Up and at 'em

For all the acquired US expertise of BBC News Online, I think they mean 'Steinem'.....

Tim's Neds

 

On the face of it, it's something of a departure for the man who championed 'great British storytelling' and led the Creative Industries Council, to join a French tv production company. Tim Davie, according to Sky News, has joined the Board of French tv production umbrella group, Mediawan. It's based in the 7th arrondissement, just south of Napoleon's Tomb.

But Mediawan owns many smaller companies, including Plan B, the London-based makers of hit Netflix mini-series Adolescence, now claiming over 140 million viewers worldwide. And in March 2025, Mediawan acquired 51% of See Saw Film, the British-Australian producers of Slow Horses  and The King's Speech. 

And Mediawan also own Drama Republic, makers of Sally Wainwright's Riot Women, featuring Tamsin Greig on bass guitar. 

Alongside the Mediawan gig, Sky reports that Tim is also getting a board role at FGS Global, "Working with the world's most influential leaders to move minds and markets."

Both firms have the backing of US private equity firm KKR. 

Growth

So, if you're one of the apprentices on a scheme within BBC News, facing a future now lacking the previous promises of access to employment opportunities, Matt Brittin can probably explain why these new posts are  being funded

Senior Manager Product Development, New York

Account Dir, Enterprise Partnerships, New York

Senior Curation Editor, Washington Bureau

Content Commercialization Strategist, New York

Manager, Awards, Events & Industry, New York

The British perspective

The bbc.com version of BBC News has been well and truly Yanked into a big lead on the Las Vegas conviction of Duane Keith Davis for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur.  

Second lead is  "What it was like inside court for Tupac Shakur’s murder trial verdict" from presenter Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty. 

ABC News leads on the resignation of the US Army Secretary; CNN goes for "Nepal-China flood disaster death toll tops 1,000"; NBC chooses "Months before fatal Grand Canyon flood, park service warned of elevated risk", with the Tupac conviction 'below the fold'.  CBS leads with "Grand Canyon flash floods leave 2 dead, at least 1 still missing, park officials say". 

In the New York Times, the Las Vegas court verdict is below at least two folds, thus... 

Eugene Fraser

Eugene c1985, Crown & Sceptre, W1
Howard Benson

Born in Levuka, Fiji, Eugene Fraser was one of twelve. The family moved to New Zealand during the 1950s, settling in Mount Roskill, Auckland. He began his career with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) in the 1960s before taking the trip to the UK, and becoming a staff announcer for the BBC.   In 1967, he was on Jackanory, with Tales of Maui; from 1969, he was a regular Friday host on Night Ride, on Radio 1 and 2 after midnight. In 1972, he was hosting Friday Night is Music Night for Radio 2 from the Camden Theatre; Singing Together, for Schools Radio; and Strike Up The Band !  In 1978, against his better judgement, he was landed with regular editions of Up to Hour, breaking up the Today programme.

After that he became a pillar of Radio 4, on Today and the Six O'Clock News. 

Senior R4 editors recount tales of a little light BBC outreach over late lunches, with external guests. Eugene was asked to join one, with guest the High Commissioner of Fiji, clearly delighted to meet a fellow Fijian. Eugene greeted him:  "How do you do?  I think my grandfather may have eaten yours". 

I first directly encountered his warmth, wit and wisdom in 1973; as news trainees, we'd be set exercises writing dummy radio news bulletins, measuring their quality against the R4 1300. Our trainer, Mike Rabbetts would get Eugene to read our efforts, and give us feedback and tips on writing for radio.  

From then on, it was always brilliant to bump into Eugene.  Occasionally cynical, but somehow always upbeat and uplifting. A force of nature. 

No surprise

BBC DG Matt Brittin returned to a theme at the Edinburgh TV Festival, warning that the BBC iPlayer had “fallen behind” rivals due to a focus on content spend over technology in recent years.

And, lo, Broadcast reveals that Dan McGolpin is an applicant for the head of content role at C4. His current job ?  Director, iPlayer and Channels - "Service lead for BBC iPlayer, overseeing strategic direction, budget and operations."

The rhythm method

Back in May 2019, James Purnell, given custody of BBC Radio by Lord Hall, talked about the future of BBC Sounds, launched six months previously.  He said the BBC was developing its own public service algorithm; "This is not an algorithm that just gives you more of the same, but an algorithm built to surprise you, to direct your attention to new information, to different points of view, to pop your bubble."

Yesterday, the new DG Matt Brittin focused on such an algorithm to drive a new version of iPlayer, which might have a UK-focussed type offer, and work like YouTube. 

I see, hear and smell a combination of red herrings and alarm bells. Listeners, readers and viewers go through all sorts of gateways to obtain both information and entertainment. On tv, in the 1950s, it was select one of two channels and sort of let it happen. Then came Radio Times and appointments to view. ITV sniffed a biased portal and came up with TV Times. On the radio, the rotary dial gave more opportunities for serendipity; you could spin and just listen for "English", or music you liked. The broadcasters much preferred you to have push-button radios. 

Now, with giant portals like Amazon and Netflix, it's not really a question of "What's on ?"; we're not far from a position where nearly 'everything is on'.  All too big for a Radio Times, and we turn increasingly to websites to pick recommendations in monthly reviews of new material. The 'front pages' of Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are not reliable guides to quality; they're pushing their new stuff, co-ordinated, like old-style broadcasters, with press and publicity campaigns. (Where would The One Show be without them ?)

I can't imagine (in all Mr Brittin's re-imagining of public service broadcasting) an iPlayer where the BBC surrenders control of the 'front page'; iPlayer 2 would have to run alongside.  Would we really want computers to control the front page, as Mr Brittin says, “in a way that’s not biased towards the incentives of a U.S. tech company or commercial interests. It should be biased towards what we want public service to be all about.”  That's the problem, Matt. A goody-goody repository for family values ? Equal time for  all religions ?  Even-handed between the Nations and Regions ?  A balanced choice between acid jazz and chamber music ? Influencers without advertising funding ?  Police chase videos and/or home-made news reports ?

Any evidence of how it's working on BBC Sounds ?

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Amol's team

Amol Rajan has been networking.  His 'inner entrepreneur' has driven him to collaborate with the Sister Group (co-founder Elisabeth Murdoch) via their creator talent operation. Looking after Brand Rajan's strategy will be Rich Waterworth, previously an exec with YouTube and TikTok, and on production, Bryony Hopkins, an  early digital operative for BBC World Service and BBC News, later with LadBible, now a campaigner on Crohn's Disease. 

The Sister Group have an interest in Koko, the Camden venue that was operated by the BBC from 1945 to 1972, and home to many Goons recordings. That could be where Amol entertains...   

Only...

By the way, if you're waiting for the Amol Rajan 'reveal' this morning, gamble on something called The Amol Rajan Connection, which he has applied to trademark. And he's renamed his company, Rajcloth Productions, dormant since incorporation in 2018, as Rajcloth Connections. 

Deborah gets creative

Deborah "I lead and grow global content businesses" Turness has found a new berth, after her departure from BBC News in November last year. 

Debs loves a title, so she'll be President of a newly formed 'Studio' within mega-agency, the Independent Talent Group. Variety thinks it's a Creator Studio; that's a title usually given to a bundle of social media management software, with examples at YouTube, Facebook and Apple. Deborah thinks it's a Creative Studio. 

ITG already has its fingers in a number of podcasts, with writers, producers and 'talent'. And for some, its a family business: Andi Oliver and Miquita Oliver; Richard Hammond and Izzy Hammond; sisters Isabella Branson and Cressida Bonas.  Many of the podcasts seem to survive on interviewing ITG 'talent'; "My Favourite Takeaway" has already featured Andi Oliver, Alex Brooker, and Simon Rimmer; Simon Rimmer's "Grilling" has featured Andi Oliver twice.  Expect Deborah to exploit this further... 

(Perhaps Deborah will be paid via DEBORAH TURNESS GLOBAL MEDIA LTD, formed in April this year).