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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Pottermore ebook launch pushed back to 2012

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 30/09/2011 - 17:05 Harry Potter fans will have to wait until the first half of 2012 for the series' ebooks as the opening of the Pottermore shop postponed from its planned October launch. In a posting on the site's blog, it said: "As our... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pottermore shop


McGregor and Hyland on BBC National Short Story Award

Publication Date: Mon, 12/09/2011 - 08:45 Stories from Jon McGregor and M J Hyland have been shortlisted for the sixth BBC National Short Story Award, announced on Friday evening (9th September) on BBC Radio 4's "Front Row". read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Catnip brings back out-of-print titles

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 09/09/2011 - 08:30 Independent children's publisher Catnip is using Twitter and bloggers to source original and out-of-print titles for its list. It will publish Katherine Roberts' out-of-print fantasy Song Quest in February 2012. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #out-of-print titles


Five picked for BBC National Short Story Award

Publication Date: Fri, 09/09/2011 - 19:30 Stories from Jon McGregor and M J Hyland have been shortlisted for the sixth BBC National Short Story Award, announced this evening (9th September) on BBC Radio’s “Front Row”. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jon mcgregor


French publishers back indie booksellers

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Tue, 06/09/2011 - 08:55 Two French publishers have launched a public call to arms to defend independent booksellers, which continue to suffer from financial decline in the country. Le Seuil c.e.o. Oliver Bétourné wrote in Le Monde last week that... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #french publishers #public call #le seuil #le monde #indie booksellers #bigger share


Yahoo, Gannett Expand Local Ad Tie-In

Embattled media companies Yahoo and Gannett are getting even cozier. Facing revenue declines, the Internet giant and the country’s biggest newspaper publisher are hoping they can boost their bottom lines with an expanded local advertising partnership. The companies initially launched a tie-in... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Slap adaptation for BBC Four

Publication Date: Thu, 25/08/2011 - 09:49 BBC Four has acquired an Australian adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’ Man Booker-longlisted novel The Slap. “Hotel Rwanda” actress Sophie Okenedo, Jonathan La Paglia and Melissa George will star in the series of eight one-hour episodes, described as a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC Books to develop series around TV's Sherlock

Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 08:25 BBC Books is to launch a publishing programme around Bafta-winning TV series "Sherlock", which was inspired by the adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle's Victorian detective Sherlock Holmes. The titles will each feature the show's branding and introductions... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC Worldwide Sells its Magazine Portfolio to Private Equity Firm Exponent

BBC Worldwide, a UK-based publisher, has sold its magazine business to Exponent, a private equity firm. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High street bounces back for Bloomsbury

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 09:30 Bloomsbury has said sales have bounced back significantly from a "soft" spring thanks to ebook downloads and greater sales through the high street. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brent libraries ruling put back to October

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 10/08/2011 - 09:07 The judge handling the Brent libraries High Court judicial review case will give his judgment in October, it has been confirmed. Mr Justice Ouseley had initially indicated the judgement might come as early as this month.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Looking Back—and Ahead: Printing in Hong Kong 2011

In 1985, Nintendo released Super Mario Brothers, Commodore launched the Amiga personal computer, Steve Jobs founded NeXT, and Bill Gates issued the first version of Windows. It was also the year PW launched the first report covering the Asian printing industry, of which you are now holding the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SoA takes short story campaign to BBC chief

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 04/08/2011 - 09:20 The Society of Authors, the Writers' Guild of Great Britain and actors' union Equity have jointly sent letters to both BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and director general Mark Thompson, asking them to stop the BBC Radio 4... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orion buys Battlefield tie-in novel by McNab

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 11:36 Orion has bought world rights to an Andy McNab novel tying into the forthcoming Battlefield 3 videogame. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andy mcnab


BBC in partial short story u-turn

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 28/07/2011 - 08:37 BBC Radio 4 seems to have performed a partial u-turn on its decision to cut the number of short stories it airs from three to one per week, with a compromise of two weekly broadcasts. Listeners, authors and celebrities such as... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oxford and Cambridge to compete on digital

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 22/07/2011 - 14:19 The university presses of Oxford and Cambridge are going head to head to compete in global digital platforms, which are being rolled out within one month of each other. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SoA urges BBC short story rethink

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Tue, 19/07/2011 - 15:43 The Society of Authors has said it would be a "great shame" if the BBC goes ahead with its planned cuts to short story coverage on BBC Radio 4 and pleaded with the broadcaster to reconsider. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Back-End Tools Sales Teams Use to Manage, Monitor and Close the Integrated Sale

In the more simple days of selling, advertising sales executives dealt in print, closing deals on a monthly cycle. Now, as technology drives opportunities for publishers, sales execs are faced with an ever-growing portfolio of products and services to offer to clients. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google+ Idea Guy Says Google Still Trying to Hold Him Back

Paul Adams, the Google social researcher turned Facebook product manager who's credited with giving Google the idea for circles of friends that it's utilized in Google+, spoke out against his former employer tonight on his blog. Adams protests that Google is blocking the publication of a book he... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orion backs Standard literacy campaign

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 12/07/2011 - 12:21 Orion Children's Books is supporting the London Evening Standard's literacy campaign Get London Reading with donations of Horrid Henry books. Volunteers to the Standard-backed scheme to help schoolchildren with their reading... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #london reading #volunteer reading #literacy campaign