UK news website readership rises by a fifth amid Covid-19 crisis September 16, 2020 Readership of UK national news websites has jumped by a fifth as Brits flock to trusted sources for updates about the coronavirus crisis. The number of daily readers rose by 3.7m year on year to hit 22m in June, according to the latest figures from audience measurement body Pamco. Across print and digital, national news [...]
Facebook shares dip after Kim Kardashian West announces boycott September 15, 2020 Shares in Facebook dipped this afternoon after Kim Kardashian West announced that she was freezing her account in protest against the sharing of misinformation on the social media platform. In a post on the site, she wrote: “I can’t sit by and stay silent while these platforms continue to allow the spreading of hate, propaganda [...]
Gary Lineker takes 25 per cent pay cut as BBC promises reform September 15, 2020 Gary Lineker will take a 23 per cent pay cut as part of a fresh five-year deal to continue hosting Match of the Day. New figures published today showed the former England footballer remains the BBC’s best paid star, pulling in a salary of £1.75m. But the new contract, which will keep Lineker at the [...]
Social media abuse to be made illegal under new online harms proposals September 11, 2020 Sending abusive messages over social media, messaging services or email could be made illegal under new proposals tabled today. The Law Commission has outlined a number of reforms designed to protect people from harmful behaviour online. The reforms, set out in a consultation paper, would criminalise any communications likely to cause harm. This includes personal [...]
Tiktok joins EU conduct code on hate speech as graphic video continues to circulate September 8, 2020 Tiktok has this morning signed up to the EU’s code of conduct on hate speech, as it struggles to contain the spread of a graphic video on its platform. The video, which shows a person committing suicide, has been circulating on the app since Sunday night. Tiktok said it is working to remove all posts [...]
Shares in Future hit record high after rise in online traffic boosts profit September 7, 2020 Shares in Future hit a record high this morning after the publisher said it was on track to post full-year profit ahead of market expectations. The media group, which owns titles including Four Four Two, Country Life and Tech Radar, said adjusted operating profit would beat current forecasts of between £78.2m and £83.2m, marking a [...]
Harry and Meghan sign content deal with streaming giant Netflix September 3, 2020 Prince Harry and wife Meghan have inked an exclusive multi-year production deal with Netflix, a major step in their plan to earn income after leaving their role as working royals. The couple will produce films and series ranging from children’s shows to scripted content, the streaming platform said last night. Harry and Meghan moved stateside with their [...]
Netflix to allow non-subscribers to watch some films and shows for free September 1, 2020 In another bid to attract new viewers, Netflix is now offering non-subscribers the opportunity to watch its series and films for free without creating an account. The streaming platform is currently offering the first episodes of series like Stranger Things, When They See Us, and Grace and Frankie. Netflix will prompt viewers to subscribe to [...]
STV swings to loss as advertising revenue slumps September 1, 2020 STV today posted a loss for the first half of the year as record audience figures failed to offset a sharp fall in ad revenue caused by coronavirus. The figures Revenue for the six months to the end of June dropped 19 per cent from £54.9m to £44.7m. STV’s Ebitda fell 40 per cent from [...]
New BBC boss promises ‘urgent reform’ amid pressure over funding September 1, 2020 The new director general of the BBC has promised to keep reforming the public service broadcaster “with urgency” as he faces a fierce debate over its funding model. Tim Davie, who took up the top job today, acknowledged that the corporation faced challenges, but insisted it remained relevant in the modern media landscape. “Overall my [...]