Alan Yentob: 'The BBC can't compete with its hands tied behind its back'

BBC's creative director on his closeness to Tony Hall, competition from rivals like Google – and his plan for more appsAlan Yentob is having his picture taken on a staircase overlooking the vast BBC newsroom at New Broadcasting House and telling me about the flooding at his house in Somerset when we are interrupted by annoyed news staff.They ask us to move as flashes from the camera can be seen on-screen on the BBC News Channel – illustrating the perils of having a newsroom as a backdrop for live bulletins.Yentob apologises and we retire to his office – a former radio drama kitchen that sits between Old and New Broadcasting House. Apt, as Yentob bridges the old and new within the organisation. His office is narrow but cosy – desk stacked with books and an Alan Yentob mask someone sent him. There is a fold-up bike below his desk, just like the one Hugh Bonneville's character Ian Fletcher has as head of BBC Values in John Morton's forthcoming follow-up to Twenty Twelve, W1A, in which Yentob has a cameo.But as there's no table, we move to director general Tony Hall's office. As he confirms, Yentob played a part in bringing Hall back to the BBC after George Entwistle resigned. "I always felt that Tony should've been the director general. Yes, I did talk to [Lord Patten] about it and I did speak to Tony. For Tony it wasn't without its risks, he loved his [Royal Opera House] job."It seemed his influence might wane under Entwistle, but it is obvious he is now back at the heart... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Senate tells social media CEOs they have ‘blood on their hands’

The CEOs of Meta, Snap, Discord, X and TikTok testified at a high-stakes Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child exploitation online. During the hearing, Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, Linda Yaccarino and Shou Chew spent nearly four hours being grilled by lawmakers about their... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-02-01 13:31:01 UTC ]
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Two novelists have cut ties with PEN over its Mayim Bialik event and Gaza silence.

Two prominent novelists have broken with PEN America over the organization’s decision to platform controversial actor and outspoken ceasefire opponent Mayim Bialik, as well as its relative silence on the unfolding genocide in Gaza (which so far has claimed the lives of at least 120 writers,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-01-31 20:56:06 UTC ]
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3 New Memoirs That Hold Nothing Back

Out this week are three memoirs that tell the full, unvarnished truth about breaking up with alcohol, defecting from right-wing conservatism, and living with a traumatic brain injury. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
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They’re (Paper)back!: Winter 2024 YA Paperback Books for Your TBR

Your TBR has just grown by leaps and bounds, thanks to the winter 2024 YA paperback releases about to hit shelves. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-01-08 11:33:00 UTC ]
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Joe Sacco’s acclaimed graphic novel about Gaza is being rushed back into print.

Palestine, Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Joe Sacco’s seminal nonfiction graphic novel about Gaza, which pioneered the medium of “comics journalism” upon its publication over twenty years ago, has been rushed back into print in response to surging demand. First published across nine issues by... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-12-11 17:26:58 UTC ]
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Yahdon Israel Pulls Back the Curtain on Publishing

The senior editor at Simon & Schuster, who acquired NBA finalist ‘Temple Folk’ after putting out a call for submissions on Instagram, wants to make the publishing industry more transparent and accessible. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-24 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Get Your Hands on These 13 New Manga Releases for November 2023

November’s new manga releases have a lot to choose from! There's a queer memoir, sweet shōjo, adorable cats, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-11-08 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Carmen Giménez Looks Back at Her Year at Graywolf

The former English professor says there has been a learning curve moving from academia to the publishing industry, but she feels energized by the challenges. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Scholastic Says They’ll Walk Back Their Separate Diversity Collection for Book Fairs

Scholastic Book Fairs will no longer offer a separate diverse voices book case. But they still fail to address many questions. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-25 14:12:58 UTC ]
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Scholastic walks back controversial segregated collection of diverse titles

With debates over book bans growing more contentious, the education publishing company tried to find a happy medium that may not exist. Across the nation, it’s time for the Scholastic Book Fair. The beloved and nostalgia-triggering event, where kids go and pick out an armful of books to take... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-10-25 13:50:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt: Guest of Honor Slovenia Hands Off to Italy 2024

The Frankfurter Buchmesse 'GuestScroll' has been handed from Slovenia to Italy as Frankfurt Book Fair closes its 75th Anniversary edition. The post Frankfurt: Guest of Honor Slovenia Hands Off to Italy 2024 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-23 03:02:38 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble Undergoes a Back-to-Basics Redesign

As the bookstore chain mounts a comeback, it’s breaking a cardinal rule of corporate branding and store design: consistency. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-17 15:29:03 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Scribe is back on sale ahead of October Prime Day

Sales on Amazon products continue to roll out ahead of the official start of October Prime Day on everything from Blink cameras to Kindle Scribes. The 16GB Kindle Scribe is back on sale for 22 percent off, dropping to $265 from $340. It mirrors a recent sale on the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-10-02 14:01:15 UTC ]
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Looking back, Sarah Cooper 'wasn't ready' for viral fame: 'I suffered a lot of humiliation'

In a new memoir about her sudden rise, Cooper, who came to prominence lip-syncing Donald Trump, faces the personal and professional costs of going viral. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-02 10:00:13 UTC ]
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Bestselling author Naomi Wood wins 2023 BBC national short story award

The UEA creative writing lecturer won for Comorbidities, which judging chair Reeta Chakrabarti called a ‘sparkling gem’ that tackles serious issues with a ‘light and wry touch’• Read the story belowNaomi Wood has won the 2023 BBC national short story award for Comorbidities, a story about a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-26 19:00:36 UTC ]
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Hands-on: Windows 11’s new AI tools aren’t ready for prime time

AI will change the way that we work. Or so says the most fervent purveyors of the tech, which now includes Microsoft. But after seeing ChatGPT, Dall-E, and other AI systems integrated into the latest versions of Windows 11, Office, and the company’s Microsoft 365 platform, I can’t say that... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-09-26 17:00:00 UTC ]
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Knopf Doubleday Puts Anchor on the Back Shelf as Suzanne Herz Takes a Buyout

Vintage/Anchor publisher Suzanne Herz will leave Penguin Random House in December. Anchor Books will gradually be phased out, starting with its hardcover program next January, with its 16,000-strong paperback backlist slated to move over to Vintage over time. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Back from Behind Like Patrick Mahomes: A Reading List of Comeback Stories

At halftime of this year’s Super Bowl, the marquee game of the NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs trailed the Philadelphia Eagles 24-14 in Glendale, Arizona. What transpired next was the latest remarkable comeback in the career of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, one of the most compelling... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-24 09:55:25 UTC ]
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Author Strikes Back Against Spreading Science Denial

In her new book, author Janet Kellogg Ray addresses her concerns about what she sees as a revival of the battle lines being drawn between science and faith in a similar fashion to what led to the Scopes Monkey trial in 1925. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Study Up on Campus Novels: A Back-to-School-Inspired Reading List for Grown-Ups

These campus novels for adults raise questions around race, class, or gender or are simply set in or around campuses, including Real Life by Brandon Taylor. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-08-21 10:33:00 UTC ]
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