July | 2017 | Fighting for Fairness by Remaking the Real Economy

What is it about BBC presenters, Chris Evans, Gary Lineker and Graham Norton, that makes them worth so much? Those three alone cost around £5m a year and the whole over £150,000 pa list of presenters, costs around £20m. The BBC is not dependent on them; they depend on the BBC. The BBC’s unique reputation, built up over 95 years of continuous investment by the British public, is at risk in their hands. Knowledge of their unjustifiable take from the publicly funded purse will likely irritate that British public. If they were products – some of them think of themselves as brands – they would have to pay £billions for the air time they are given to promote themselves.

So what is it they are being paid for?
Continue reading “Talent” Costs →

Murdoch’s Sky bid is thought now very likely to succeed, despite most probably being referred to the Competition and Markets Authority. The previous bid, which was frustrated by the phone hacking scandal, was noted (10.7.2011) on this site as follows: ‘The Murdochs are clearly prepared to be as ruthless and dishonest as it takes, in pursuit of their own self-interest. Their dishonesty, now being revealed daily, was confirmed early on …’ Harold Evans, editor of the Times when the Murdochs took over, had confirmed that every assurance of editorial independence made as a condition of the acquisition, had been broken within a year. Evans concluded the Murdochs would ‘promise anything to gain control’.

That posting continued ‘The Murdochs’ utter ruthlessness is also being demonstrated daily by the continuing revelations of criminal activity sanctioned in their organisation, and not least by the abrupt closure of the News Of The World with the destruction of around 200 jobs, in some vain attempt to rescue vestiges of public respect for the family.’

Having been thwarted on that occasion, they are now back again. They still do not look like ‘fit and proper persons’ to own media companies, but Culture secretary Karen Bradley, is prepared to let those bygones be bygones.
Continue reading Murdoch’s Sky takeover: another small step to control by ‘organised money’ →