, awards

The BBC has received fifteen nominations across the four categories of the SJA Sports Broadcast Awards.

The corporation is followed by Sky Sports with five nominations and TalkSport with three. ITV has received just one nomination. (more…)

Journalists raise money and offer direct help to Haiti

Posted by Michele Weydert on 19 January 2010 at 10:11
Tags: Broadcast, International, Journalism, National Newspapers, New Media, Newspapers, Online, Radio, Television

In the wake of the Haiti earthquake disaster last week a number of news organisations have been quick to get aid initiatives off the ground to help raise money and ease some off the communication problems caused by the collapse of the domestic telephone network. (more…)

Sun and Guardian nominated for Radio Production Awards

Posted by Press Gazette on 13 January 2010 at 10:59
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, National Newspapers, New Media, Newspapers, Online, Radio, awards

Producers working for two newspaper organisations have been nominated for the inaugural Radio Production Awards for the quality of their online shows.

The Guardian’s Francesca Panetta and Sun Talk’s Sam Gregory were both nominated in the Best Online Producer category, with Panetta also nominated for the Creative Award. (more…)

Sky News iPhone apps downloaded a million times in six months

Posted by Press Gazette on 11 January 2010 at 15:50
Tags: Broadcast, Mobile, New Media, Online, Radio, Television

Sky News’ iPhone application has been downloaded more than a million times since its launch in May, the company said today. (more…)

Dr Who writer: ‘BBC has five or six years left’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 23 December 2009 at 08:51
Tags: Broadcast, Radio, Television

Dr Who writer Russell T Davies said the Conservatives will destroy the BBC if they get elected.

Conservative shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt revealed last month that his party was ready to freeze or cut the BBC licence fee.

Davies told the Daily Mirror: “They want the votes but once they get in they are going to be absolutely vicious. I think the BBC has got five or six years left.

“They’ll dismantle it slowly. It’ll get smaller and smaller until it just supports Radio 4 and some news.”

FT: BBC in talks over floating Worldwide

Posted by Press Gazette on 25 November 2009 at 11:11
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Consumer Magazines, Magazines, Media Business, Radio, Television

The BBC has been holding talks with advisors in the City about floating part of its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, as a response to calls for it to reduce its market holdings. (more…)

MoS: Journalist tampered with interview to include f-word

Posted by Gary Neale on 19 October 2009 at 14:40
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Journalism, Radio

A BBC sports journalist allegedly tampered with a pre-recorded interview so that the word fuck could be clearly heard repeatedly during a Radio 5 Live broadcast, the Mail on Sunday reports.

The journalist supposedly merged two audio files - one an interview by reporter Jacqui Oatley with Wigan football club manager Roberto Martinez, the other a ‘blooper’ of BBC horse racing corresponent Cornelius Lysaght using the f-word - so that Lysaght can be heard over the interview.

Standard: ‘BBC is horrendous institution that happens to make rather good programmes’

Posted by Gary Neale on 14 October 2009 at 15:42
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Journalism, Media Business, New Media, Online, Radio, Television

The Evening Standard investigation into the BBC continued yesterday with an article headlined “How the BBC survives.”

In part two Stephen Robinson writes about “how much [the BBC] feels like a government department and how little like a news operation”.

An unnamed BBC source said: “Everything shuts down at six o’clock, and Television Centre is deserted at the weekend, which is amazing when you think that it’s part of one of the biggest media organisations in the world.”

He says: “As details have emerged of the enormous salaries of the executives and the on-screen ‘talent’, old-school journalists who believe in the public broadcasting ethos seethe at top management’s failure to appreciate the damage done to their beloved institution.”

A well-known TV presenter told Robinson: “I call it Kremlinitis. Those at the top spend their whole time talking to each other, so they are genuinely surprised by outside criticism.”

Robinson goes on to criticise director general Mark Thompson saying: “More revealing is Thompson’s assumption that only the BBC’s rivals have motives, while the corporation itself is driven solely by a post-Reithian altruism.”

But Robinson does admit “that the BBC may not get enough credit for its commitment to quality programming and good journalism”.

One presenter told Robinson: “”I’ve always said the BBC is a horrendous institution that happens to make rather good programmes,” but “the institution has got worse, and the programmes rather less good in recent years”.

Evening Standard asks: What is the point of Jana Bennett?

Posted by Gary Neale on 12 October 2009 at 17:05
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Free Newspapers, Journalism, Media Business, Radio, Television

As the Evening Standard goes free today and also begin a series of scathing special reports about the BBC.

Today’s report is all about the money. Stephen Robinson writes about the wages claimed by the upper echelons of the BBC management, pointing out that 47 BBC executives earn more than the PM.

Taking the example of Jana Bennett, Head of Vision, he asks: “What is the point of her?” (more…)

Manchester Evening News is Lancs/Great Manc paper of the year

Posted by Emma Slawinski on 2 October 2009 at 11:51
Tags: Broadcast, Journalism, Newspapers, Radio, Regional Newspapers, Television, awards

The Manchester Evening News was crowned Newspaper of the Year last night at the first ever 02 Media Awards for Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

The MEN beat off competition from Crains Manchester Business, Bolton News and the Blackpool Gazette to scoop the title. (more…)

Ben Bradshaw: ‘Conservatives would take over the BBC’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 28 September 2009 at 09:26
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Journalism, Radio, Television

Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has said that Conservative plans to cap pay for BBC executives at £192,250 would lead to the government “taking over ther unning of the BBC”.

Last week Bradshaw said in a speech that the BBC Trust, which governs the BBC, should be replaced and he said that the corporation’s expansion should be currbed.

Sun admits it was fooled by terrorism ‘expert’

Posted by Lara Oreilly on 15 September 2009 at 14:03
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Journalism, National Newspapers, New Media, Newspapers, Online, People, Radio

The Sun today admitted it had been duped by a phoney terrorism expert, who leaked a faked fundamentalist list of Jewish targets, including Lord Alan Sugar, which was then splashed on its front page.

Glen Jenvey had posed as a fundamentalist on an extemist website and encouraged others to suggest names for the list which he then leaked to a news agency used by the The Sun.

(more…)

Mark Thompson: ‘I would rather abolish the BBC than charge for news online’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 14 September 2009 at 08:38
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, Radio, Television

BBC director general Mark Thompson has ruled out easing News International’s planned transition to paid-for online content by charing for BBC news online.

He told The Guardian: “I would rather the BBC was abolished than we started encrypting news to stop people seeing it.”

But he said that a stragic review of the corporation, which due to deliver recommendations early next year, will lead to “narrower services”.

He said that the ownership of magazines and commercial division Worldwide is under review.

Defending pay at the BBC - Thompson claimed that staff accept a “discount” on their salary to work for the corporation.

And responding to widespread criticism of the BBC in the rest of the media in recent months, Thompson said: “The rest of the British media have come to see the BBC as a direct competitive threat in a way they never used to. I think it’s fair to say that that’s colouring their coverage of the BBC.”

London Press Club Ball embraces ‘austerity’ theme

Posted by Helen Potter on 7 September 2009 at 16:41
Tags: Advertising, Broadcast, Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People, Radio, Television

Austerity is the theme of this year’s London Press Club Ball.

BBC Breakfast presenter Kate Silverton will host the event and Bargain Hunt’s James Braxton will conduct the auction where a special edition Mini Cooper Mayfair car will be the top prize.

Organisers of the ball have acknowledged the economic climate by cutting ticket prices with the aim of maximising funds for the Journalists’ Charity. (more…)