More than 100 Jewish industry figures have signed an open letter to the BBC Director General and content chief expressing “disbelief” at the decision to engage a cricket world cup commentator who has been accused of fanning antisemitism on social media.
The letter to Tim Davie and Charlotte Moore came after Qasim Sheikh was forced to apologize due to his sharing a post that included an image of Rishi Sunak and other world leaders sporting Adolf Hitler moustaches.
The 119 Jewish directors, producers, screenwriters, suppliers and contractors across the TV and film industry, almost half of whom chose to remain anonymous, urged an explanation from the BBC head honchos as to why Sheikh was allowed to commentate on yesterday’s England vs Scotland cricket world cup match. The letter can be read in full below.
The letter cited a “monumental double standard” in relation to the BBC’s dropping ex-England cricket captain...
The letter to Tim Davie and Charlotte Moore came after Qasim Sheikh was forced to apologize due to his sharing a post that included an image of Rishi Sunak and other world leaders sporting Adolf Hitler moustaches.
The 119 Jewish directors, producers, screenwriters, suppliers and contractors across the TV and film industry, almost half of whom chose to remain anonymous, urged an explanation from the BBC head honchos as to why Sheikh was allowed to commentate on yesterday’s England vs Scotland cricket world cup match. The letter can be read in full below.
The letter cited a “monumental double standard” in relation to the BBC’s dropping ex-England cricket captain...
- 6/5/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Over 100 Jewish creatives have signed an open letter accusing the BBC of double standards over the corporation’s response to a cricket commentator’s controversial comments.
The letter, which was signed by 119 industry creatives, 55 of whom requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal, opens: “As BBC staff, contractors, suppliers and contributors who are Jewish, from across the television and film industry, we write to you today in disbelief.”
It goes on to compare the BBC’s response to former professional cricketer turned commentator Qasim Sheikh, who has been accused of posting racist tweets on X, with its response to Michael Vaughan, also a former professional cricketer turned commentator, who was suspended from commentating for the broadcaster in 2021 after being accused of making a racist comment before a 2009 match.
Vaughan, who denied the allegations, was later cleared by the U.K.’s cricketing authority on a “balance of probabilities” and returned...
The letter, which was signed by 119 industry creatives, 55 of whom requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal, opens: “As BBC staff, contractors, suppliers and contributors who are Jewish, from across the television and film industry, we write to you today in disbelief.”
It goes on to compare the BBC’s response to former professional cricketer turned commentator Qasim Sheikh, who has been accused of posting racist tweets on X, with its response to Michael Vaughan, also a former professional cricketer turned commentator, who was suspended from commentating for the broadcaster in 2021 after being accused of making a racist comment before a 2009 match.
Vaughan, who denied the allegations, was later cleared by the U.K.’s cricketing authority on a “balance of probabilities” and returned...
- 6/5/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
British stars Keira Knightley, Cara Delevingne, Carey Mulligan, Rebecca Ferguson, Naomie Harris and Emerald Fennell have penned an open letter demanding a crackdown on bullying and sexual harassment in the U.K.’s entertainment industry.
The group are just six of 25 names who called on creative organizations to help fund a new watchdog, the Creative Industry Independent Standards Authority (Ciisa), to investigate complaints in industries spanning music, film, TV and theater.
The letter reads: “So many of us in this industry would have loved to have an objective outside body that we could go to for advice, for mediation and in the very extreme circumstances, that we might need some outside body to hold people accountable for the bad behavior or bad practices that sometimes happen on our sets, on our stages, behind the scenes. And we are far from being alone in recognizing this need.”
It adds that the...
The group are just six of 25 names who called on creative organizations to help fund a new watchdog, the Creative Industry Independent Standards Authority (Ciisa), to investigate complaints in industries spanning music, film, TV and theater.
The letter reads: “So many of us in this industry would have loved to have an objective outside body that we could go to for advice, for mediation and in the very extreme circumstances, that we might need some outside body to hold people accountable for the bad behavior or bad practices that sometimes happen on our sets, on our stages, behind the scenes. And we are far from being alone in recognizing this need.”
It adds that the...
- 6/5/2024
- by Lily Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Google’s head of Emea has urged the media to play its role in bringing across the positive benefits of AI.
Matt Brittin, who has championed generative AI for years, said that the media should go beyond “just writing the headlines” about the growing, invasive tech.
“The headlines write themselves, literally,” he told the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London. “It’s easy to see the risks of AI of misuse and mistakes, and the longer-term risks, which are [often] described as existential. But the biggest risk is missing the moment.”
Sherry Coutu, a Raspberry Pi board member and entrepreneur who focuses on AI and learning, said she “worries” about future use of AI due to “scaremongerers.”
“We shape it and we can control it, so this won’t be like innovations from the past,” she added, citing that the industrial revolution improved efficiencies by 18% to 22% and...
Matt Brittin, who has championed generative AI for years, said that the media should go beyond “just writing the headlines” about the growing, invasive tech.
“The headlines write themselves, literally,” he told the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London. “It’s easy to see the risks of AI of misuse and mistakes, and the longer-term risks, which are [often] described as existential. But the biggest risk is missing the moment.”
Sherry Coutu, a Raspberry Pi board member and entrepreneur who focuses on AI and learning, said she “worries” about future use of AI due to “scaremongerers.”
“We shape it and we can control it, so this won’t be like innovations from the past,” she added, citing that the industrial revolution improved efficiencies by 18% to 22% and...
- 6/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Sky subscribers will have access to Warner Bros Discovery’s (Wbd) content “in every scenario,” Dana Strong has said, as she stressed conversations continue between the two key players over one of the industry’s most talked about partnerships.
Acknowledging that a question was coming on the Wbd relationship, the Sky CEO told the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference that “it’s all just about how we integrate [the two] and how we work together going forwards.”
“We work really well with Warner and we work really well together,” she added. “We are in conversations with them. Regardless, in every scenario, Sky customers will have Warner shows on Sky platforms in some way. It’s really just about how we integrate that and how we work together going forwards.”
As Wbd streamer Max is rolled out around the world, the Sky-wbd partnership that has seen the likes of Succession...
Acknowledging that a question was coming on the Wbd relationship, the Sky CEO told the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference that “it’s all just about how we integrate [the two] and how we work together going forwards.”
“We work really well with Warner and we work really well together,” she added. “We are in conversations with them. Regardless, in every scenario, Sky customers will have Warner shows on Sky platforms in some way. It’s really just about how we integrate that and how we work together going forwards.”
As Wbd streamer Max is rolled out around the world, the Sky-wbd partnership that has seen the likes of Succession...
- 6/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC boss Tim Davie has issued a dire warning over the future of public service broadcasting globally. “It’s scary. It’s really problematic,” he said. “I mean not ‘marginally troublesome.’ I would say it’s a red alert situation in many many markets.”
Davie warned the situation was only getting worse as politics becomes “more polarized.”
Davie was speaking at the Deloitte and Enders Analysis Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London on Tuesday morning alongside Channel 4 boss Alex Mahon, managing director of ITV Studios Julian Bellamy and Sarah Rose, president of Channel 5 and regional lead for Paramount on a panel headed “U.K. television’s digital age.” The panel was moderated by Deloitte partner Rupert Darbyshire.
Mahon also spoke of public service broadcasters’ (PSBs) “battle for truth and trust” which she said is something “very different to something aggregated and algorithmically served.” PSBs were particularly important for young people,...
Davie warned the situation was only getting worse as politics becomes “more polarized.”
Davie was speaking at the Deloitte and Enders Analysis Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London on Tuesday morning alongside Channel 4 boss Alex Mahon, managing director of ITV Studios Julian Bellamy and Sarah Rose, president of Channel 5 and regional lead for Paramount on a panel headed “U.K. television’s digital age.” The panel was moderated by Deloitte partner Rupert Darbyshire.
Mahon also spoke of public service broadcasters’ (PSBs) “battle for truth and trust” which she said is something “very different to something aggregated and algorithmically served.” PSBs were particularly important for young people,...
- 6/4/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
“I don’t want to be a market failure,” which is “what’s happening around the world” to public service broadcasters, BBC boss Tim Davie told Deloitte’s Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London on Tuesday. “It’s scary,” he said, speaking of a “red alert situation” in many parts of the world.
Davie in an appearance lauded the U.K. production sector for its success, but also noted that “many decisions we make are uneconomic.” That said, while the goal is to continue making and airing hit shows that audiences enjoy and love, “we don’t have to make the numbers work on every single show” as a public broadcaster to ensure important, educative and other shows make it to the screen, he emphasized.
“We have a rich history of working together” with other companies, Davie said about the BBC, as well as other U.K. public broadcasters.
Davie in an appearance lauded the U.K. production sector for its success, but also noted that “many decisions we make are uneconomic.” That said, while the goal is to continue making and airing hit shows that audiences enjoy and love, “we don’t have to make the numbers work on every single show” as a public broadcaster to ensure important, educative and other shows make it to the screen, he emphasized.
“We have a rich history of working together” with other companies, Davie said about the BBC, as well as other U.K. public broadcasters.
- 6/4/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Public service broadcasting is in a “red alert situation” in “many many markets” around the world, according to the most powerful man in British broadcasting.
BBC Director General Tim Davie urged the audience at the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference to “look around the world and see what’s happening to PSBs.”
“It’s scary,” he added. “It’s really problematic. We are not merely troublesome we are in a red alert situation in many many markets and as politics gets more polarized we have to decide what we do about institutions.”
Davie said the BBC, on the other hand, is “not a market failure provider” and stressed partnerships with major global players such as Warner Bros. Discovery in sports as a factor.
But this doesn’t stop the BBC from making “uneconomic” decisions, he stressed, in order to preserve its place as a public broadcaster.
“Sometimes...
BBC Director General Tim Davie urged the audience at the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference to “look around the world and see what’s happening to PSBs.”
“It’s scary,” he added. “It’s really problematic. We are not merely troublesome we are in a red alert situation in many many markets and as politics gets more polarized we have to decide what we do about institutions.”
Davie said the BBC, on the other hand, is “not a market failure provider” and stressed partnerships with major global players such as Warner Bros. Discovery in sports as a factor.
But this doesn’t stop the BBC from making “uneconomic” decisions, he stressed, in order to preserve its place as a public broadcaster.
“Sometimes...
- 6/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney has spent £3.5B ($4.5B) on production in the UK since 2019, Emea boss Jan Koeppen has revealed.
Koeppen, who has been in the role for five years, rolled out a wealth of stats that focused on Disney’s long connection with, and long-term commitment to, the UK, as he addressed the Deloitte and Enders Media and Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London.
Koeppen said tentpoles like Deadpool & Wolverine, one of 20 Disney films and series to have been produced at Pinewood over the past five years, allows the Mouse House to form deep connections with locals.
“Whenever I’m at Pinewood, what makes the biggest impression on me is the scale of the operation, the diversity of skills,” said Koeppen. “We’re talking about thousands of people, all part of the wider ecosystem. And on every single production, there are trainees getting experience to begin their careers in film and TV.
Koeppen, who has been in the role for five years, rolled out a wealth of stats that focused on Disney’s long connection with, and long-term commitment to, the UK, as he addressed the Deloitte and Enders Media and Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London.
Koeppen said tentpoles like Deadpool & Wolverine, one of 20 Disney films and series to have been produced at Pinewood over the past five years, allows the Mouse House to form deep connections with locals.
“Whenever I’m at Pinewood, what makes the biggest impression on me is the scale of the operation, the diversity of skills,” said Koeppen. “We’re talking about thousands of people, all part of the wider ecosystem. And on every single production, there are trainees getting experience to begin their careers in film and TV.
- 6/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Catherine Tait, who runs Canadian pubcaster CBC/Radio-Canada, has been meeting with counterparts in Europe this week to rally support for an online initiative aimed at detoxifying social media.
Tait revealed she has over the past week held meetings with the likes of BBC Director General Tim Davie and senior France Télévisions and Radio France executives to discuss the Public Spaces Incubator, which is backed by four public service broadcast organizations and MoveOn.org director and Avaaz founder Eli Pariser.
Regarding discussions with broadcaster counterparts, a spokeswoman said the BBC does not comment on “private meetings,” but added the corporation would meet with other public service broadcasters “to discuss their work.” France Télévisions hadn’t responded to requests for comment before press time.
These meetings followed CBC discussions with public service media counterparts in Australia and New Zealand, among other territories.
The Public Spaces Incubator is aimed at “redefining and...
Tait revealed she has over the past week held meetings with the likes of BBC Director General Tim Davie and senior France Télévisions and Radio France executives to discuss the Public Spaces Incubator, which is backed by four public service broadcast organizations and MoveOn.org director and Avaaz founder Eli Pariser.
Regarding discussions with broadcaster counterparts, a spokeswoman said the BBC does not comment on “private meetings,” but added the corporation would meet with other public service broadcasters “to discuss their work.” France Télévisions hadn’t responded to requests for comment before press time.
These meetings followed CBC discussions with public service media counterparts in Australia and New Zealand, among other territories.
The Public Spaces Incubator is aimed at “redefining and...
- 5/29/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Four female BBC News presenters have commenced legal action against the UK broadcaster, arguing they were forced off air for a year and harassed as a result of a “rigged” recruitment process.
Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh were present at the London Central Employment Tribunal on Wednesday for a two-day preliminary hearing.
The seasoned BBC News anchors submitted near-identical witness statements to the tribunal, claiming that they were victims of a “sham” hiring process in January 2023.
The women, aged 48 to 54, said the process had caused them to suffer age and sex discrimination, equal pay concerns, and harassment, including facing a “hostile, degrading, intimidating environment in the workplace.”
The women applied to become a chief presenter on the rebooted BBC News channel, but allege that management had predetermined their preferred candidates before the hiring process began.
After challenging the BBC hiring process, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh said they lost their jobs,...
Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh were present at the London Central Employment Tribunal on Wednesday for a two-day preliminary hearing.
The seasoned BBC News anchors submitted near-identical witness statements to the tribunal, claiming that they were victims of a “sham” hiring process in January 2023.
The women, aged 48 to 54, said the process had caused them to suffer age and sex discrimination, equal pay concerns, and harassment, including facing a “hostile, degrading, intimidating environment in the workplace.”
The women applied to become a chief presenter on the rebooted BBC News channel, but allege that management had predetermined their preferred candidates before the hiring process began.
After challenging the BBC hiring process, Croxall, Giannone, Madera, and McVeigh said they lost their jobs,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos, BBC director-general Tim Davie, and ITV CEO Carolyn McCall are among the industry leaders set to speak at the Royal Television Society’s (Rts) London Convention this year.
Its lineup also includes Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon, journalist and host Amol Rajan, former quiz show co-host Richard Osman – widely known as the author of the best-selling crime novel The Thursday Murder Club – and The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde. The not-yet-complete list of speakers will be updated in the future.
Dubbed a “leading forum” for the U.K.’s television and media, the organization announced streaming giant Netflix as the biennial event’s principal sponsor in 2024.
Taking place on Sept. 17 at Kings Place in the British capital, the convention’s title is: “The Next Episode: Keeping Our Creative Edge.” It will focus on how the U.K. can “hold on to its creative brilliance, take full advantage...
Its lineup also includes Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon, journalist and host Amol Rajan, former quiz show co-host Richard Osman – widely known as the author of the best-selling crime novel The Thursday Murder Club – and The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde. The not-yet-complete list of speakers will be updated in the future.
Dubbed a “leading forum” for the U.K.’s television and media, the organization announced streaming giant Netflix as the biennial event’s principal sponsor in 2024.
Taking place on Sept. 17 at Kings Place in the British capital, the convention’s title is: “The Next Episode: Keeping Our Creative Edge.” It will focus on how the U.K. can “hold on to its creative brilliance, take full advantage...
- 5/1/2024
- by Lily Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rts London Convention Speakers
The Royal Television Society has revealed the dates and initial speakers for its annual Rts London Convention.
This year’s event will take place on Sept. 17 at Kings Place in London and is chaired by Anna Mallett, Netflix’s vice president of production for Emea and the U.K. Netflix is also serving as the convention’s principal sponsor.
Confirmed speakers include Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos, BBC director-general Tim Davie, Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon, ITV CEO Carolyn McCall and journalist Amol Rajan. “The Thursday Murder Club” author Richard Osman and The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde are also on the line-up, with further speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.
The theme for the forthcoming edition is “The Next Episode: Keeping Our Creative Edge,” highlighting how the U.K. can “hold on to its creative brilliance, take full advantage of the opportunities of the future,...
The Royal Television Society has revealed the dates and initial speakers for its annual Rts London Convention.
This year’s event will take place on Sept. 17 at Kings Place in London and is chaired by Anna Mallett, Netflix’s vice president of production for Emea and the U.K. Netflix is also serving as the convention’s principal sponsor.
Confirmed speakers include Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos, BBC director-general Tim Davie, Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon, ITV CEO Carolyn McCall and journalist Amol Rajan. “The Thursday Murder Club” author Richard Osman and The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde are also on the line-up, with further speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.
The theme for the forthcoming edition is “The Next Episode: Keeping Our Creative Edge,” highlighting how the U.K. can “hold on to its creative brilliance, take full advantage of the opportunities of the future,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The UK’s producer trade body and actors union have called on the government to rejoin the AI debate and consider legislation before it is too late.
AI is set to play a central role in the upcoming contract negotiations between Pact and Equity but John McVay, who runs the former, and Lynda Rooke, who is president of the latter, concurred on the need for government to protect the industry via legislation.
“They’ve kicked the can down the road [on AI],” McVay said of the government at today’s Creative Cities Convention. “There is case law established in America about AI copyright. On the one hand you’ve got the [UK] government saying ‘let’s wait and see’ but if you go further down the road then they will say ‘we don’t like it, it’s going to go more extreme’. And then they will chill investment.”
McVay, whose body represents...
AI is set to play a central role in the upcoming contract negotiations between Pact and Equity but John McVay, who runs the former, and Lynda Rooke, who is president of the latter, concurred on the need for government to protect the industry via legislation.
“They’ve kicked the can down the road [on AI],” McVay said of the government at today’s Creative Cities Convention. “There is case law established in America about AI copyright. On the one hand you’ve got the [UK] government saying ‘let’s wait and see’ but if you go further down the road then they will say ‘we don’t like it, it’s going to go more extreme’. And then they will chill investment.”
McVay, whose body represents...
- 4/23/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: BBC Three has greenlit a Eurovision-themed animation, its first in two decades.
Galaxy Dance is the youth-skewing RuPaul’s Drag Race UK network’s first animated show since Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye’s irreverent sketch series Monkey Dust, which ran from 2003 to 2005.
Galaxy Dance is set amid Eurovision 2989, with the interstellar dance competition seeing a myriad of alien groups and Earth’s human band competing for a prize fund so gigantic it could save the planet from extinction. The only issue is that Earth is on a notorious losing streak and ‘Galaxy Dance’ is the fiercest contest in the Milky Way. Enter Doyle, Jane and their team of misfits with nothing more to lose.
Starring Liam Bixby (Wreck), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (Dance First) and Mukamajulé Michelo (The Lovers), the one-off is expected to air around Eurovision. Developed by Unreal Engine tech, it is being produced by HaZimation and...
Galaxy Dance is the youth-skewing RuPaul’s Drag Race UK network’s first animated show since Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye’s irreverent sketch series Monkey Dust, which ran from 2003 to 2005.
Galaxy Dance is set amid Eurovision 2989, with the interstellar dance competition seeing a myriad of alien groups and Earth’s human band competing for a prize fund so gigantic it could save the planet from extinction. The only issue is that Earth is on a notorious losing streak and ‘Galaxy Dance’ is the fiercest contest in the Milky Way. Enter Doyle, Jane and their team of misfits with nothing more to lose.
Starring Liam Bixby (Wreck), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (Dance First) and Mukamajulé Michelo (The Lovers), the one-off is expected to air around Eurovision. Developed by Unreal Engine tech, it is being produced by HaZimation and...
- 4/23/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Huw Edwards has resigned from the BBC, almost a year after reports claimed that the newsreader had paid a young person for sexually explicit images.
“Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC,” said a statement from the broadcaster.
“After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors. The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward.”
One of the BBC’s most high-profile newsreaders, who also fronted its election coverage, Edwards was revealed to be the subject of a Sun exposé about a ‘BBC presenter’ who had allegedly paid a young person around £30,000 for indecent images last summer. He was named on July 12 by his wife Vicky Flind, who said at the time the presenter was “suffering from serious mental health issues” and was receiving in-patient hospital care.
Director...
“Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC,” said a statement from the broadcaster.
“After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors. The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward.”
One of the BBC’s most high-profile newsreaders, who also fronted its election coverage, Edwards was revealed to be the subject of a Sun exposé about a ‘BBC presenter’ who had allegedly paid a young person around £30,000 for indecent images last summer. He was named on July 12 by his wife Vicky Flind, who said at the time the presenter was “suffering from serious mental health issues” and was receiving in-patient hospital care.
Director...
- 4/22/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated Exclusive: Five senior female BBC News channel presenters have commenced legal action against the British broadcaster after a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Earlier on Thursday, Deadline reported that Martine Croxall was taking the BBC to an employment tribunal, according to a listing for a two-day hearing at London Central on May 1.
Martine Croxall is the listed litigant, but multiple sources said Karin Giannone, Geeta Guru-Murthy, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh are parties to the case. The presenters have been off air for over a year, though Guru-Murthy and McVeigh recently returned to the news channel.
It is the highest-profile tribunal faced by the BBC since the corporation lost a landmark gender pay battle with Newswatch host Samira Ahmed in 2020.
Details of the case against the BBC are not in the public domain, but the tribunal listing makes clear that the complaint involves issues including age and sex discrimination,...
Earlier on Thursday, Deadline reported that Martine Croxall was taking the BBC to an employment tribunal, according to a listing for a two-day hearing at London Central on May 1.
Martine Croxall is the listed litigant, but multiple sources said Karin Giannone, Geeta Guru-Murthy, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh are parties to the case. The presenters have been off air for over a year, though Guru-Murthy and McVeigh recently returned to the news channel.
It is the highest-profile tribunal faced by the BBC since the corporation lost a landmark gender pay battle with Newswatch host Samira Ahmed in 2020.
Details of the case against the BBC are not in the public domain, but the tribunal listing makes clear that the complaint involves issues including age and sex discrimination,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Kevin Costner’s ‘The Gray House’ To Open Monte-Carlo TV Festival
The 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival, which takes place 14-18 June, has added a touch of star power. The Kevin Costner-produced civil war spy drama The Gray House will be this year’s World Premiere Screening. The limited series, which Costner’s Territory Pictures and Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment are making alongside Republic Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment, will open the fest following a red carpet arrival and opening ceremony. The show, based on a true story, stars Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head (Harlots), Amethyst Davis (Kindred) and Ben Vereen (Roots) as the unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the North. Paramount Global Content Distribution has international sales rights. Previous Monte-Carlo openers have included Harlan Coben’s Shelter, Last Light, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.
The 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival, which takes place 14-18 June, has added a touch of star power. The Kevin Costner-produced civil war spy drama The Gray House will be this year’s World Premiere Screening. The limited series, which Costner’s Territory Pictures and Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment are making alongside Republic Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment, will open the fest following a red carpet arrival and opening ceremony. The show, based on a true story, stars Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head (Harlots), Amethyst Davis (Kindred) and Ben Vereen (Roots) as the unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the North. Paramount Global Content Distribution has international sales rights. Previous Monte-Carlo openers have included Harlan Coben’s Shelter, Last Light, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.
- 4/18/2024
- by Jesse Whittock, Max Goldbart and Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The BBC wants to overhaul how it awards salary rises to its highest-paid employees and presenters, Deadline understands.
Sources said the British broadcaster wants to stop top earners from receiving automatic annual pay increases and instead hand them raises based on their performance.
The BBC wants to make the change as it grapples with a £90M ($112M) gap in its finances following its 2023 license fee settlement, but is mindful of squeezing pay in a way that makes it less attractive to new talent.
Some BBC executives and presenters already receive performance-related salary increases, but the corporation wants to move so-called “Band F” staffers into the same bracket.
The BBC attempted to make the change as part of 2024 pay talks with Bectu and the National Union of Journalists, but the unions rejected the plan and want more clarity on how performance will be measured.
“It’s quite a massive proposal,...
Sources said the British broadcaster wants to stop top earners from receiving automatic annual pay increases and instead hand them raises based on their performance.
The BBC wants to make the change as it grapples with a £90M ($112M) gap in its finances following its 2023 license fee settlement, but is mindful of squeezing pay in a way that makes it less attractive to new talent.
Some BBC executives and presenters already receive performance-related salary increases, but the corporation wants to move so-called “Band F” staffers into the same bracket.
The BBC attempted to make the change as part of 2024 pay talks with Bectu and the National Union of Journalists, but the unions rejected the plan and want more clarity on how performance will be measured.
“It’s quite a massive proposal,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Britbox offers a wide variety of shows from the BBC, ITV and other content partners. (Courtesy image)
The British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) international streaming service Britbox has over 3.75 million global subscribers and is profitable as a standalone business, a television executive confirmed this week.
Speaking to the website MediaWeek, the BBC’s Global Media and Streaming Chief Executive Rebecca Glashow affirmed the idea of Britbox was not to scale it so that it competes with giant services like Netflix and Prime Video, but to stay in a particular lane and cater to a specific audience.
“A lot is reported around large-scale streaming services and the cost for those businesses,” Glashow said in an interview. “BritBox plays in a very specific lane. We know our audience. They are very sticky and very committed. There is low churn because of the engagement we have with our subscribers.”
Glashow said Britbox works...
The British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) international streaming service Britbox has over 3.75 million global subscribers and is profitable as a standalone business, a television executive confirmed this week.
Speaking to the website MediaWeek, the BBC’s Global Media and Streaming Chief Executive Rebecca Glashow affirmed the idea of Britbox was not to scale it so that it competes with giant services like Netflix and Prime Video, but to stay in a particular lane and cater to a specific audience.
“A lot is reported around large-scale streaming services and the cost for those businesses,” Glashow said in an interview. “BritBox plays in a very specific lane. We know our audience. They are very sticky and very committed. There is low churn because of the engagement we have with our subscribers.”
Glashow said Britbox works...
- 4/12/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Paul Fox, the British television executive who commissioned iconic shows such as The Two Ronnies and Parkinson, has died aged 98.
Fox’s family informed the BBC of his passing this morning. He is best known for spells as Controller of BBC1 and Head of Network Television for the wider BBC, and as Managing Director of Yorkshire Television.
Fox, who as knighted in 1991, began his career in the 1950s as a newsreel scriptwriter and went on to upload Sportsview and Panorama. During that time he invented BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
In 1967, he then became head of BBC1, going on to commission some of the BBC’s biggest shows such as comedy The Two Ronnies, talk show Parkinson and wartime sitcom Dad’s Army.
Between 1973 and 1988 he led Yorkshire Television, which held the Yorkshire franchise for ITV at the time. He returned to the BBC before retiring.
BBC Director-General, Tim Davie,...
Fox’s family informed the BBC of his passing this morning. He is best known for spells as Controller of BBC1 and Head of Network Television for the wider BBC, and as Managing Director of Yorkshire Television.
Fox, who as knighted in 1991, began his career in the 1950s as a newsreel scriptwriter and went on to upload Sportsview and Panorama. During that time he invented BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
In 1967, he then became head of BBC1, going on to commission some of the BBC’s biggest shows such as comedy The Two Ronnies, talk show Parkinson and wartime sitcom Dad’s Army.
Between 1973 and 1988 he led Yorkshire Television, which held the Yorkshire franchise for ITV at the time. He returned to the BBC before retiring.
BBC Director-General, Tim Davie,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: The BBC has issued a statement that offers important context to Sara Poyzer’s viral social media posts. The British broadcaster said it is using AI technology in a “highly sensitive documentary” to represent the voice of a person who is nearing the end of their life.
Poyzer was penciled in for the job, but her services are no longer required as the BBC attempts to honor the wishes of the contributor’s family by dedicating a brief — and clearly signposted — section of the documentary to recreating “a voice which can now no longer be heard.”
Here’s the BBC’s full statement: “We are making a highly sensitive documentary which features a contributor who is nearing the end of life and is now unable to speak. We have been working closely with their family to explore how we might best represent the contributor’s voice at the end...
Poyzer was penciled in for the job, but her services are no longer required as the BBC attempts to honor the wishes of the contributor’s family by dedicating a brief — and clearly signposted — section of the documentary to recreating “a voice which can now no longer be heard.”
Here’s the BBC’s full statement: “We are making a highly sensitive documentary which features a contributor who is nearing the end of life and is now unable to speak. We have been working closely with their family to explore how we might best represent the contributor’s voice at the end...
- 3/28/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
The AI battle is heating up in the U.K. after British actress Sara Poyzer was dropped from an upcoming BBC project in favor of an artificially generated voice.
Poyzer, who has starred in the musical staging of Mamma Mia! for a decade, shared a screenshot of the email from an unspecified BBC production member alerting her that her services on the unspecified project were no longer needed as the use of AI was permitted.
“Sorry for the delay,” the email reads. “We have had the approval from the BBC...
Poyzer, who has starred in the musical staging of Mamma Mia! for a decade, shared a screenshot of the email from an unspecified BBC production member alerting her that her services on the unspecified project were no longer needed as the use of AI was permitted.
“Sorry for the delay,” the email reads. “We have had the approval from the BBC...
- 3/28/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The BBC’s financial deficit is projected to reach nearly £500M next year as the corporation delivers what it has described as a “transformational budget.”
Unveiling its Annual Plan this afternoon, which sets priorities for the coming year, the BBC forecast a deficit of £492M ($620M) for 2024/25, a sharp rise of 40% from this year.
Explaining the hefty jump, the BBC said its plan to grow BBC Studios “drives higher income” and “requires significant investment in 24/25, contributing to the group operating deficit,” while pointing out that this year will also include big expenditure on sporting events such as the summer Olympics and European football championships.
“Our financial plan includes a transformative approach to savings to enable delivery of our strategic ambitions,” it went on. “This will require a number of difficult decisions over the course of the year including one-off transformational costs. Ultimately savings will help to deliver reinvestment in our...
Unveiling its Annual Plan this afternoon, which sets priorities for the coming year, the BBC forecast a deficit of £492M ($620M) for 2024/25, a sharp rise of 40% from this year.
Explaining the hefty jump, the BBC said its plan to grow BBC Studios “drives higher income” and “requires significant investment in 24/25, contributing to the group operating deficit,” while pointing out that this year will also include big expenditure on sporting events such as the summer Olympics and European football championships.
“Our financial plan includes a transformative approach to savings to enable delivery of our strategic ambitions,” it went on. “This will require a number of difficult decisions over the course of the year including one-off transformational costs. Ultimately savings will help to deliver reinvestment in our...
- 3/28/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC will look to further cost cuts, growth initiatives and transformation to help it fund its operations and public duties amid financial and sector challenges and return it to a financial surplus after a deficit that will balloon in the new fiscal year, the U.K. public broadcaster said in its annual plan and annual report Thursday.
Led by Director General Tim Davie, the broadcaster in its annual report outlined priorities for the new fiscal year 2024/2025 starting in April. “Our financial plan includes a transformative approach to savings to enable delivery of our strategic ambitions,” it said. “This will require a number of difficult decisions over the course of the year, including one-off transformational costs. Ultimately savings will help to deliver reinvestment in our audience offering and set the BBC up to succeed as audience consumption patterns change.”
For the fiscal year, the license fee for U.K. taxpayers...
Led by Director General Tim Davie, the broadcaster in its annual report outlined priorities for the new fiscal year 2024/2025 starting in April. “Our financial plan includes a transformative approach to savings to enable delivery of our strategic ambitions,” it said. “This will require a number of difficult decisions over the course of the year, including one-off transformational costs. Ultimately savings will help to deliver reinvestment in our audience offering and set the BBC up to succeed as audience consumption patterns change.”
For the fiscal year, the license fee for U.K. taxpayers...
- 3/28/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies foresees a gloomy future for the BBC, saying its end is “undoubtedly on its way”.
Russell T Davies knows a thing or two about the inner workings of the BBC, given that he’s worked at the corporation since the start of his career in the mid-1980s.
Now the showrunner on Doctor Who, Davies has some gloomy thoughts to share on the future of the BBC. Talking on the podcast They Like To Watch (as picked up by Deadline), Davies talked about the need to make the latest series of Doctor Who a co-production with Disney+, and added that such a deal was necessary in order to secure the show’s long-term future. The reason being that the BBC itself may be reaching the end of its life.
“I had already said in interviews that I think Doctor Who will have to become...
Russell T Davies knows a thing or two about the inner workings of the BBC, given that he’s worked at the corporation since the start of his career in the mid-1980s.
Now the showrunner on Doctor Who, Davies has some gloomy thoughts to share on the future of the BBC. Talking on the podcast They Like To Watch (as picked up by Deadline), Davies talked about the need to make the latest series of Doctor Who a co-production with Disney+, and added that such a deal was necessary in order to secure the show’s long-term future. The reason being that the BBC itself may be reaching the end of its life.
“I had already said in interviews that I think Doctor Who will have to become...
- 3/28/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
The artificial intelligence debate has intensified in the U.K. this week after veteran Mamma Mia! musical star Sara Poyzer in a social media post said that At has replaced her for a BBC production.
Poyzer, who has played Donna Sheridan in the onstage musical for around 10 years, posted a screenshot of an email containing the news and tagged the U.K. public service broadcaster and labor union Equity, calling the development “sobering.” Poyzer also added a sad face emoji. She didn’t detail the name of the production or whether it was an audio or TV project.
“Sorry for the delay,” the email from an unidentified production company reads, per the screenshot shared by Poyzer on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). “We have had the approval from the BBC to use the AI generated voice so we won’t need Sara anymore.”
Miltos Yerolemou was among the industry people who reacted to the disclosure.
Poyzer, who has played Donna Sheridan in the onstage musical for around 10 years, posted a screenshot of an email containing the news and tagged the U.K. public service broadcaster and labor union Equity, calling the development “sobering.” Poyzer also added a sad face emoji. She didn’t detail the name of the production or whether it was an audio or TV project.
“Sorry for the delay,” the email from an unidentified production company reads, per the screenshot shared by Poyzer on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). “We have had the approval from the BBC to use the AI generated voice so we won’t need Sara anymore.”
Miltos Yerolemou was among the industry people who reacted to the disclosure.
- 3/28/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies has issued some doom-and-gloom thinking behind why the hit sci-fi series needed to partner with Disney+.
Speaking to the They Like to Watch podcast, the storied British showrunner declared that the BBC is “somehow, surely, undoubtedly on its way out in some shape or form,” and additional cash and partners were therefore necessary for Doctor Who.
“I had already said in interviews that I think Doctor Who will have to become a co-pro, there’s no way the BBC is going to fund that,”he said. “You’ve also got to look in the long term at the end of the BBC, which is somehow, surely, undoubtedly on its way in some shape or form. What is Doctor Who going to do then? You have to prepare for that.”
It’s a Sin and Years and Years showrunner Davies has been a passionate supporter...
Speaking to the They Like to Watch podcast, the storied British showrunner declared that the BBC is “somehow, surely, undoubtedly on its way out in some shape or form,” and additional cash and partners were therefore necessary for Doctor Who.
“I had already said in interviews that I think Doctor Who will have to become a co-pro, there’s no way the BBC is going to fund that,”he said. “You’ve also got to look in the long term at the end of the BBC, which is somehow, surely, undoubtedly on its way in some shape or form. What is Doctor Who going to do then? You have to prepare for that.”
It’s a Sin and Years and Years showrunner Davies has been a passionate supporter...
- 3/28/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
“I wasn’t happy at the way my activities were characterized and think they were misrepresented wilfully by other forms of the media.”
That is the verdict of ex-BBC Chair Richard Sharp, who was forced to resign almost a year ago after failing to declare his role in the facilitation of an £800,000 ($1.07B) loan facility for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Speaking for the first time about his experience, the former Goldman Sachs banker told the BBC’s Today podcast a “false narrative” had developed around his actions, and “once it’s out there, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“If it compromised my position, which the noise and the affair did, then the most important interests were what was in the interests of the BBC, not Richard Sharp,” he added. “If you looked at social media it was pretty clear that the priorities should be not...
That is the verdict of ex-BBC Chair Richard Sharp, who was forced to resign almost a year ago after failing to declare his role in the facilitation of an £800,000 ($1.07B) loan facility for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Speaking for the first time about his experience, the former Goldman Sachs banker told the BBC’s Today podcast a “false narrative” had developed around his actions, and “once it’s out there, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“If it compromised my position, which the noise and the affair did, then the most important interests were what was in the interests of the BBC, not Richard Sharp,” he added. “If you looked at social media it was pretty clear that the priorities should be not...
- 3/28/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Broadcasting House, the headquarters of the BBC, as it appeared in 2014.
The head of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) says Britain’s top public broadcaster needs to reorient its focus around three core groups: To educate, inform and entertain the television audience it serves.
The note was made during a speech at the Royal Television Society at Savory House Hall this week, during which BBC Director General Tim Davie outlined his vision for the short-term and long-term future of the oldest broadcast television network in the world.
“The future of the UK, democratically, socially and culturally is at risk,” Davie said to a packed house on Tuesday. “And, for us to succeed, far from following where the market is driving others, we must double down on what audiences see as our unique value.”
Davie said the BBC needs to adopt three essential roles: To pursue truth with no agenda through...
The head of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) says Britain’s top public broadcaster needs to reorient its focus around three core groups: To educate, inform and entertain the television audience it serves.
The note was made during a speech at the Royal Television Society at Savory House Hall this week, during which BBC Director General Tim Davie outlined his vision for the short-term and long-term future of the oldest broadcast television network in the world.
“The future of the UK, democratically, socially and culturally is at risk,” Davie said to a packed house on Tuesday. “And, for us to succeed, far from following where the market is driving others, we must double down on what audiences see as our unique value.”
Davie said the BBC needs to adopt three essential roles: To pursue truth with no agenda through...
- 3/27/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
In the same week that the BBC faced backlash from viewers for using artificial intelligence in promotional material for “Doctor Who,” the head of the public broadcaster has revealed that it has bold plans for the use of AI going forward.
In a major speech in London held by the Royal Television Society on Tuesday, director general Tim Davie outlined the “future direction of the BBC and its role for the U.K.,” which he revealed would include utilizing the new technology.
“We will proactively deploy AI on our terms, always holding on to our published principles,” he said. “Never compromising human creative control, supporting rights holders and sustaining our editorial standards, but proactively launching tools that help us build relevance.”
Davie added that the BBC was now working “with a number of major tech companies” on “BBC-specific pilots,” the most promising of which would be deployed in the coming months.
In a major speech in London held by the Royal Television Society on Tuesday, director general Tim Davie outlined the “future direction of the BBC and its role for the U.K.,” which he revealed would include utilizing the new technology.
“We will proactively deploy AI on our terms, always holding on to our published principles,” he said. “Never compromising human creative control, supporting rights holders and sustaining our editorial standards, but proactively launching tools that help us build relevance.”
Davie added that the BBC was now working “with a number of major tech companies” on “BBC-specific pilots,” the most promising of which would be deployed in the coming months.
- 3/26/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
The BBC needs more partnerships with media, entertainment and technology giants, such as one with the Walt Disney Co. for sci-fi hit show Doctor Who, and change how it does business further in a competitive and polarized world. That was the message of Tim Davie, the director general of the U.K. public broadcaster, in a major Tuesday speech outlining his team’s future focus amid technological and other changes as pursuing truth, backing British storytelling and uniting people.
The proactive, but considered, use of AI and “ethical algorithms” is also part of his plans for the broadcaster.
Ahead of the BBC’s annual report detailing spending plans for the next year, Davie addressed the “future direction of the BBC and its role for the U.K.” during a Royal Television Society event, outlining how to use “limited resources” to best serve audiences, “rapidly modernize” and “transform the value we provide for everyone,...
The proactive, but considered, use of AI and “ethical algorithms” is also part of his plans for the broadcaster.
Ahead of the BBC’s annual report detailing spending plans for the next year, Davie addressed the “future direction of the BBC and its role for the U.K.” during a Royal Television Society event, outlining how to use “limited resources” to best serve audiences, “rapidly modernize” and “transform the value we provide for everyone,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BBC director general Tim Davie is set to double down on his warnings about social media giants, such as TikTok and Facebook, in a Tuesday speech.
The chief of the U.K. public broadcaster will criticize global social media players for causing “polarization and social division,” the Telegraph reported ahead of the speech. Davie will also call “U.S. and Chinese algorithms the potential tastemakers of the future,” adding: “Shared moments and unifying cultural experiences are increasingly rare.”
The newspaper report did not quote the BBC boss as mentioning specific companies, but his comments were widely seen as calling out the likes of TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
In line with that, the Telegraph report said that TikTok, which the U.S. Senate is set to consider banning unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells it, said via a spokeswoman that it does not operate in China and that the BBC maintains multiple TikTok accounts.
The chief of the U.K. public broadcaster will criticize global social media players for causing “polarization and social division,” the Telegraph reported ahead of the speech. Davie will also call “U.S. and Chinese algorithms the potential tastemakers of the future,” adding: “Shared moments and unifying cultural experiences are increasingly rare.”
The newspaper report did not quote the BBC boss as mentioning specific companies, but his comments were widely seen as calling out the likes of TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
In line with that, the Telegraph report said that TikTok, which the U.S. Senate is set to consider banning unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells it, said via a spokeswoman that it does not operate in China and that the BBC maintains multiple TikTok accounts.
- 3/25/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“British storytelling is at growing risk of being squeezed out in an extraordinarily competitive global media landscape,” the BBC Director General will warn in a landmark speech tomorrow that will set out how to “radically transform and renew” the 100-year-old corporation.
Tim Davie plans to say “we are in danger of the UK’s world-class creative industries being undermined, and diminishing our unique cultural identity and its remarkable influence worldwide,” in the Tuesday set piece that was revealed by Deadline last week.
Davie’s proclamation will come just a few days after The Crown EP Andy Harries warned that the UK is at risk of becoming a Hollywood “service industry” unless local storytelling is protected.
In notes briefed to the press before the speech, Davie also plans to raise concerns that “U.S. and Chinese algorithms” could be the “potential taste-makers of the future.”
He plans to say “polarisation and...
Tim Davie plans to say “we are in danger of the UK’s world-class creative industries being undermined, and diminishing our unique cultural identity and its remarkable influence worldwide,” in the Tuesday set piece that was revealed by Deadline last week.
Davie’s proclamation will come just a few days after The Crown EP Andy Harries warned that the UK is at risk of becoming a Hollywood “service industry” unless local storytelling is protected.
In notes briefed to the press before the speech, Davie also plans to raise concerns that “U.S. and Chinese algorithms” could be the “potential taste-makers of the future.”
He plans to say “polarisation and...
- 3/25/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: BBC presenters have been told to challenge guests who accuse others of transphobia after the broadcaster admitted that news items on J.K. Rowling fell short of its editorial standards.
In an internal briefing note, BBC journalists and production teams were advised that “care is needed” when people are labeled “transphobic” and the term should be interrogated during on-air debate.
The advice featured in a nine-page document on “reporting sex and gender” circulated to the BBC newsroom late last year. Deadline has obtained the briefing, which can be read in full below.
The guidance follows the BBC apologizing to Rowling twice last year. The Harry Potter author was accused of transphobia by trans rights advocates, but the claim was not properly challenged by presenters, including Radio 4’s Evan Davis.
The briefing note was issued to help journalists navigate what BBC director general Tim Davie described this week as an “area of controversy.
In an internal briefing note, BBC journalists and production teams were advised that “care is needed” when people are labeled “transphobic” and the term should be interrogated during on-air debate.
The advice featured in a nine-page document on “reporting sex and gender” circulated to the BBC newsroom late last year. Deadline has obtained the briefing, which can be read in full below.
The guidance follows the BBC apologizing to Rowling twice last year. The Harry Potter author was accused of transphobia by trans rights advocates, but the claim was not properly challenged by presenters, including Radio 4’s Evan Davis.
The briefing note was issued to help journalists navigate what BBC director general Tim Davie described this week as an “area of controversy.
- 3/22/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC has a duty to “be nice” amid the fraught debate about transgender rights, according to the UK broadcaster’s director general.
Tim Davie told lawmakers on Wednesday that the BBC’s detractors were attempting to whip up a “deeply damaging” narrative around the corporation’s output on gender identity issues.
He was giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee amid concern over a BBC complaint unit ruling against Radio 4 Today show presenter Justin Webb last month.
Webb was deemed to have broken editorial rules when he said “trans women, in other words males” during an item discussing whether biological males have an advantage in chess.
Davie was asked by Conservative MP Damian Green if the BBC was being “infused” by transgender ideology following the ruling against Webb.
The director general said BBC journalists are “doing a very good job” in difficult circumstances, but argued that Webb...
Tim Davie told lawmakers on Wednesday that the BBC’s detractors were attempting to whip up a “deeply damaging” narrative around the corporation’s output on gender identity issues.
He was giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee amid concern over a BBC complaint unit ruling against Radio 4 Today show presenter Justin Webb last month.
Webb was deemed to have broken editorial rules when he said “trans women, in other words males” during an item discussing whether biological males have an advantage in chess.
Davie was asked by Conservative MP Damian Green if the BBC was being “infused” by transgender ideology following the ruling against Webb.
The director general said BBC journalists are “doing a very good job” in difficult circumstances, but argued that Webb...
- 3/20/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC is “fiercely independent” and typically “impartial,” despite more work needed on an ongoing basis, despite such challenges as the “storm of social media,” Tim Davie, the director general of the U.K. public broadcaster, said in London on Wednesday.
Appearing in front of a parliamentary committee, he argued that the broadcaster is doing a good job fulfilling its mandate of impartiality in coverage, but must also do more work at a time when people tend to “ascribe intent” depending on which part of the “echo chamber” of the world they come from.
Overall, Davie argued that the BBC has done “a good job in terms of delivering impartial coverage amidst enormous pressure,” explaining: “The polarization in society is profound. So any institution like ourselves to steer the course amongst the noise, the storms of social media, is very demanding.”
Referencing Ofcom research about trust, he said, “we’re...
Appearing in front of a parliamentary committee, he argued that the broadcaster is doing a good job fulfilling its mandate of impartiality in coverage, but must also do more work at a time when people tend to “ascribe intent” depending on which part of the “echo chamber” of the world they come from.
Overall, Davie argued that the BBC has done “a good job in terms of delivering impartial coverage amidst enormous pressure,” explaining: “The polarization in society is profound. So any institution like ourselves to steer the course amongst the noise, the storms of social media, is very demanding.”
Referencing Ofcom research about trust, he said, “we’re...
- 3/20/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The “future direction of the BBC and its role for the UK” will be set out in an all-staff speech from Director General Tim Davie in a fortnight, at which point he will address “a new wave of technological change reshaping the media landscape.”
A memo from Davie sent in the past few minutes invited all staff to the speech and seemed to hint at the possibility of restructures or cuts to come, although the speech will also outline a positive vision under its Value for All strategy. The speech will come around the same time as the BBC’s Annual Plan, which sets out spending priorities for the coming year.
After delivering his big set piece on March 26, Davie said he will “hold sessions with each division to look at what this means for everyone in more detail and what we need to prioritise as we set goals for the year ahead.
A memo from Davie sent in the past few minutes invited all staff to the speech and seemed to hint at the possibility of restructures or cuts to come, although the speech will also outline a positive vision under its Value for All strategy. The speech will come around the same time as the BBC’s Annual Plan, which sets out spending priorities for the coming year.
After delivering his big set piece on March 26, Davie said he will “hold sessions with each division to look at what this means for everyone in more detail and what we need to prioritise as we set goals for the year ahead.
- 3/14/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Incoming BBC chair Samir Shah has indicated the corporation’s finances and independence are at the top of his priority list.
In an internal memo, Shah said his role as chair was to “protect and champion the BBC” and ensure its future.
Of all his responsibilities in the role, the TV executive said “arguably the most important” was to “safeguard its independence.”
The BBC has been embroiled in an ideological battle over impartiality under director general Tim Davie, with some accusing the corporation of inaction in upholding this ideal.
That may change under Shah’s leadership. “It is the duty of the Chair and the Board to protect that independence – and it is a duty I promise to discharge,” he wrote in his email.
Shah, who founded TV production company Juniper, acknowledged that the BBC was also competing with both streamers and social media platforms for eyeballs and that being...
In an internal memo, Shah said his role as chair was to “protect and champion the BBC” and ensure its future.
Of all his responsibilities in the role, the TV executive said “arguably the most important” was to “safeguard its independence.”
The BBC has been embroiled in an ideological battle over impartiality under director general Tim Davie, with some accusing the corporation of inaction in upholding this ideal.
That may change under Shah’s leadership. “It is the duty of the Chair and the Board to protect that independence – and it is a duty I promise to discharge,” he wrote in his email.
Shah, who founded TV production company Juniper, acknowledged that the BBC was also competing with both streamers and social media platforms for eyeballs and that being...
- 3/4/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
“Tough choices and hard decisions” are to come at the BBC. That is the verdict of new Chair Samir Shah, who kicked off his tenure today by setting his stall out in an all-staff email that urged greater diversity of “class and thought” in the corporation’s news coverage.
The email, seen by Deadline, lays bare the tricky financial predicament the BBC finds itself in – having found itself shy of around £100M ($126M) due to the latest license fee settlement and facing rampant inflation – by saying “we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.”
“That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently,” it adds. “My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.”
Shah, who is replacing the disgraced Richard Sharp and has worked for...
The email, seen by Deadline, lays bare the tricky financial predicament the BBC finds itself in – having found itself shy of around £100M ($126M) due to the latest license fee settlement and facing rampant inflation – by saying “we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.”
“That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently,” it adds. “My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.”
Shah, who is replacing the disgraced Richard Sharp and has worked for...
- 3/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC did not “consider the potential wider significance” of the complaint against Huw Edwards when it was logged last May, a review into the disgraced newsreader has said.
The review, published in the past few minutes, makes for uncomfortable reading for the nation’s public broadcaster and its response to the initial complaint made against Edwards. BBC Group Chief Operating Officer Leigh Tavaziva said the broadcaster has apologised to the complainant about the speed in which it was escalated.
The BBC newsreader was revealed to be the subject of a Sun exposé about a ‘BBC presenter’ who had allegedly paid a young person around £30,000 for indecent images, and Director General Tim Davie soon after ordered two reviews into the matter – one on BBC complaints processes, which published today, and the other a ‘factfinding investigation.’
The initial complaint was made in May 2023 but BBC senior leadership was only informed on July 6, the review said,...
The review, published in the past few minutes, makes for uncomfortable reading for the nation’s public broadcaster and its response to the initial complaint made against Edwards. BBC Group Chief Operating Officer Leigh Tavaziva said the broadcaster has apologised to the complainant about the speed in which it was escalated.
The BBC newsreader was revealed to be the subject of a Sun exposé about a ‘BBC presenter’ who had allegedly paid a young person around £30,000 for indecent images, and Director General Tim Davie soon after ordered two reviews into the matter – one on BBC complaints processes, which published today, and the other a ‘factfinding investigation.’
The initial complaint was made in May 2023 but BBC senior leadership was only informed on July 6, the review said,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: BBC Director General Tim Davie has acknowledged “antisemitic behavior by people who worked with us” in an all-staff note that attempts to rebuild relations with Jewish staffers.
Davie’s email this afternoon, seen by Deadline, said “there can be no place at the BBC for racist abuse of any kind, whether towards our Jewish colleagues or indeed colleagues from any background or belief,” as he acknowledged for the first time certain high-profile incidences that have taken place in the past few weeks. Read the email in full below.
Deadline recently revealed that a senior BBC schedule co-ordinator, Dawn Queva, had faced disciplinary action over a string of antisemitic Facebook posts in which she referred to the “holohoax” and peddled extreme conspiracy theories, and she has since left the business. Soon after, relations with Jewish staffers were characterized by some as hitting all-time lows after an Apprentice contestant, Dr Asif Munaf,...
Davie’s email this afternoon, seen by Deadline, said “there can be no place at the BBC for racist abuse of any kind, whether towards our Jewish colleagues or indeed colleagues from any background or belief,” as he acknowledged for the first time certain high-profile incidences that have taken place in the past few weeks. Read the email in full below.
Deadline recently revealed that a senior BBC schedule co-ordinator, Dawn Queva, had faced disciplinary action over a string of antisemitic Facebook posts in which she referred to the “holohoax” and peddled extreme conspiracy theories, and she has since left the business. Soon after, relations with Jewish staffers were characterized by some as hitting all-time lows after an Apprentice contestant, Dr Asif Munaf,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC has bowed to a torrent of pressure from Jewish staffers and groups by cutting scenes of an Apprentice contestant from the You’re Fired companion show following antisemitic tweets.
Controversial contestant Dr Asif Munaf’s scenes are understood to have been recorded over the weekend but will not be shown on the upcoming companion show.
BBC staffers are said to have been “shocked” by the decision to have filmed the scenes. A Telegraph report last month revealed that Munaf had been given diversity training after making antisemitic posts on social media including writing that Zionists are a “godless satanic cult” and references to the “trial of the zionist antichrist.”
At the time, a BBC source told The Telegraph, “had this content been posted before filming took place, Asif would not have been included in the show.”
Yet Munaf has continued to tweet as the show has been airing,...
Controversial contestant Dr Asif Munaf’s scenes are understood to have been recorded over the weekend but will not be shown on the upcoming companion show.
BBC staffers are said to have been “shocked” by the decision to have filmed the scenes. A Telegraph report last month revealed that Munaf had been given diversity training after making antisemitic posts on social media including writing that Zionists are a “godless satanic cult” and references to the “trial of the zionist antichrist.”
At the time, a BBC source told The Telegraph, “had this content been posted before filming took place, Asif would not have been included in the show.”
Yet Munaf has continued to tweet as the show has been airing,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Steve Wright, an iconic BBC radio presenter who used to host Top of the Pops, died Monday. He was 69.
Wright’s family confirmed the death to the BBC in a statement earlier today.
“It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright,” they said. “In addition to his son, Tom, and daughter, Lucy, Steve leaves behind his brother, Laurence and his father Richard. Also, much-loved close friends and colleagues, and millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities. As we all grieve, the family requests privacy at this immensely difficult time.”
BBC Director General Tim Davie led the tributes, calling Wright “the ultimate professional – passionate about the craft of radio and deeply in touch with his listeners.
Wright’s family confirmed the death to the BBC in a statement earlier today.
“It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright,” they said. “In addition to his son, Tom, and daughter, Lucy, Steve leaves behind his brother, Laurence and his father Richard. Also, much-loved close friends and colleagues, and millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities. As we all grieve, the family requests privacy at this immensely difficult time.”
BBC Director General Tim Davie led the tributes, calling Wright “the ultimate professional – passionate about the craft of radio and deeply in touch with his listeners.
- 2/13/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Senior BBC Staffer Who Peddled Extreme Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories On Social Media Exits The BBC
The senior BBC employee who made a string of highly antisemitic Facebook posts has left the corporation.
It was decided on Friday that Senior Schedule Co-Ordinator Dawn Queva would exit after Deadline revealed posts including references to the “holohoax” and numerous extreme antisemitic conspiracy theories. The Telegraph first reported on Queva’s departure yesterday.
Deadline notified the BBC of the posts from a Facebook account Dawn Las Quevas-Allen, which we verified was the same person as Queva, an employee in the BBC scheduling department, and the complaint was taken to her line manager. “The individual concerned is no longer employed by the BBC,” said a spokeswoman. Queva’s Facebook account appears to have now been deleted.
Queva’s rambling and vitriolic posts included one that branded Jewish people a “subcontinental Caucasian invader coloniser species with zero indigenous/blood” and another that referenced the Rothschilds and refers to the Holocaust as the “holohoax,...
It was decided on Friday that Senior Schedule Co-Ordinator Dawn Queva would exit after Deadline revealed posts including references to the “holohoax” and numerous extreme antisemitic conspiracy theories. The Telegraph first reported on Queva’s departure yesterday.
Deadline notified the BBC of the posts from a Facebook account Dawn Las Quevas-Allen, which we verified was the same person as Queva, an employee in the BBC scheduling department, and the complaint was taken to her line manager. “The individual concerned is no longer employed by the BBC,” said a spokeswoman. Queva’s Facebook account appears to have now been deleted.
Queva’s rambling and vitriolic posts included one that branded Jewish people a “subcontinental Caucasian invader coloniser species with zero indigenous/blood” and another that referenced the Rothschilds and refers to the Holocaust as the “holohoax,...
- 2/5/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: A senior BBC schedule co-ordinator has been called out for a string of antisemitic Facebook posts in which she referred to the “holohoax” and peddled extreme conspiracy theories.
Deadline understands that the BBC has been notified of the posts made by Dawn Queva, a Senior Scheduling Co-ordinator & Playout Planner at BBC Three, and her line manager has been informed. While not commenting on individual staff members, the BBC said it “does not tolerate anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or any form of abuse, and we take any such allegations seriously and take appropriate disciplinary action wherever necessary.”
Queva’s posts, which have still not been taken down, are of a rambling and vitriolic nature, and she refers to the “holohoax” and “AshkeNazis,” the latter of which is a play on the word ‘ashkenazi,’ meaning Jews who descend from those who lived in Central or Eastern Europe.
One refers to “a bunch of...
Deadline understands that the BBC has been notified of the posts made by Dawn Queva, a Senior Scheduling Co-ordinator & Playout Planner at BBC Three, and her line manager has been informed. While not commenting on individual staff members, the BBC said it “does not tolerate anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or any form of abuse, and we take any such allegations seriously and take appropriate disciplinary action wherever necessary.”
Queva’s posts, which have still not been taken down, are of a rambling and vitriolic nature, and she refers to the “holohoax” and “AshkeNazis,” the latter of which is a play on the word ‘ashkenazi,’ meaning Jews who descend from those who lived in Central or Eastern Europe.
One refers to “a bunch of...
- 2/1/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The BBC director general has held “listening meetings” with staff as the British broadcaster seeks to address internal unrest over perceived bias in its coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.
Several BBC insiders said Tim Davie and other senior managers have sat down with employees in recent weeks, giving them the space to air concerns about the corporation’s output since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Deadline can reveal that one such meeting took place on January 12, when around two dozen employees, including senior presenters, challenged Davie with allegations that the BBC was being biased against Palestinians.
Similar meetings have taken place with workers who feel the BBC’s output has been unfavorable to Israel. The Daily Telegraph reported last week that at least 22 Jewish staff members have submitted formal complaints about antisemitism and the social media activity of presenter Gary Lineker, who recently reposted (and later deleted) a call...
Several BBC insiders said Tim Davie and other senior managers have sat down with employees in recent weeks, giving them the space to air concerns about the corporation’s output since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Deadline can reveal that one such meeting took place on January 12, when around two dozen employees, including senior presenters, challenged Davie with allegations that the BBC was being biased against Palestinians.
Similar meetings have taken place with workers who feel the BBC’s output has been unfavorable to Israel. The Daily Telegraph reported last week that at least 22 Jewish staff members have submitted formal complaints about antisemitism and the social media activity of presenter Gary Lineker, who recently reposted (and later deleted) a call...
- 1/31/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Controversy over the promotion of ear seeds and acupuncture as a recovery aid for Me on Dragons’ Den has led the BBC to edit the program and add a clarification.
The episode of the 20-year-old business format was removed from BBC iPlayer earlier this week following a backlash to Giselle Boxer’s Acu Seeds business pitch, which received £50,000 investment in exchange for a 10% investment in the company.
Now, the BBC has said the show has been returned to iPlayer but “edited since broadcast to clarify aspects of the Acu Seeds pitch.”
A note on iPlayer says “advice should always be sought from a qualified healthcare provider about any health concerns.”
Having received complaints about the pitch, the BBC clarified that the ear seeds were “never described as a cure for Me” and said “Dragons’ Den does not, and has never, set out to offer medical advice, and we believe its audience understands this.
The episode of the 20-year-old business format was removed from BBC iPlayer earlier this week following a backlash to Giselle Boxer’s Acu Seeds business pitch, which received £50,000 investment in exchange for a 10% investment in the company.
Now, the BBC has said the show has been returned to iPlayer but “edited since broadcast to clarify aspects of the Acu Seeds pitch.”
A note on iPlayer says “advice should always be sought from a qualified healthcare provider about any health concerns.”
Having received complaints about the pitch, the BBC clarified that the ear seeds were “never described as a cure for Me” and said “Dragons’ Den does not, and has never, set out to offer medical advice, and we believe its audience understands this.
- 1/28/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC has pulled an episode of Dragons’ Den after a backlash due to a claim from a contestant that acupuncture and ear seeds helped her recover from Me.
Letters have now been sent to politicians and to the BBC over the claim, and others, which could force the long-running business format into a period of reckoning.
In the episode, which aired last Thursday, contestant Giselle Boxer said “diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds” helped with her recovery from the condition, and led her to turn the idea into the brand Acu Seeds. She received £50,000 in exchange for a 10% investment in the company. The Daily Mirror quoted Boxer as saying the BBC had approached her to take part in the show.
Over the past week, campaign group Action for Me has mobilized and sent a letter to the chairs of the UK’s Culture, Media & Sport and Health & Social...
Letters have now been sent to politicians and to the BBC over the claim, and others, which could force the long-running business format into a period of reckoning.
In the episode, which aired last Thursday, contestant Giselle Boxer said “diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds” helped with her recovery from the condition, and led her to turn the idea into the brand Acu Seeds. She received £50,000 in exchange for a 10% investment in the company. The Daily Mirror quoted Boxer as saying the BBC had approached her to take part in the show.
Over the past week, campaign group Action for Me has mobilized and sent a letter to the chairs of the UK’s Culture, Media & Sport and Health & Social...
- 1/26/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Ofcom and the BBC Board are to be handed more powers to oversee complaints about BBC content including on its website and YouTube channel, as the government’s mid-term review into the corporation focuses intensely on the issue of complaints and impartiality.
The BBC has agreed to undertake “major reforms to boost audience confidence in its impartiality,” the Culture, Media & Sport (Cms) department said, with the organization taking on all recommendations from the review that takes place at the approximate mid-point of each 11-year-long BBC charter.
This includes extending Ofcom oversight to complaints about the BBC website and YouTube channel, handing Ofcom a legally binding responsibility to review more of the BBC’s complaints decisions and forging a similar responsibility for the BBC Board – newly chaired by Samir Shah – to oversee the complaints process.
A subcommittee of the board, which will benefit from “outside perspectives provided by independent advisors,” will...
The BBC has agreed to undertake “major reforms to boost audience confidence in its impartiality,” the Culture, Media & Sport (Cms) department said, with the organization taking on all recommendations from the review that takes place at the approximate mid-point of each 11-year-long BBC charter.
This includes extending Ofcom oversight to complaints about the BBC website and YouTube channel, handing Ofcom a legally binding responsibility to review more of the BBC’s complaints decisions and forging a similar responsibility for the BBC Board – newly chaired by Samir Shah – to oversee the complaints process.
A subcommittee of the board, which will benefit from “outside perspectives provided by independent advisors,” will...
- 1/22/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
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