Spring 2020 Bulletin 127

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Spring 2020 Bulletin 127 Championing Excellence and Diversity in Broadcasting Spring 2020 Bulletin 127 BBC SEARCHES FOR NEW DG VLV’s 37th ANNUAL AS VLV ANALYSIS SHOWS SPRING CONFERENCE 30% BUDGET CUT SINCE 2010 Thursday 30 April 2020 The BBC is looking for a new director-general to replace Tony Hall amid mounting political pressure from the government over the licence fee. The BBC is also bracing itself for negative publicity as it gears up to restrict the number of over 75 households that can receive free TV licences. The unprecedented strain on the corporation is laid bare in an analysis by the VLV that shows the BBC’s budget for UK services has been slashed by 30% in real terms over the past decade. VLV believes that the gathering threats to the BBC Patrick Barwise and Peter York, the authors of a could lead to its demise in its current form because they forthcoming book about the BBC, are to speak at the point to a full review of whether the BBC should remain VLV Spring Conference on 30 April. They will be a universal service. What happens will depend on the addressing the multiple threats facing the BBC, a theme government, despite there having been no commitment likely to dominate the conference. Their book, The War to review the BBC’s funding model in the 2019 Against the BBC, will be published in the summer. The Conservative manifesto. conference will include the VLV Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting 2019 – for more details about the This crisis has hit the BBC when it is already having to awards, see page 8. make major savings, such as the 450 job cuts recently announced at the news division, and it finds itself on the back foot on a number of issues from free licences for the over 75s to equal pay claims. Lord Hall’s decision to CHANGE AT THE TOP FOR DCMS, step down in the summer means the BBC is hunting for a new leader at a time of existential peril. OFCOM AND SELECT COMMITTEE The main focus of the political debate is the TV licence Oliver Dowden was appointed as culture secretary in fee. Since 2010 the cost of the TV licence has risen the February cabinet reshuffle. His elevation came the from £145.50 to £154.50 in 2019 (and to £157.50 in day after Ofcom appointed a new chief executive and April) but a six-year freeze, combined with government said its chairman would be leaving early. In another raids, have meant 30% less public funding available for change to the key personnel influencing the future of UK services. See page 6 for more detail. British broadcasting, Julian Knight has been elected to chair the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media Until now the BBC has successfully maintained the and Sport select committee. quality of its output, but in the context of constantly increasing competition from video on demand and Dowden becomes the ninth culture secretary since the online services, it is unclear how it will be able maintain Conservatives came to power in 2010. One of his its current reach. BBC chairman Sir David Clementi predecessors, John Whittingdale, has returned to the made it clear in February that if further cuts are made, DCMS as a minister of state for media and data. crucial public services will have to be scrapped. Ofcom’s new chief executive is the senior civil servant Since the election, it has become clear that reviewing Dame Melanie Dawes. The government has said it the size, scope and remit of the BBC is on the plans to give Ofcom new powers under her leadership government’s agenda. The government would like the to regulate ‘online harms’. In light of this, Lord Burns BBC to fund free TV licences for all households has agreed to step down as Ofcom’s chairman later in containing someone over 75 (a benefit that cost £655m the year. Although his term was to have run until the in 2019); it is consulting on whether to decriminalise non end of 2021, the government wanted a new chair in -payment of the TV licence fee; and recent briefings place to oversee the expansion of the regulator’s role. from government sources have suggested that the licence fee should be replaced by a subscription Knight, a former BBC journalist, secured the system. chairmanship of the DCMS committee by defeating the incumbent, fellow Tory MP Damian Collins, by 283 See also Chairman’s letter, page 2 votes to 274 in a secret ballot of MPs. Bulletin Spring 2020 FROM THE CHAIRMAN, COLIN BROWNE Any illusions that the BBC might have faced a period of Championing Excellence and Diversity relative stability, when it was given an 11-year Charter in Broadcasting in 2016, have now been well and truly shattered. As you will read elsewhere in this Bulletin, the VLV Patrons challenges to the corporation are coming thick and fast. Ms Helen Boaden The Government has announced a consultation on Rt Revd Lord Eames OM Ms Claire Enders whether non-payment of the licence fee should be Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS decriminalised. Various Government figures have Lord Inglewood DL questioned the principle of a compulsory licence fee in Lord Phillips of Sudbury OBE the age of proliferating services and platforms. The Lord Puttnam CBE Lady Solti current licence fee settlement lasts until 31 March 2022, although the Ms Sarah Thane CBE JP principle of the licence fee is embodied in the Charter. The new chair of the Sir John Tusa Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, who is a long-term critic Mr Will Wyatt CBE of the BBC, has announced that his committee will be undertaking a root VLV Trustees and branch review of the BBC and its funding; and Ofcom will be launching Mr Alan Barlow its statutory review of public service broadcasting. Add to that that the BBC Professor Robert Beveridge will soon be implementing its new policy on free licences for the over 75s, Mr Colin Browne (Chairman) which will limit the concession to those who need it most, and we can see Ms Sophie Chalk Ms Mary Dixon (Secretary) that the corporation is facing something of a perfect storm. The BBC also Mr Peter Gordon (Treasurer) needs to find a new director-general, as Lord Hall has announced that he Professor Sarita Malik will be stepping down in the summer, after seven years in the role. Dr Maria Michalis Professor Jeanette Steemers The first issue is that of decriminalisation, the Government having Professor Bob Usherwood announced a relatively short consultation, with responses due by 1 April. Mr Anthony Wills The case for and against decriminalisation was thoroughly examined in VLV Office 2015, in a review commissioned by then secretary of state John The Old Rectory Business Centre Whittingdale. It concluded that decriminalisation would not be appropriate. Springhead Road It would encourage avoidance, which would be unfair to the vast majority Northfleet who do pay; it could actually lead to greater fines for non-payers under civil Kent DA11 8HN law, and it is estimated that decriminalisation would lead to a loss of at least £200m in annual revenues to the BBC. Tel: 01474 338716 e-mail: [email protected] The cost to the BBC of implementing even the more limited concession for over 75s is estimated at about £250m per year. And these costs come after a period of years when the BBC’s revenues have been steadily undermined Sarah Stapylton-Smith Administrator Website www.vlv.org.uk by various Government initiatives. New research by the VLV shows that the BBC has lost, in real terms, the equivalent of about £1bn or 30% of its @vlvuk public funding for UK services in the last decade. The latest impact of these cuts can be seen in the announcement that BBC news is cutting 450 posts as part of an £80m savings drive. Of course the BBC sometimes gets things wrong. There are always efficiencies to be made and waste to be eliminated. We pay for the BBC and it is right that it is subject to constant scrutiny and challenge. However, VLV represents citizen and consumer no organisation can withstand a constant chipping away of its finances on interests in broadcasting and champions this scale without suffering significant damage and it is listeners and excellence and diversity in broadcasting. VLV viewers who will suffer. is free from political, sectarian and commercial affiliations. VLV is concerned with the issues, The VLV believes that the mixed ecology of public service broadcasting in structures, institutions and regulation that underpin the British broadcasting system and the UK, with the commercially funded ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and in particular to maintain the principles of public the publicly funded BBC, has served the nation and its citizens well. It is service broadcasting. admired around the world. The plethora of new services made possible by technology and providing greater choice are to be welcomed. But they do not undermine the case for public service broadcasting providing British- Registered Address: The Old Rectory Business Centre, Springhead Road, Northfleet, made programming tailored to UK audiences, developing UK talent and, Kent DA11 8HN. most importantly, offering trusted and regulated news and current affairs in The Bulletin is edited by Chris Tryhorn and published by the Voice of the Listener & Viewer Ltd, a charitable company an era of misinformation. limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No 4407712. Charity No:1152136 The BBC is the cornerstone of PSB in the UK. It plays a vital role in our civil Views expressed in the bulletin are those society.
Recommended publications
  • Managing the BBC's Estate
    Managing the BBC’s estate Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General presented to the BBC Trust Value for Money Committee, 3 December 2014 BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION Managing the BBC’s estate Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General presented to the BBC Trust Value for Money Committee, 3 December 2014 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport by Command of Her Majesty January 2015 © BBC 2015 The text of this document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as BBC copyright and the document title specified. Where third party material has been identified, permission from the respective copyright holder must be sought. BBC Trust response to the National Audit Office value for money study: Managing the BBC’s estate This year the Executive has developed a BBC Trust response new strategy which has been reviewed by As governing body of the BBC, the Trust is the Trust. In the short term, the Executive responsible for ensuring that the licence fee is focused on delivering the disposal of is spent efficiently and effectively. One of the Media Village in west London and associated ways we do this is by receiving and acting staff moves including plans to relocate staff upon value for money reports from the NAO. to surplus space in Birmingham, Salford, This report, which has focused on the BBC’s Bristol and Caversham. This disposal will management of its estate, has found that the reduce vacant space to just 2.6 per cent and BBC has made good progress in rationalising significantly reduce costs.
    [Show full text]
  • BBC Full Financial Statements 2013/14 01 Review of the Managing Director, BBC Finance & Operations
    BBC Full Financial St atement s 2013/14 BBC Full Financial St atement s 2013/14 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by command of Her Majesty July 2014 The BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14, giving narrative context to the numbers contained in this document, were also laid before Parliament on 21 July 2014 and are available online at bbc.co.uk/annualreport © BBC Copyright 2014 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as BBC copyright and the document title specified. Photographs are used ©BBC or used under the terms of the PACT agreement except where otherwise identified. Permission from copyright holders must be sought before any photographs are reproduced. You can download this publication from bbc.co.uk/fullfinancialstatements Designed by Fishburn™ thisisfishburn.com Prepared pursuant to the BBC Royal Charter 2006 (Art.45) Contents 02 Review of the Managing Director BBC Finance & Operations 04 Financial overview 13 Looking forward 14 Statement of Executive Board responsibilities 15 Independent Auditor’s report 19 Group financial statements and notes 88 Glossary BBC Full Financial Statements 2013/14 01 Review of the Managing Director, BBC Finance & Operations ‘‘This year we have built on Delivering efficiencies whilst prioritising our most valued output our impressive track record The BBC has just completed its fourth year with the colour of delivering efficiencies whilst licence fee at £145.50 and is in the middle of delivering a major efficiency project, Delivering Quality First (DQF), which is on maintaining the production of track to deliver an annual total of £700million in annual recurrent outstanding programmes and savings.
    [Show full text]
  • Crossing the Line Between News and the Business of News: Exploring Journalists' Use of Twitter Jukes, Stephen
    www.ssoar.info Crossing the line between news and the business of news: exploring journalists' use of Twitter Jukes, Stephen Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Jukes, S. (2019). Crossing the line between news and the business of news: exploring journalists' use of Twitter. Media and Communication, 7(1), 248-258. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v7i1.1772 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer CC BY Lizenz (Namensnennung) zur This document is made available under a CC BY Licence Verfügung gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zu den CC-Lizenzen finden (Attribution). For more Information see: Sie hier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de Media and Communication (ISSN: 2183–2439) 2019, Volume 7, Issue 1, Pages 248–258 DOI: 10.17645/mac.v7i1.1772 Article Crossing the Line between News and the Business of News: Exploring Journalists’ Use of Twitter Stephen Jukes Faculty of Media and Communication, Bournemouth University, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK; E-Mail: [email protected] Submitted: 7 September 2018 | Accepted: 4 January 2018 | Published: 21 March 2019 Abstract Anglo-American journalism has typically drawn a firm dividing line between those who report the news and those who run the business of news. This boundary, often referred to in the West as a ‘Chinese Wall’, is designed to uphold the inde- pendence of journalists from commercial interests or the whims of news proprietors. But does this separation still exist in today’s age of social media and at a time when news revenues are under unprecedented pressure? This article focuses on Twitter, now a widely used tool in the newsroom, analysing the Twitter output of 10 UK political correspondents during the busy party conference season.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 What Can an Understanding of the Operation of the BBC Monitoring
    What can an understanding of the operation of the BBC Monitoring Service during WWII tell us about the value of the transcripts? Laura Johnson, The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford The majority of the papers given today will consider the potential value of the BBC Monitoring transcripts to an understanding of particular aspects of the Second World War. As my research has focused on the operation of the BBC Monitoring Service, I thought it would be helpful to add some context from this perspective regarding the collection as a whole. First, I will look at collection priorities: what the BBC Monitoring Service was collecting and why. Second, I am going to focus on editorial selection, as I should like to make clear what the differences are between the monitoring transcripts and the edited Daily Digests, which were circulated to customers. This is important because copies of the Digests are held elsewhere and are available on microfilm. One of the main purposes of this network, as well as raising awareness of the BBC Monitoring Service, has been to assess the particular unique value of the transcript collection. So I think we have to be clear exactly what extra information this transcript collection provides. In relation to this, I am also going to talk about a small quantitative assessment I made to assess the uniqueness of the transcript collection. Finally, as well as the extra volume of material that the transcript collection contains, it also provides some additional types of information that the Digests do not. I will therefore conclude by mentioning some aspects of this additional value of the transcript collection.
    [Show full text]
  • Written Evidence Submitted by the BBC
    Written evidence submitted by the BBC The DCMS Sub-committee on Online Harms and Disinformation Covid-19 Inquiry April 2020 Executive summary 1. The BBC is the leading public service broadcaster in the UK, with a mission to inform, educate and entertain. Our first public purpose is to provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them, and we deliver this across national, local and global news services.1 2. The Editorial Guidelines are the standards that underpin all our journalism, at all times, including during the Covid-19 pandemic. They apply to all our content, wherever and however it is received. Producing and upholding these Editorial Guidelines is an obligation across the BBC and all output made in accordance with these Editorial Guidelines fulfills our public purposes and meets and goes beyond the requirements of our regulator, Ofcom. 3. Coverage of Covid-19 is dominating the UK news across all platforms. And with a plethora of cross platform content, people are most likely to turn to the BBC’s TV, radio and online services for the latest news on the pandemic (82%)2, significantly more than any other source. 4. BBC News has attracted record audiences across platforms with our nations and regions, UK wide and international coverage highlighting the importance of impartial and accurate news at this time. 5. The BBC remains the UK’s primary source for news. In a world of fake news and disinformation online, audiences said they turn to the BBC for a reliable take on events and this reputation for accuracy and trust sends audiences to the BBC during breaking news and to verify facts.3 During the Covid-19 pandemic 83% of people trust coverage on BBC TV4; and audiences from the UK and around the world have come to BBC News in their millions to stay informed and seek trusted advice on how they can protect themselves and those most at risk.
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of BBC Monitoring for Intelligence Sir David Omand, Former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and UK Join
    The Importance of BBC Monitoring for Intelligence Sir David Omand, former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and UK Joint Intelligence Committee member During my seven years as a member of the UK Joint Intelligence Committee, I came to know the huge previously unsung value of the BBC Monitoring service (BBCM), for improving understanding in government, of the world outside our borders. Not a part of the secret intelligence community, BBCM provided us with a service of up to date information from the study of foreign TV and radio broadcasts, conventional print media and wire services, and today no doubt from the monitoring of digital media and websites. That open source information is as essential to the practice of diplomacy and international policy-making, as it must be to modern BBC programming. Sometimes it would be a unique insight from the interpretation of a foreign leader’s broadcast at a time of impending crisis, or those of his opponents. Sometimes it would be enhancing background understanding, from reporting on the evolution of opinions that matter over a period, all carried out by analysts whose language skills and cultural awareness enabled them to interpret the other. During the Cold War BBCM was able to provide a window into the social and economic evolution of otherwise largely closed societies behind the Iron Curtain, and even today there are still nations where the ability to monitor and interpret state- controlled media is essential. Much of the earlier Cold War period material has been archived and will increasingly become available to scholars of the period, providing new lines of research, from studying the open information that would have been available to decision makers in the West, at crucial times of tension.
    [Show full text]
  • Annex to the BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016/17
    Annual Report and Accounts 2016/17 Annex to the BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016/17 Annex to the BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016/17 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by command of Her Majesty © BBC Copyright 2017 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as BBC copyright and the document title specified. Photographs are used ©BBC or used under the terms of the PACT agreement except where otherwise identified. Permission from copyright holders must be sought before any photographs are reproduced. You can download this publication from bbc.co.uk/annualreport BBC Pay Disclosures July 2017 Report from the BBC Remuneration Committee of people paid more than £150,000 of licence fee revenue in the financial year 2016/17 1 Senior Executives Since 2009, we have disclosed salaries, expenses, gifts and hospitality for all senior managers in the BBC, who have a full time equivalent salary of £150,000 or more or who sit on a major divisional board. Under the terms of our new Charter, we are now required to publish an annual report for each financial year from the Remuneration Committee with the names of all senior executives of the BBC paid more than £150,000 from licence fee revenue in a financial year. These are set out in this document in bands of £50,000.
    [Show full text]
  • Exhibition Guide Grand Hall
    11 Exhibition Guide Grand Hall Accucoms Stand No: 3 Website: www.accucoms.com Contact: Simon Boisseau, Lee Tumulty / [email protected], [email protected] ACCUCOMS is a global, leading provider of sales and marketing services to academic and professional publishers worldwide. ACCUCOMS has extensive expertise in global representation, telesales and business intelligence services to clients ranging from large publishing houses to specialist society publishers. Our multilingual staff operate from our offices in Europe, USA, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. ACCUCOMS is specialised in projects aimed at contacting librarians on behalf of publishers interested in boosting their sales, expanding their readership worldwide, and increasing customer retention by means of customer support and training services. ACS Publications Stand No: 25 Website: http://pubs.acs.org Contact: Monica Azulay Gaspar / [email protected] ACS Publications provides the most trusted, most cited, and most read journals in chemistry and related sciences. In addition to over 50 leading journals, the ACS publishes more than 1,400 high-quality eBooks and the leading industry magazine, Chemical & Engineering News. In 2016 ACS launches the new journal ACS Sensors, and expands open access choices for authors with the launch of ACS Omega, to complement ACS Central Science and ACS AuthorChoice program. ACS Omega is a multidisciplinary, online journal that will publish peer-reviewed and technically-sound research. Find out more from the ACS stand. AIP Publishing Stand No: 40 Website: librarians.aip.org Contact: Brett Thomas / [email protected] AIP Publishing is a scholarly publisher in the physical and related sciences that provides a comprehensive collection of highly cited peer reviewed journals.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 the BBC Executive’S Review and Assessment 07 08
    PART TWO: Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 The BBC Executive’s review and assessment 07 08 Director- General ’s introduction 01 About the BBC 02 BBC & me 04 BBC Executive Board 24 BBC at a glance 26 Review of services Future Media & Technology 29 Vision 32 Audio & Music 38 Journalism 44 Commercial activities 52 Engaging with audiences 54 ...quality programming that informs Performance us, educates us and more often BBC People 58 than not, entertains us. These three Operations 62 Statements of Programme Policy tenets are as important today as commitments 2007/08 70 when they were first uttered around Finance 80 years ago. Financial overview 82 Governance and financial statements 86 Getting in touch with the BBC 148 Other information Inside back cover THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL 01 WELCOME When I wrote to you a year ago, our award- Despite these difficulties, the BBC has had a downloads and streams. And it’s still growing. winning Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston year of outstanding creative renewal. From There is no evidence that it is impacting was still missing. We didn’t know if we would Cranford to Sacred Music to Gavin and Stacey, our linear television and radio ratings which ever see him again. And then, what we’d all television has lived up to our aim – to delight remain very strong. been hoping, working and praying for: Alan’s audiences. And we have seen the nation share tired but smiling face as he was led to freedom. some of the events that unite us all – from the With Freesat now launched, complementing Concert for Diana to Wales’ triumph at the Six our popular Freeview service, it’s clear But within a few days, we had fresh problems Nations Rugby championship.
    [Show full text]
  • US Election: the Complete Guide Follow the Race
    26 * The Guardian | Tuesday 6 November 2012 The Guardian | Tuesday 6 November 2012 * 27 Big news, small screen US election: the complete guide Live election results and commentary m.guardian.co.uk ≥ Follow the race The battleground states Work out who is winning Poll closes State How they voted Electoral college Election night 2012 on (GMT) 1988-2008 Votes Tally guardian.co.uk Bush Sr | Bush Sr | Dole | Live blog Wins, losses, too-close-to-calls, Indiana Bush | Bush | Obama 11 hanging chads — follow all the rollercoaster Bush Sr | Clinton | Clinton | action of election night as the results come Kentucky Bush | Bush | McCain 8 in with Richard Adams’s unrivalled live blog, 154 solid Democrat 29 likely to vote Democrat 18 leaning towards the Democrat 270 electoral college 11 leaning towards the Republicans 44 likely to vote Republican 127 solid Republican featuring dispatches from Guardian reporters votes needed to win Barack Obama and Democrats Mitt Romney and Republicans Bush Sr | Bush Sr | Clinton | and analysts across the US. 201 155 Wisconsin Michigan New Hampshire 182 Florida Bush | Bush | Obama Undecided 29 Live picture blog Our picture editors show Barack Obama & Democrats Mitt Romney & Republicans Undecided 1 Number of electoral college votes per state *Maine and Nebraska are the Bush Sr | Clinton | Dole | you the pick of the election images from both *Maine and Nebraska Georgia Bush | Bush | McCain 16 (+14) onlyare two the statestwo only that states allocate campaigns 55 theirthat electoral allocates college its votes Bush Sr | Clinton | Clinton | N Hampshire Bush | Kerry | Obama 4 Real time results Watch our amazing by electoralcongressional college district.
    [Show full text]
  • BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2012
    PART 2 THE BBC EXECUTIVE’S REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT Drama Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, returned for a second series in January 2012. CONTENTS AND SUBJECT INDEX Part 2 BBC Executive contents Managing the business Overview 2-28 Chief Operating Officer’s review 2-1 Director-General’s introduction 2-29 Working together 2-2 Understanding the BBC’s finances Governance 2-4 Performance by service 2-40 Executive Board 2-8 Television 2-42 Risks and opportunities 2-9 Radio 2-44 Governance report 2-10 News 2-47 Remuneration report 2-11 Future Media 2-52 Audit Committee report 2-12 Nations & Regions 2-55 Fair trading report Delivering our strategy Managing our finances 2-14 Distinctiveness and quality 2-58 Chief Financial Officer’s review 2-15 The best journalism in the world 2-59 Summary financial performance 2-16 Inspiring knowledge, music 2-60 Financial overview and culture 2-68 Collecting the licence fee 2-17 Ambitious drama and comedy 2-69 Looking forward with confidence 2-20 Outstanding children’s content 2-70 Auditor’s report 2-21 Content that brings the nation 2-71 Glossary and communities together 2-72 Contact us/More information 2-22 Value for money 2-23 Serving all audiences 2-26 Openness and transparency Subject Index Part 1 Part 2 Board remuneration 1-9/1-32 2-48 Commercial strategy 1-8 2-36 Complaints 1-3/1-19 2-55 Delivering Quality First 1-4/1-6 2-14 Digital switchover – 2-25 Distribution 1-17 2-25 Editorial priorities – 2-14 Editorial standards 1-3/1-18 2-38 Efficiency 1-6 2-59/2-61 Equality and diversity
    [Show full text]
  • Malicious Use of Social Media: Case Studies from Bbc Monitoring
    COUNTERING MALICIOUS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MALICIOUS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: CASE STUDIES FROM BBC MONITORING Olga Robinson BBC Monitoring ISBN: 978-9934-564-41-3 ISBN: 978-9934-564-41-3 Author: Olga Robinson Project manager: Sebastian Bay Text editor: Anna Reynolds Design: Kārlis Ulmanis Riga, November 2018 NATO STRATCOM COE 11b Kalciema Iela Riga LV1048, Latvia www.stratcomcoe.org Facebook/stratcomcoe Twitter: @stratcomcoe BBC Monitoring is a specialist unit within BBC News that tracks thousands of international media outlets, including hard-to-reach broadcast sources, to report news from and about the world’s media and social media. This publication does not represent the opinions or policies of NATO or NATO StratCom COE. © All rights reserved by the NATO StratCom COE. Reports may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or publicly displayed without reference to the NATO StratCom COE. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of NATO StratCom COE. NATO StratCom COE does not take responsibility for the views of authors expressed in their articles. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION WHAT WE ARE SEEING: EXAMPLES AND TACTICS Confuse and rule . .7 Focus on networks. 8 Tailored messages. .11 Bot or not? . .12 Bot battles . .13 Inflated trends . 14 Hijacking existing campaigns. 15 Comment manipulation. .15 Fake jihadist propaganda. 16 State control. 16 CHALLENGES AHEAD Cat-and-mouse account blocking. .17 Private chat apps. 18 Deepfake technology. .18 Proliferation of sources. .19 CONCLUSION ENDNOTES BBC Monitoring uses a range of tools for social media analysis, and continues to explore ways of using evolving technology to improve its journalists’ ability to track multiple sources and spot media manipulation INTRODUCTION BBC Monitoring (BBCM) is a specialist unit within BBC News that tracks thousands of international media outlets, including hard-to-reach broadcast sources, to report news from and about the world’s media and social media.
    [Show full text]