The biggest threat to the BBC's independence is the corporation itself | George Monbiot

It follows a news agenda set by media oligarchs. Instead it should be investigating power, money and their influence on our livesThey don’t want balance, they want possession. The oligarchs who own the newspapers will never accept the BBC, because it does not belong to them. However tame and conservative it becomes, they will demand it is defunded. And Boris Johnson is listening.In an interview with the Guardian last week, the presenter Andrew Marr warned: “The Murdoch empire and others are trying to push us towards a world in which the BBC is pretty marginal and people are getting most of their news and their views from privately funded television companies, as in America.” He’s right. A forthcoming book by Patrick Barwise and Peter York, The War Against the BBC, shows that Johnson’s attacks arise from a long-standing plan to cripple it. Dominic Cummings sketched out his strategy in 2004: discredit the BBC; set up rival, partisan channels; and lift the ban on political advertising. It seems to be falling into place. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-10-07 06:00:30 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "The biggest threat to the BBC's independence is the corporation itself | George Monbiot"


Boris Johnson accused of breaching ministerial code after book signing

Boris Johnson has been accused of breaching the ministerial code of conduct by allegedly promoting his book The Churchill Factor (Hodder) during a diplomatic trip to Serbia last month. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Johnson's Shakespeare, or much ado about nothing

After news that Boris Johnson will not be writing his biography of Shakespeare, Liz Thomson says publishers should be on the lookout for bright young talent.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Boris Johnson 'backs out £500k book deal' with Hodder

Boris Johnson has reportedly backed out of a £500,000 book deal with Hodder & Stoughton to write a biography of William Shakespeare. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Now Boris Johnson must tackle Newsquest over lost jobs

London assembly urges mayor to express his concern to newspaper publisher I wrote yesterday about a London Assembly motion that attacked the regional newspaper publisher Newsquest/Gannett for its cutbacks and restructuring.That motion was passed by the assembly unanimously today (Wednesday). It... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Boris Johnson urged to express concern over Newsquest cuts

London Assembly members call on mayor to complain to chief executiveA motion attacking the regional newspaper publisher Newsquest/Gannett for its cutbacks has been tabled for discussion at tomorrow’s (Friday’s) London Assembly.The motion, which criticises job cuts at a range of London weekly... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Boris Johnson to write Shakespeare biography

Boris Johnson is to write a biography of William Shakespeare for Hodder & Stoughton for October 2016. The publisher has confirmed the deal, which was reported in the Sunday Times to have been done for £500,000. The newspaper reported that Johnson’s advance was almost seven times his salary... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Media Monkeys Diary: BBC traitors, the Sun, John Ryley and Robert Peston

Professor Jean Seaton, the BBCs official historian, has at last agreed a title with it for her volume on the 1974-87 period, due in January. These were years of endless friction with the Thatcher government over reporting of Northern Ireland, the Falklands War and the bombing of Libya, and ended... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this