Theresa May unable to guarantee no hard Irish border in case of ‘no deal’ Brexit September 30, 2018 Theresa May today was unable to promise there would be no hard border with Ireland if the Brexit talks break down, instead repeating the UK would do “everything it can” to avoid customs checks. Speaking just hours before the Conservative Party conference is due to start in Birmingham, the Prime Minister launched a defence of [...]
An election is the last thing we need – and voters would punish politicians for calling it September 25, 2018 Theresa May’s Brexit negotiations with the European Union are going very, very wrong, and there is now speculation that the UK could be heading for a snap election — cue eyerolls and yawns nationwide. Both the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour party appear to be considering the possibility of a snap election as early [...]
Strictly Come Dancing professionals make a PR misstep in potential pay row dispute September 24, 2018 Glitter balls, sequins, the foxtrot, and the rest… Daaarling! It is that time of the year again as Strictly Come Dancing waltzed back on to our screens on Saturday night. New celebs, new dancers, new routine – same old format. There will be Craig Revel Horwood looking unimpressed, break-ups, make-ups, tears, injuries, tantrums, and [...]
John McDonnell: Labour will nationalise railways within five years September 22, 2018 Britain's railways could be taken back into public hands within five years if Labour wins the next general election, according to shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Ahead of Labour’s party conference which starts tomorrow, John McDonnell told the BBC he was looking at the possibility of breaking clauses in contracts to allow rail franchises to be [...]
Culture secretary Jeremy Wright calls on broadcasters to stem the tide of Russian propaganda September 18, 2018 Culture secretary Jeremy Wright will today call on British broadcasters to do more to combat the spread of disinformation and Russian propaganda spread by state-funded station RT. In a speech to the TV industry later today, Wright will urge broadcasters like the BBC and Channel 4 to do more to gain public trust in the [...]
Theresa May ‘irritated’ by talk of leadership challenges September 16, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May has said she gets “irritated” by speculation about her position as leader of the Conservative Party, as she heads towards a crucial crunch meeting with EU leaders later this week. In an interview to mark six months until Britain is due to leave the European Union, May slapped down former foreign [...]
As Lord Hall pledges a “BBC for the internet age”, is this even possible under the licence fee model? September 7, 2015 David Hickman, senior lecturer in film & television production at the University of York, says Yes The only alternative to the licence fee proposed by BBC critics is subscription. Little is said about how, say, radio would be paid for. But practical issues aside, the BBC is a public institution, so public attitudes matter – [...]
BBC charter review: Why Auntie needs local media September 7, 2015 The upcoming charter review provides the ideal opportunity to extend the BBC’s long-established and highly successful outsourcing model to local news gathering. At a time when more power is being devolved to the regions, it is essential that there is a long-term commitment to media coverage of institutions – courts, health trusts, education authorities, [...]
Lord Tony Hall reveals plans for BBC’s “open platform” future: Local news partnerships, North Korea broadcasts, and children’s iPlayer September 7, 2015 Tony Hall, the director general of the BBC, has promised the public broadcaster will be "an open platform for British creativity" in a speech outlining plans for its future ahead of next year's royal charter renewal. Lord Hall said the proposals would "lead to a more creative and distinctive BBC" but warned that it would [...]
John Whittingdale’s BBC velvet glove at Edinburgh TV Festival masks a hand of steel August 26, 2015 John Whittingdale struck a conciliatory tone on the BBC at the Edinburgh TV Festival, saying "It was never our intention to create the impression that the BBC was under attack". The culture secretary explained that much would remain unchanged at the BBC of the future. The licence fee was still the only option because the [...]