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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Video: From Barack Obama to Billie Jean King, L.A. Times Book Club looks back on an eventful 2021

The L.A. Times Book Club dove into stories across the world and close to home in 2021. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-12-16 15:00:17 UTC ]
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PRH Fires Back at the DoJ's Effort to Stop Its S&S Purchase

Penguin Random House is disputing the U.S. Department of Justice's main argument in the government's lawsuit to block PRH’s acquisition of S&S, namely that the merger would lead to "substantial harm to authors of anticipated top-selling books and ultimately, consumers.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Mel Brooks looks back on his delightfully deranged career

But the legendary comedian’s joyful memoir doesn’t pause for introspection, or analysis. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-12-10 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Twin Cities Booksellers Bounce Back

The pandemic, coupled with the protests that followed George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis last year, has transformed the Twin Cities bookselling scene in the last 20 months. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-19 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Remember when Alan Moore got into a public feud with Frank Miller over Occupy Wall Street?

On this day in 1953, comic book legend Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell, Batman: The Killing Joke) was born in was Northampton, England. In addition to his mastery of signature storytelling, Moore is known for his forthright, outspoken nature (take, for instance, his criticism of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-11-18 16:09:18 UTC ]
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Here’s The Story Behind Alan Moore’s Epic Graphic Novel That Never Was

It was just a rumor, but a persistent one. Whispers in the halls of the DC Comics offices; buzz among fans as they gathered at annual conventions. That the legendary Alan Moore, writer and creator of From Hell and V for Vendetta, had written another masterpiece, something no one had ever seen.... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2021-11-17 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Paul McCartney's The Lyrics backed by bus adverts, live events and media blitz

The publicity and marketing campaign for Paul McCartney’s The Lyrics (Allen Lane) has featured in a major advertising campaign, including 100 bus adverts running across London, Manchester and Liverpool. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-08 19:32:40 UTC ]
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How to Talk Back to God: J. Richard Middlton

Biblical scholar J. Richard Middleton discusses a "gritty spirituality" in which believers grapple with God. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Andrew Bolt says Alan Jones’ poetic departure not cancel culture as Sky finds ‘room for Piers Morgan’ | Weekly beast

Former shock jock Jones tells fans to find him on Facebook as he departs TV. Plus: Seven’s costly Cleo Smith case blunderWhen News Corp unveiled plans for Piers Morgan to headline an international prime time talk show we flippantly said “Move over Andrew Bolt, Alan Jones and Peta Credlin – there... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-11-05 01:29:20 UTC ]
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Publishers, AAP Hit Back in Internet Archive Discovery Dispute

Lawyers for the AAP and the plaintiff publishers insist that communications and documents being withheld in the case are in fact privileged, and accused the IA of "attempting to litigate this case and their desired policy gains in the press based on a false narrative rather than in the courtroom... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Greenlight Bookstore Co-Owner Rebecca Fitting Steps Back

Rebecca Fitting, co-owner of Brooklyn’s Greenlight Bookstore, is leaving the store she cofounded with Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo 12 years ago, and has sold her stake in the business to Stockton-Bagnulo. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Third time lucky as Caldwell wins BBC National Short Story Award

Lucy Caldwell has won the BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University, a prize she has been nominated for three times.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-20 02:07:31 UTC ]
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Back In Business: 150,000 Attend New York Comic Con 2021

New York Comic Con returned to the Javits Convention October 7-11, welcoming back tens of thousands of fans to the newly expanded convention center. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC and 9 Story Media Group bring A Kind of Spark to UK screens

Elle McNicoll's A Kind of Spark (Knights Of) will be brought to UK screens in a live action series, following a partnership with BBC Children's and 9 Story Media. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-10 20:11:31 UTC ]
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Saturday is Love your Bookshop Day. 5 reasons why readers keep coming back to independent book stores

We interviewed booksellers about their experience of the pandemic and their customers. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2021-10-07 05:14:45 UTC ]
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Inkitt wins $59m in funding and big-name backing

Inkitt, a data-driven publishing house, has scooped $59m (£42m) in funding from investors including the owner of Macmillan, Stefan von Holtzbrinck, and former c.e.o. of Penguin Michael Lynton, to accelerate the company's continued global expansion, with sights set on San Francisco for a new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-06 12:10:03 UTC ]
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The Brooklyn Book Festival Comes Back

On a warm and sunny Sunday outside Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, this year's Brooklyn Book Festival—back in person after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic—returned to the borough and to the delight of publishers and the reading public alike. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt looks to bounce back in person

While exhibitor and visitor numbers are expected to be well down on pre-pandemic figures, a number of trade professionals have indicated to The Bookseller that they will return to the Frankfurt Book Fair. But what will the new hybrid fair look like? Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-01 09:11:26 UTC ]
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Lightning strikes back-catalogue deal with self-published star May

Lightning Books has acquired bestselling self-published novelist Nicola May's back catalogue. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-30 19:55:17 UTC ]
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Students from abroad are back. What that means to the US.

Rajika Bhandari talks about her memoir “America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility” and how students from other countries benefit the U.S. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2021-09-13 14:26:03 UTC ]
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