DJ spent almost three decades working for corporation, and was best known for Radio 1 show from 1985 to 2000The broadcaster Andy Kershaw, who presented BBC Radio 1 for almost 15 years, has died at the age of 66, his family have told the BBC.The DJ spent almost three decades working for the corporation, and was best known for his Radio 1 show, which ran from 1985 to 2000. Continue reading...
Lisa Nandy says BBC staff have been strongly affected and have expressed frustration that high-paid presenters and executives are unlikely to be affectedThe BBC’s sudden announcement of 2,000 job cuts has had a “very strong effect” on staff, the UK’s culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has said, as employees express frustration that highly paid presenters and senior staff will not be the prime targets of the cuts.Nandy, who has been having conversations with BBC staff during discussions about the broadcaster’s charter renewal, is understood to be keen that staff are involved in making the cost-cutting plan, which will affect as many as 10% of the broadcaster’s 21,000 employees over the next three years. Continue reading...
Announcement comes before Matt Brittin replaces Tim Davie as director general next monthBusiness live – latest updatesThe BBC is to cut as many as 2,000 jobs in the biggest down-sizing of the public service broadcaster in 15 years.Staff are set to be informed of the cuts, which will affect about 10% of the BBC’s 21,500 staff, at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Executive complaints unit finding relates to broadcast of N-word during awards ceremonyThe BBC breached its editorial standards by broadcasting a racial slur during the Bafta film awards ceremony in February, the corporation’s executive complaints unit has found.More details soon … Continue reading...
Critics say films lauding country’s attitude to women and green credentials could damage corporation’s reputationThe BBC has been accused of making “glossy propaganda films” for Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and taking money from a “repressive regime”.BBC Storyworks, the corporation’s commercial arm, has entered into a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The broadcaster has made a series of films and written articles lauding the country’s supposedly progressive attitude to women and eco-friendly credentials. These are hosted on a mini-site that carried BBC branding. Continue reading...
BBC announces departure of Radio 2 star who took over breakfast show from Zoe Ball in 2025Radio 2 star Scott Mills has been sacked by the BBC following allegations about his personal conduct, the BBC has said.A statement from the corporation to BBC News said: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC.” Continue reading...
Exclusive: World Service director Fiona Crack says platform pursues stories ignored by the Gulf’s state-owned mediaA senior BBC executive has defended BBC Arabic as a lone voice in the region covering the “Israeli perspective”, as she warned its critics that it pursued stories ignored by the Gulf’s state-owned media.The corporation’s Arabic service has come under sustained criticism in recent years, for its selection of coverage and for featuring some guests that had expressed antisemitic views on social media. There have even been calls for the service to be closed down. Continue reading...
After almost two decades at Google, the corporation’s incoming director general is taking on British media’s most powerful and treacherous jobIn recent months, Matt Brittin, the Doctor Who-loving fitness fanatic and former Google executive, has made no secret of his desire to make the jump from big tech to the world of broadcasting.At the end of last year, he told an event filled with some of television’s most senior figures that he had wanted to break into their industry “for a very long time”. Continue reading...
Pressing tasks for new director general also include an expiring royal charter, and finding a new top teamMatt Brittin may have only just been announced as the new BBC director general, but his inbox is already overflowing. Here are his immediate challenges: Continue reading...
Former Olympic rower to lead corporation as it hammers out future funding model with governmentMatt Brittin, Google’s former top executive in Europe, has been named the BBC’s next director general.Brittin, who stepped down as Google’s president in Europe, the Middle East and Africa last year, will replace Tim Davie at a crucial time for the corporation, as it hammers out its future funding model with the government. Continue reading...
Triple J signed off with the hip-hop anthem Express Yourself while other radio and TV networks filled the air with BBC broadcasts, re-runs and soothing musicSign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter hereBroadcasters had warned their audiences that the ABC would look “a bit different” on Wednesday – and as the clock struck 11am, they weren’t wrong.As more than 2,000 ABC staff walked off the job for the first time in two decades in protest of their working conditions, the public broadcaster’s news channel switched over to the BBC.Sign up to get Guardian Australia’s weekly media diary as a free newsletter Continue reading...
Managing director Hugh Marks defiant the ABC will not back down on staff demands despite severe disruption to television, radio and digitalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 2,000 ABC staff around Australia have walked off the job for a 24-hour strike, forcing ABC services across TV, radio and digital to use BBC World Service and repeat programming.The ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, is defiant the ABC will not back down on staff demands despite the severe disruption. Continue reading...
Triple J will air without presenters while ABC News Breakfast is not expected to air as staff walk off the job to protest pay and conditionsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter hereThe ABC’s flagship news programs including 7.30 and AM will be replaced by the BBC World Service when ABC journalists walk off the job for 24 hours for the first time in 20 years on Wednesday.Staff are protesting what they say is a low pay offer from ABC managing director Hugh Marks, as well as work conditions and the broadcaster’s refusal to rule out replacing journalists with AI bots. Continue reading...
Veteran broadcaster interviewed prominent female leaders including Margaret Thatcher and Hillary ClintonThe former BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray has died at the age of 75.Murray, who joined the programme in 1987 and left in 2020, established a reputation as a formidable presenter, conducting interviews with prominent female figures including Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton. Continue reading...
Corporation welcomes three-year settlement as it continues to push for government to take on all of service’s costsThe BBC World Service will be given increased government funding as part of a three-year deal after ministers concluded it was needed to counter the rise of global disinformation.The Guardian understands that Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has agreed an additional £11m a year for the next three years on the government’s grant to the service. Continue reading...
Board meets this week to discuss appointment, with former Google executive the strong favourite to replace Tim DavieFormer Google executive Matt Brittin is expected to be named the BBC’s next director general within days, with the corporation’s board meeting this week for a final discussion about the appointment.The decision will be discussed at a regular BBC board meeting on Thursday. Though the meeting will not formally approve Brittin for the role, an announcement could be made as soon as next week. Continue reading...
Minister says the change is needed to protect the corporation from repeated ‘culture war’ attacksThe government is to put the BBC’s charter on a permanent footing for the first time, after the corporation said the change was needed to protect it from political interference.In a significant change to the governance of the BBC, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said she wanted to grant the corporation’s demand for a permanent charter. She said she wanted to protect it from repeated “culture war” attacks. Continue reading...
Corporation’s lawyers argue expensive but ‘groundless’ litigation restricts ability to cover public figuresThe BBC has asked a US court to throw out Donald Trump’s $10bn (£7.5bn) lawsuit over the way a documentary edited one of his speeches, warning that proceeding with the case would have a “chilling effect” on its reporting on the president.In papers filed to the Florida court dealing with the case, the BBC’s US lawyers claimed Trump’s reputation had not been damaged by the documentary, given it aired in the UK a week before his re-election. Continue reading...