BBC Trust chief accused of 'obstruction and secrecy'

Lord Patten criticised by MPs for blocking publication of documents relating to corporation's failed £100m IT projectMPs have accused the BBC Trust chairman, Lord Patten, of "obstruction and secrecy" for stopping the corporation publishing key documents about a failed £100m IT project.Patten ordered the corporation not to disclose sensitive material in response to a freedom of information request from the Guardian, warning its release would cause damage and prompt a "trial by media".The BBC had been asked to publish briefing material prepared for the former director general Mark Thompson before he gave evidence to parliament in 2011. MPs later claimed that BBC executives' statements "just weren't true".The BBC's ambitious Digital Media Initiative (DMI) was designed to do away with videotape and digitise the BBC's archives, but it was axed in May 2013, wasting £98.4m of licence fee-payers' money.Thompson, now chief executive of the New York Times, has been recalled to parliament in the new year to answer claims he misled parliament by claiming the scheme was already up and running when it wasn't. He later said he gave evidence "honestly and in good faith" based on information from his executives.In a rare personal intervention, Patten said the BBC should withhold the briefing material because it could result in a "partial and potentially incoherent picture" and cause damage to "various accountability mechanisms in place".Patten said in a letter to the Guardian: "There is... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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T Magazine, Trusted Media Brands Staff Up | People on the Move

Foreign Policy taps a new editor-in-chief, Refinery29 names a senior fashion editor, and more… The post T Magazine, Trusted Media Brands Staff Up | People on the Move appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2017-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On Bestseller Lists in India: ‘Which One Should You Trust?’

From Scroll.in: Consumers in India are presented, as in other countries with sometimes conflicting bestselling book lists. The post On Bestseller Lists in India: ‘Which One Should You Trust?’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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National Trust unveils publishing partnership with Falmouth University

The “first collaborative publishing venture of its kind” between the National Trust and Falmouth University has been unveiled. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC's 'Front Row' comes to television

The BBC will expand its Radio 4 show "Front Row" brand this autumn into television with a new series on BBC Two. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A 68-year-old aspiring writer accuses the Iowa Writers' Workshop of age discrimination

A 68-year-old man who was rejected by the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming he was discriminated against because of his age. Dan Thomson, a former lawyer and self-published author, was among the 97% of applicants to the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michiko Kakutani Ends Her Reign as The New York Times’ Chief Book Critic

The Michiko Kakutani book review is an institution unto itself, one that has now come to an end as The New York Times chief book critic steps down from her role after 38 years at the Times, 34 of which have been spent writing about the work of basically every author in the contemporary Western... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC's 'Saturday Review' saved from the axe

The BBC has backtracked on plans to axe "Saturday Review", its cultural discussion programme presented by Tom Sutcliffe on Radio 4. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trusted Media Brands to Distribute Reminisce Across Newsstands

The bi-monthly magazine hits the stands on August 8. The post Trusted Media Brands to Distribute Reminisce Across Newsstands appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2017-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC unveils UK's biggest poetry festival

This year's National Poetry Day will see the launch of the UK's biggest poetry festival dedicated to new work, in conjunction with the BBC. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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House promoted to PA's deputy chief executive

Emma House has been promoted to deputy chief executive of the Publishers Association as the trade body continues its reshuffle following the departure of its director of policy and communications Susie Winter. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SoA criticises removal of BBC radio quotas for drama

The removal of quotas for radio comedy, drama and readings will have a “significant impact” on the Society of Authors' members, the organisation has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Welsh minister accuses arts bodies of 'undermining' review process

Welsh economy secretary Ken Skates has accused arts trade bodies of "seeking to undermine the process" of a government review into literature in the country with their complaints. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former energy chief turns literary fiction publisher

Former energy chief Louise Boland is launching a new publisher focusing on contemporary literary fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC's Mallender to head HC's audio arm

HarperCollins has hired BBC’s Radio 1 editor Rachel Mallender to head up its audio book arm. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Library desk rentals a 'business opportunity' says Taskforce chief

The chief executive of the Libraries Taskforce, Kathy Settle, has waded into the debate about desk space rentals, saying it is a "business opportunity" for the sector. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sweeney Named Publisher, Editor-in-Chief at Paraclete

Jon Sweeney, currently executive editor for trade books at Ave Maria Press, will return to Paraclete Press as publisher and editor-in-chief at on September 1. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC's latest app is a home for its VR experiments

The BBC is forever playing around with new forms of storytelling, but its many experimental projects can be hard to keep track of. A 360-degree video might be published on YouTube and Facebook, for example, while an animated VR tale might launch firs... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hedderwick wins inaugural Scottish Book Trust Award

Katie Morag series author Mairi Hedderwick and school librarian Susan Morton been honoured at the inaugural Scottish Book Trust Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reggie Yates debut to BBC Books

Reggie Yates is publishing his first book, Unseen, with BBC Books, taking readers behind the scenes on his journey from TV presenter to documentary maker. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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