Bluesky bets on the end of X and Meta’s social media grip June 2, 2026 Social media is moving beyond platforms controlled by a “few billionaires”, according to Bluesky’s chief operating officer, as governments in the UK and Europe step up scrutiny of X, Meta, and other Big Techs. Speaking at SXSW London, Rose Wang said Bluesky was built in response to a social media market dominated by a handful [...]
Richard Desmond hit with £40m bill over ‘fanciful’ lottery feud June 1, 2026 Media tycoon Richard Desmond’s company Northern and Shell has been ordered to pay over £40m after a two-year-long legal feud with the Gambling Commission over the 2022 National Lottery license. A High Court judge has ordered media giant Northern and Shell and its subsidiary, the New Lottery Company, to cough up 75 per cent of [...]
Starmer prepares child social media curbs as pressure mounts on addictive apps May 27, 2026 The government is preparing to tighten restrictions on children’s social media use after a consultation that drew more than 81,000 responses, with ministers expected to target the design of major platforms rather than impose a blanket ban for under-16s. New measures under consideration include restrictions on autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, push notifications, overnight access and [...]
New Married At First Sight series still in edit despite ‘troubling’ allegations May 20, 2026 Channel 4’s new chief executive, Priya Dogra, has said allegations surrounding Married at First Sight (MAFS) UK were “really hard to watch”, as the broadcaster weighs the future of the hit reality show while the next series remains in edit. Dogra confirmed on Wednesday that no decision had yet been made on whether the upcoming [...]
Premier League streaming platform to cost less than half what UK fans pay May 19, 2026 The Premier League has released pricing for its first ever streaming platform, which will show every single game next season when it launches in Singapore. Premier League + will be available via a dedicated app, with access priced at S$16 (£9.31) for 24 hours, S$44 (£25.62) for a monthly rolling contract, and S$399 (£232.39) for [...]
Premier League + and why owning the broadcast isn’t owning the fan May 17, 2026 The Premier League and Uefa’s moves into streaming platforms misunderstand the way fans want to consume football, says George Gilmore. In the last few months, the two leading lights in global club football, the Premier League and Uefa, have announced they will be launching direct-to-consumer broadcast offerings. In so doing, a revolutionary, if predictable, moment [...]
The Festival of Words: From Gyles Brandreth to Anthony Scaramucci – all you need to know about the Fleet Street Quarter festival May 12, 2026 The Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words covers everything from politics to culture, literature, storytelling, broadcasting and public life. It features a fascinating line-up of speakers and panel guests, from political heavyweights to stars of stage and screen. We’re pretty sure it will be a front-running for the Best Arts or Culture Experience category of [...]
Cannes 2026: Who will win the 2026 Palme d’Or? May 11, 2026 Blockbusters like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mad Max: Fury Road and Top Gun Maverick once graced the Cannes red carpet, but this year’s opening night film will be a French burlesque romantic comedy, The Electric Kiss. In fact, no Hollywood or British films are this year competing for the Palme d’Or. So who [...]
Sports industry braced for media rights dip, PwC report warns May 8, 2026 Sport bosses have warned that media rights are set to fall in value and can no longer be relied upon to drive growth across the industry. PwC’s Global Sports Survey of more than 500 senior executives found that growth was expected in all streams in the next three to five years, except media rights. Even [...]
Elon Musk settles lawsuit over Twitter takeover for $1.5m May 5, 2026 Tech tycoon Elon Musk has finally put one of his longest-running legal battles to rest after reaching a $1.5m (£1.2m) settlement with the US regulator. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil lawsuit against the billionaire, alleging violations of securities laws in the run-up to his 2022 purchase of Twitter. Musk, who [...]