Category Archives: BBC

BBC accused of endangering World Service Vietnamese staff

Posted on by

Cost-cutting plan to move staff from London to Bangkok will put them at risk of abduction, reporters say

Journalists at the BBC World Service have said plans to move its Vietnamese service from London to Thailand pose a danger to press freedom.

Several reporters at the World Service raised concerns that the Vietnamese state had a history of abducting journalists from Thailand. They also suggested that BBC bosses failed to comprehend that just because both countries were in south-east Asia, it did not mean Vietnamese people were naturally at home in Thailand.

Continue reading...

Keir Starmer promises to launch publicly-owned UK energy company as he hails ‘Labour moment’ – UK politics live

Posted on by

Latest updates: the Labour party leader used his conference speech to spell out his plan for the UK

The decision to pay Liz Truss’s new chief of staff, Mark Fullbrook, through a private company has been dropped after criticism from within the Conservatives as well as from opposition parties.

The government admitted over the weekend that Fullbrook would be paid through his lobbying firm, a move that could have helped him avoid paying tax. He had previously claimed the firm had stopped all commercial activities.

The world we are heading for is a bumpy few weeks. The chancellor is now going to have quite a tough time because he has now set out plans to balance the books in November. That is going to be very hard.

Actually balancing the books in November is going to be harder than it would have been to show you are balancing the books last week because higher interest rates will make it harder to do. You might need £15bn worth of tough choices now that you didn’t need last Friday.

In the end, lower taxes will mean worse public services, or other people’s taxes having to go up, and it is those choices and ducking those choices that markets are looking at and saying that is not what serious policymaking looks like.

Continue reading...

David Dimbleby echoes father to lead BBC coverage of Queen’s committal

Posted on by

Richard Dimbleby commentated on the Queen’s coronation 69 years ago and the funeral of George VI in 1952

The veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby has commentated on the BBC’s coverage of the Queen’s committal at Windsor Castle, in an echo of his father from 70 years ago.

As the procession gradually made the mile-long journey to St George’s Chapel, Dimbleby calmly and clearly described for BBC viewers the “extraordinary scenes” that unfolded at Windsor over the past few days, the royal standard that covered the Queen’s coffin and the understandable restlessness of the horses moving at the slow place.

Continue reading...

Jeremy Vine attacks social media firms after jailing of stalker

Posted on by

BBC and Channel 5 broadcaster says firms such as YouTube and Twitter have no moral values

Jeremy Vine has criticised social media companies for failing to take action against online hate in the wake of the jailing of stalker Alex Belfield.

Companies such as YouTube and Twitter had no moral values, said the BBC Radio 2 and Channel 5 broadcaster.

Continue reading...

BBC One announces Queen’s death and plays national anthem

Posted on by

Broadcaster had earlier cut short Bargain Hunt with Buckingham Palace statement and switched to special coverage

News of the Queen’s death was announced by Huw Edwards at 6.30pm on BBC One, breaking into programming on the BBC’s other channels. The broadcaster then played the national anthem, in line with a well-rehearsed plan that has been practised regularly in recent years.

Earlier, the BBC’s main channel had interrupted Bargain Hunt just after 12.30pm to deliver a statement from Buckingham Palace that said doctors were concerned for her health, and it continued with a BBC News special.

Continue reading...

Labour pledges to strengthen the BBC’s independence and protect funding

Posted on by

Party would insulate broadcaster from political pressure, says shadow culture secretary, as Liz Truss prepares to wage war on it

Labour has pledged to strengthen the BBC’s political independence and retain it as a publicly-owned, public service broadcaster at the heart of British life, amid signs that a Tory government led by Liz Truss would wage war on the corporation.

Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, told the Observer she is examining a series of reforms to insulate the BBC from political pressures, including ending “revolving door” appointments of people in politics to top posts in the corporation, and extending the charter renewal period from 10 to 15 or 20 years to reduce pressures on BBC leaders to toe the government line.

Continue reading...

Ex-BBC executive says he was blocked from board due to ‘Labour background’

Posted on by

James Purnell, a minister under Gordon Brown, says corporation feared his appointment would anger Boris Johnson’s government

A former BBC executive has claimed he was blocked from a top job at the broadcaster due to fears his background in Labour politics would anger Boris Johnson’s government.

James Purnell spent almost a decade at the BBC in a variety of executive roles, before leaving two years ago after the arrival of Tim Davie as director general. He had previously been an MP and served as a cabinet minister in Gordon Brown’s government.

Continue reading...

Emily Maitlis says ‘active Tory party agent’ shaping BBC news output

Posted on by

Former Newsnight presenter says former No 10 communications chief Sir Robbie Gibb on board acting as ‘arbiter of impartiality’

Emily Maitlis has said a BBC board member is an “active agent of the Conservative party” who is shaping the broadcaster’s news output by acting “as the arbiter of BBC impartiality”.

The former Newsnight presenter highlighted the role of Sir Robbie Gibb, who previously worked as Theresa May’s director of communications and helped to found the rightwing GB News channel.

Continue reading...

BBC staff to publish damning report on planned merger of news channels

Posted on by

Exclusive: internal concerns raised over effect of proposals as broadcaster seeks to make £500m in savings

The BBC’s plan to merge its two rolling news channels could suffer a setback this week when staff publish a damning report that claims the move will have a negative effect on news coverage across BBC radio, TV and online.

The corporation is also braced for the regulator, Ofcom, to make a key announcement about the proposal, while some charities have already aired their concerns.

Continue reading...

Paul O’Grady says he can ‘run free’ after hosting his final Radio 2 show

Posted on by

Presenter also admits the reason for his departure was new BBC schedule for Sunday afternoon show

Paul O’Grady thanked his listeners and said he can now “run free” as he signed off from his final BBC Radio 2 show on Sunday.

O’Grady, 67, had hosted the Sunday afternoon programme for nearly 14 years, before a schedule shake-up meant he shared the hosting role with comic Rob Beckett, swapping every 13 weeks.

Continue reading...

Helen Skelton revealed as final Strictly Come Dancing contestant

Posted on by

Countryfile and former Blue Peter presenter completes lineup of dancers in 2022 show, due to air in September

The Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton has been confirmed as the final contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2022.

The 39-year-old’s participation was announced on Saturday morning by Claudia Winkleman, who co-hosts the celebrity dance show with Tess Daly, during her BBC Radio 2 show.

Continue reading...

Commercial radio beats BBC in summer numbers for first time since 1990s

Posted on by

Rise in listening hours down to BBC budget cuts and rivals’ investment in marketing

Radio fans spent more time listening to commercial stations than the BBC over the first part of the summer – for the first time since the 1990s – as deep-pocketed rivals invest heavily in marketing, poaching talent and launching new services.

Continued budget cuts at the BBC have hampered the corporation’s ability to invest in its own services and retain talent with big names from Chris Moyles, Chris Evans, Eddie Mair and, more recently, Andrew Marr, Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis signing lucrative deals to move to commercial radio rivals.

Continue reading...

Six convicted of abusing BBC Newsnight journalist during protest

Posted on by

Five men and a woman guilty of public order offences after Nicholas Watt was accosted in central London last year

Five men and a woman who verbally abused a BBC journalist at a protest have been convicted of a public order offence, according to police.

A court previously heard how members of the group intimidated Newsnight’s political editor Nicholas Watt during the politically charged incident in Whitehall on 14 June 2021.

Continue reading...

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell says he was victim of abuse at school in 1970s

Posted on by

61-year-old says what he saw and experienced at Edinburgh Academy has ‘stayed with me all my life’

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell has claimed he was the victim of abuse at a Scottish private school during the 1970s.

Campbell, 61, said witnessing incidents of both sexual and physical abuse at the Edinburgh Academy had had a “profound effect on my life”.

In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331.

Continue reading...

Truss and Sunak trade blows in acrimonious first TV debate

Posted on by

Leadership candidates ignored calls from fellow Conservatives not to ‘tarnish the brand’ as they wrangled over tax cuts, inflation and relations with China

The battle to become the UK’s next prime minister descended into fierce clashes on Monday night as Rishi Sunak launched repeated attacks on the economic policies of the favourite Liz Truss in their first head-to-head TV debate.

The two Conservative leadership hopefuls traded blows over tax cuts, China and inflation, with the former chancellor Sunak accusing the foreign secretary of seeking “a short-term sugar rush” by cutting national insurance.

Continue reading...

UK to host Eurovision song contest in 2023 on behalf of Ukraine

Posted on by

BBC says programme will have ‘glorious Ukraine at its heart’, with cities invited to bid to host event

The Eurovision song contest will be hosted in the UK next year after Ukraine’s public broadcaster dropped its objections and agreed to work with the BBC on the event.

Ukraine won this year’s Eurovision with the song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra, earning the right to host the 2023 edition. However, organisers concluded this could not be done safely while the country was at war with Russia – angering the Ukrainian government, which said it had submitted a workable safety plan.

Continue reading...

BBC journalist tells court how he was chased by mob of anti-vaxxers

Posted on by

Nick Watt said he was ‘very scared’ and ‘shaken’ after pursuit by protesters at anti-lockdown rally in London

A BBC journalist said he felt “very scared” and “shaken” as he was chased by a mob of anti-vaxxers in London last year.

Anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protesters, who had been attending at rally in central London, called Nick Watt a “traitor” and shouted in his face, Westminster magistrates court heard on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

BBC’s Amol Rajan criticised for using phrase ‘pro-life’ in Roe v Wade interview

Posted on by

Pro-choice campaigners say hearing the term, seen as partisan, on Today programme was ‘disappointing’

One of the BBC’s most high-profile presenters has been criticised for using the term “pro-life” to describe anti-abortion campaigners in a discussion about the US supreme court’s overturning of Roe v Wade.

The term, which is considered partisan, was used twice by Amol Rajan during Saturday morning’s Today programme on Radio 4, in segments about the landmark ruling ending Americans’ constitutional right to abortion.

Continue reading...

Eurovision 2023 should be held in Ukraine, Boris Johnson says

Posted on by

Comments come after Ukrainian criticism of organiser EBU’s decision to move contest to UK

Boris Johnson has said Ukraine deserves to host next year’s Eurovision song contest and that he hopes it will be able to do so despite the ongoing war with Russia.

The BBC is in talks with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) about hosting the event in the UK, which came second in the 2022 contest, after the body ruled it could not go ahead in Ukraine as planned.

Continue reading...

BBC to pay £30,000 to Bangladeshi Labour councillor for identity mix-up

Posted on by

Liza Begum said confusion with Apsana Begum who was acquitted of fraud charges ‘reflects notion all people of colour look the same’

The BBC has agreed to pay £30,000 in damages to a British Bangladeshi Labour councillor after it mixed her up with Apsana Begum in a news item about the MP facing housing fraud charges.

Pictures of Liza Begum at an event to launch Labour’s 2019 race and faith manifesto were broadcast on BBC London News during an exchange on 29 October 2020, in which the BBC London political correspondent said: “This is Apsana Begum … she faces three charges of dishonesty.”

Continue reading...