-
BBC to miss online pledge, Scotland Yard accused of Leveson cover-up and Yahoo! hopes for Tumblr revenue boost
21 May 2013 | 8:09 amThe BBC is set to break its pledge to refer an average of 22million users a month to external websites by 2013/14, adding to criticism over its dominant web position in the UK. According to The Times, the original pledge was made after a number of major media organisations complained that a lack of external links on BBC sites threatened media plurality.
Robert Jay QC has confirmed that Scotland Yard used “public interest immunity” to prevent a key internal report from being submitted to the Leveson Inquiry, sparking fears of a cover-up. The Guardian reports that the document is alleged to contain information relating to potentially illegal dealings between senior police officers and the press.
Yahoo! CFO Ken Goldman has indicated that his company’s $1.1billion takeover of Tumblr will start to show value by 2014, with the popular blogging site expected to add to its advertising revenues within the next 18 months. According to the BBC, the Yahoo! team is looking to adopt a more subtle advertising approach for its new venture.
-
Bloomberg under pressure, AP hits out at US government and Tumblr set for Yahoo takeover
20 May 2013 | 8:19 amInternational news agency Bloomberg has come under pressure to lower its financial terminal prices, after it was revealed that the company’s journalists had been using private data to bolster its news offering. According to The Sunday Times, dozens of banks are now demanding heavy cuts to the £13,000 a year subscription fee, in return for express permission to use the data.
The Associated Press has broken its silence over the phone record seizure scandal, with CEO Gary Pruitt labelling the move “unconstitutional”. The Guardian reports that Mr. Pruitt is of the opinion that such tactics are damaging to press freedom, and alleged that his company has already suffered from a new reluctance from sources to divulge information.
Popular blogging site Tumblr is bracing itself for a takeover this week, after the Yahoo! board of directors approved a $1.1billion purchase. According to the BBC, confirmation of the deal is expected later on today (20th May), giving the company a huge valuation despite its $13million 2012 revenue.
-
MPs criticise Google’s tax affairs, BBC issue Newsnight apology, and Bercow pleads innocence
17 May 2013 | 9:17 amPublic accounts committee chair Margaret Hodge led a verbal attack against Google yesterday, accusing the company of acting in a “devious, calculated and unethical” manner over its tax affairs. According to Sky News, the Labour MP addressed her remarks to Google VP Matt Brittin, who is being questioned by the committee in response to evidence highlighted by whistleblowers.
The BBC has been forced to issue another apology on behalf of its Newsnight editorial team after acknowledging that a misleading report may have damaged the charitable efforts of Help for Heroes. The Times reports that Bryn Parry, co-founder of the charity, believes that the negative coverage cost his group more than £4million in lost donations.
Lawyers representing Sally Bercow have claimed that her allegedly libellous tweet regarding Lord McAlpine was intended as an innocent question, rather than an attack on the Tory peer’s character. According to The Guardian, McAlpine is seeking unspecified damages against the speaker’s wife after rejecting a settlement proposal in November 2012.
-
BBC Trust upholds Radio 4 complaint, ITV issues ad revenue warning, and Google reveals new music service
16 May 2013 | 8:54 amThe BBC Trust has upheld a complaint against Radio 4 after a presenter used a seemingly innocent phrase in a potentially offensive manner. According to The Times, the Trust overruled an earlier internal inquiry by the BBC, which noted that Radio 4 is “essentially an adult radio channel.” On appeal, it was held that editorial standards had been breached.
Shares in ITV fell by around 4% yesterday after the broadcaster announced that it was expecting a heavy fall in year-on-year advertising revenues for the second quarter of 2013. The Guardian reports that ITV are now expecting an overall fall of 3% for the first half of the year, although a recovery is predicted as soon as July.
Tech giant Google has announced the launch of its new “Music All Access” service, letting Android and web users subscribe to a vast library of digital music content. According to the BBC, Google will be bucking the trend by refusing to offer a free version of the service.
-
BBC accused of relocation overpayment, Channel 4 reveal losses, and German courts order Google auto-complete action
15 May 2013 | 8:29 amThe National Audit Office has asserted that the BBC paid out sums of up to £150,000 in order to persuade workers to relocate to the new Salford offices, without fully investigating each claim. According to The Times, the BBC Trust has acknowledged that the lack of research into reasons given was “unacceptable.”
Channel 4 has fulfilled analyst’s expectations by revealing a £29 million loss for 2012 after investing a record £434 million in original programming over the period. The Guardian reports that this is the first time that the broadcaster has failed to turn a profit since 2001, and now doesn’t expect to return to profitability until 2015.
Google has been ordered to remove a number of offensive and potentially defamatory results from its auto-complete search feature this week, after a German court ruled that some results could constitute a breach of privacy. The BBC reports that the search engine has expressed disappointment at the ruling, noting it has little control over user search terms.
