Covid connections: Pandemic narrows digital divide as more Brits go online April 28, 2021 While it may be hard to find silver linings in lockdown, it appears the rapid shift to online services has had its benefits. A surge in demand for internet services over the last year means the UK’s digital divide has narrowed even further, with more and more Brits getting connected. The proportion of homes without [...]
GB News: What is the new TV channel and when will it launch? April 22, 2021 There’s been a flurry of announcements in recent weeks ahead of the launch of GB News, a new opinion-led channel promising the biggest shakeup of British broadcast media for 30 years. The venture has caused a stir, with no shortage of controversy over its promise to take a “boldly different” approach. Plans are still being [...]
Former culture minister Ed Vaizey ‘in the running’ for Ofcom chair role April 12, 2021 Former culture minister Ed Vaizey is said to be under consideration for a shortlist of candidates to chair media regulator Ofcom. Officials and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will this week start finalising the list of applicants for the position ahead of final interviews later this month, Bloomberg reported. However, it [...]
UK launches new competition watchdog for Big Tech crackdown April 7, 2021 Tech giants such as Facebook and Google are facing a tougher regulatory regime in the UK after a new watchdog aimed at curbing their power launched today. The Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will be charged with setting up new rules to give consumers more control over their data, promote online competition and crack down on [...]
Alastair Stewart latest addition to GB News’ launch roster April 2, 2021 Upstart TV outfit GB News have added another big-name broadcaster to their launch team with the capture of Alastair Stewart OBE. Stewart is the UK’s longest-serving broadcaster, best known for his long stint at the helm of ITV’s nightly bulletins. It is the latest in a series of hires for the new satellite news network, [...]
Explainer: How will the BBC change in the next five years? March 30, 2021 The BBC this week published its annual plan, outlining its strategy and financial targets as it looks to adapt to major shifts in the media landscape. It comes at a tough time for the public service broadcaster, which is facing declining viewer numbers and a political row over its licence fee funding model, as well [...]
Tory peer Lord Marland ‘in the running’ to chair competition watchdog March 29, 2021 Tory grandee Lord Marland is said to be in the running to become the next chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in what could be the latest political appointment by Boris Johnson. Lord Marland, a former Conservative minister, is one of several names being circulated at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial [...]
Ofcom to build Manchester tech hub as it gears up for new online role March 26, 2021 Ofcom today unveiled plans to open a new tech hub in Manchester as it prepares to take on its new role as the UK’s first online regulator. The media watchdog said its new base, which is set to be up and running by the summer, will create 150 new jobs by 2025. The organisation will [...]
ITN warns of UK ‘news desert’ without broadcasting revamp March 26, 2021 The UK could be at risk of a digital “new desert” where audiences are unable to access high-quality news online unless effective regulation is brought in by Ofcom, ITN has warned. The production giant, which produces news programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, warned against a situation where “significant numbers of people can [...]
UK in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink over broadband rollout March 19, 2021 The government is in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink over using satellites to help roll out full-fibre broadband in the most remote parts of the UK. Ministers today confirmed the launch of a £5bn plan to bring high-speed internet connections to properties across the country in the coming years. The government had originally set the [...]