Independent media pages
28/09/04 12:24 Media
issues Permalink
So, what did we all think of the Independent's media
section yesterday? I thought it was a promising start
- good interviews, nice columns, not much in the way
of new media coverage (my stamping ground at The
Guardian, do forgive a vested interest) - but hey, it
was a first issue.
But if they're going to compete with The Guardian they've got a heck of an established readership to try to take out. Not that The Guardian doesn't need a good competitor - like every business, a serious rival will help keep both sharp. But for the moment it looks a bit like a molehill taking on Everest.
I shall look forward to being proven wrong.
But if they're going to compete with The Guardian they've got a heck of an established readership to try to take out. Not that The Guardian doesn't need a good competitor - like every business, a serious rival will help keep both sharp. But for the moment it looks a bit like a molehill taking on Everest.
I shall look forward to being proven wrong.
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Queening it up
24/09/04 12:23 Coffee machine moments
Permalink
It's probably just me. Today's papers were full of
what a scumbag Elton John was for throwing a fit when
confronted with the Paparazzi in Taiwan and being
made to queue with ordinary people for customs etc.
I don't know how long he'd been flying. And I fully understand dealing with the press is part of his job. But if you're surrounded by baying snappers, some of whom were shouting at him (footage still on the BBC website), and you'd been led to believe you'd have some sort of protection, isn't a bloke allowed a breaking point?
I don't know how long he'd been flying. And I fully understand dealing with the press is part of his job. But if you're surrounded by baying snappers, some of whom were shouting at him (footage still on the BBC website), and you'd been led to believe you'd have some sort of protection, isn't a bloke allowed a breaking point?
An ill wind blows east (enders)
22/09/04 12:22 Coffee machine moments
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Not a journalism story I know, but is anyone
surprised that the executive producer of EastEnders
has gone? Personally I'm surprised she didn't go when
the big scandal hit - no, not Dirty Den and the
Internet, for all I know that's a full-blown
breakdown and worthy of sympathy rather than
criticism. I mean the casting of Dalip Tahil as Dan
Ferreira.
You think that wasn't a bad move? Well, let's put it this way: he didn't have a work permit, nor any right to continue working more than a few months in this country (he was signed for a stint in Bombay Dreams), but they cast him in a long-running soap anyway. So they started building him into something and then whammo, he couldn't work with them any more - so he sort of disappeared, then they wrote him out and the family inevitably became less believable as they twisted the characters to fit around Dan's absconding and landing them in debt.
How on earth did anyone in the team think it could have turned out otherwise? And why was someone who cast an actor without checking their right to work allowed to continue in the job?
You think that wasn't a bad move? Well, let's put it this way: he didn't have a work permit, nor any right to continue working more than a few months in this country (he was signed for a stint in Bombay Dreams), but they cast him in a long-running soap anyway. So they started building him into something and then whammo, he couldn't work with them any more - so he sort of disappeared, then they wrote him out and the family inevitably became less believable as they twisted the characters to fit around Dan's absconding and landing them in debt.
How on earth did anyone in the team think it could have turned out otherwise? And why was someone who cast an actor without checking their right to work allowed to continue in the job?
The backlash starts
21/09/04 12:21 Media
issues Permalink
So after nine months of appearing to be completely
unrepentant and worshipping at the feet of Greg Dyke
- something of which I've certainly been guilty as a
knee-jerk response to Hutton - cracks are starting to
appear at the BBC about
whether he's actually getting it
wrong.
I'd guess we'll be in for more anti-Dyke comments in the near future as people start wondering whether the BBC was really as correct as they thought. There will follow some sort of rapprochement between the Beeb and the Government.
For me the most interesting thing was that Dyke's documentary on Sunday garnered a mere 1.1 million viewers. Maybe the public isn't as interested in this as Dyke and a lot of the media actually think.
I'd guess we'll be in for more anti-Dyke comments in the near future as people start wondering whether the BBC was really as correct as they thought. There will follow some sort of rapprochement between the Beeb and the Government.
For me the most interesting thing was that Dyke's documentary on Sunday garnered a mere 1.1 million viewers. Maybe the public isn't as interested in this as Dyke and a lot of the media actually think.
Video diary
Dear BBC
I would like to do a documentary to publicise any book I may have coming out in the future. If it's OK with you, I'll put forward exactly the same point of view in the documentary that I do in the book, and I'll do loads of interviews stating the same thing over and over in case people don't get the hint.
I'm not a former DG and my name isn't Greg, but if I ever do get another book published the publicity wouldn't half be useful.
Thanks Guy
I would like to do a documentary to publicise any book I may have coming out in the future. If it's OK with you, I'll put forward exactly the same point of view in the documentary that I do in the book, and I'll do loads of interviews stating the same thing over and over in case people don't get the hint.
I'm not a former DG and my name isn't Greg, but if I ever do get another book published the publicity wouldn't half be useful.
Thanks Guy
An Independent success
15/09/04 12:19 Media
issues Permalink
New figures show the Independent is making record
profits after its move into the tabloid format
full-time. Congrats to all concerned of course, but I
do wish they'd stop trumpeting themselves as the
first broadsheet to go tabloid. Am I the only person
old enough to remember both the Mail and the Express
making that shift? Even older blokes tell me the Sun
was once a broadsheet, too...
Changing places
09/09/04 12:18 Coffee machine moments
Permalink
I see Julie Kirkbride has been
moved away from her position as shadow cultural
secretary
as part of Michael Howard's reshuffle. The reason
given is that she hasn't made much of an impact,
although she hasn't even had a full year to do so.
Call me a snide little digger, but checking the opinion polls doesn't that logic mean most of the shadow cabinet ought to be shunted to one side by now..?
Call me a snide little digger, but checking the opinion polls doesn't that logic mean most of the shadow cabinet ought to be shunted to one side by now..?
Too sexy for my mags
08/09/04 12:17 Media
issues Permalink
Interesting to see that many of the public would like
to see teenage girls' magazines de-sexualised.
I must admit I'd never looked into the matter, but on last night's news there was a glimpse at one mag that offered kids advice on a sexual 'position of the week'. Two girls were interviewed and were incredulous - why, they asked, would they want to know about that when they won't be going out and doing it for years?
It was a good point. If anyone happens to know the answer, you know where to comment...
I must admit I'd never looked into the matter, but on last night's news there was a glimpse at one mag that offered kids advice on a sexual 'position of the week'. Two girls were interviewed and were incredulous - why, they asked, would they want to know about that when they won't be going out and doing it for years?
It was a good point. If anyone happens to know the answer, you know where to comment...
Back from hols...
06/09/04 12:16 Media
issues Permalink
...and what a fortnight to miss. Biggest story has to
be Conrad Black - did he filch all that money or
didn't he? And would it be contempt of court if I
expressed an opinion either way? Technically it
probably would, although since I'm a small player I
suspect nobody would notice. As it is, I know too
little about it to comment.
What I do know is that the Greg Dyke book is going straight onto my Amazon wants list.
Oh, and re. Parkinson on Saturday - did anyone else notice the channel had changed once he got going? No, I thought not. Talk about non-story of the century...
What I do know is that the Greg Dyke book is going straight onto my Amazon wants list.
Oh, and re. Parkinson on Saturday - did anyone else notice the channel had changed once he got going? No, I thought not. Talk about non-story of the century...