Samira Ahmed reaches settlement with BBC over equal pay case February 24, 2020 The BBC has reached a settlement with Samira Ahmed after the presenter won her equal pay case against the broadcaster. An employment tribunal last month ruled that Ahmed was underpaid for hosting Newswatch in comparison to Jeremy Vine, who hosts Points of View. The BBC had argued that the two presenters fulfilled “very different roles”, [...]
Times Radio poaches veteran BBC presenter John Pienaar February 17, 2020 Times Radio has hired veteran BBC journalist John Pienaar, marking the nascent radio station’s first major poach from the embattled public service broadcaster. Pienaar, who is currently deputy political editor of BBC News, today confirmed he will join Rupert Murdoch’s new venture as drive time presenter. Times Radio, which will launch later this year, is [...]
Times Radio circles BBC stars ahead of hiring spree February 16, 2020 Times Radio is said to be making generous offers to some of the BBC’s biggest stars as Rupert Murdoch’s new radio venture looks to lure in top talent. The station, which will launch later this year, is in talks with Radio 4 Any Questions host Chris Mason and has approached Today programme frontman Nick Robinson, [...]
BBC radio stations under threat as No 10 vows to scrap licence fee February 16, 2020 The BBC could reportedly be forced to sell off the majority of its radio stations as the government looks to overhaul the broadcaster and “prune” back its services. Senior aides to the prime minister told the Sunday Times that they were “not bluffing” about plans to scrap the licence fee and make viewers pay a [...]
Scrap the TV licence, the BBC should just stick to the national news February 15, 2020 It is good that the BBC model is being disrupted by social media — allowing isolated individuals threatened by brown envelopes and sinister demands to be united in their opposition to the multi-billion pound media enterprise. Essentially, the broadcaster needs to be radically stripped down to just one channel: BBC News and Weather. All other [...]
Top BBC boss apologises over £12,000 banking conference fee February 11, 2020 The BBC’s editorial director Kamal Ahmed has apologised to staff for accepting £12,000 to speak at a banking conference last week. Ahmed, who was previously the broadcaster’s economics editor, accepted the fee for a 40-minute appearance at Aberdeen Standard Investments’ Investing for the Future event. In an email to staff, shared with the Financial Times, [...]
BBC calls for ‘demonstrable resilience’ as it launches search for new boss February 10, 2020 The BBC has fired the starting pistol on its search for a new director general, calling for applicants with “demonstrable resilience” as it tries to head off fierce political pressure. The broadcaster today published a job advert for its top position after current director general Tony Hall announced plans to step down in the summer. [...]
Culture secretary denies attack on BBC as she hints at wider broadcaster review February 5, 2020 Culture secretary Nicky Morgan has denied the government is launching an attack on the BBC as she hinted at a wider review of public service broadcasters. Morgan today launched a public consultation on whether to decriminalise non-payment of the TV licence fee amid a shift in viewing habits fuelled by the rise of streaming services [...]
Government opens consultation into licence fee decriminalisation February 5, 2020 Culture secretary Nicky Morgan will today launch a public consultation on whether to decriminalise non-payment of the TV licence fee, ramping up political pressure on the BBC. Under current laws anyone who uses a TV or watches BBC iPlayer without paying the licence fee is guilty of a criminal offence. Those who refuse to pay [...]
BBC licence fee to increase by £3 from April February 3, 2020 The annual cost of the TV licence fee increase from £154.50 to £157.50 from 1 April, the BBC confirmed today. The fee is set by the government, which announced in 2016 that it would rise in line with inflation for five years from April 2017. The new charge equates to £3.02 per week or £13.13 [...]