| pdf edition | Tuesday April 8 2014 Media G24 Downloaded 14:46 GMT Ex-News of the World managing editor denies telling staff to falsify names Stuart Kuttner tells hacking trial he did not suggest journalists should give false names for sources on forms for payments Page 2
Game of Thrones 2am simulcast opener watched by 9,000 in the UK Sky Atlantic airs first episode of series four at same time as HBO in US, with 1 million watching across two UK broadcasts. By Mark Sweney Page 3
Line of Duty set to return for third and fourth series BBC confirms return of Jed Mercurio’s acclaimed police corruption drama after series two finale drew 3 million viewers Page 3
YouTube wants its Panorama bailiffs Kim Cattrall: ‘I don’t Today’s media stories creators to build investigation to be want to play someone’s from the papers Page 8 ‘fanbases’ rather than aired after high court wife and become a joke audiences Page 4 bid fails Page 6 about plastic surgery’ Page 7 Maria Miller row: Hancock’s Half Hour Johnson calls for recreated by BBC Page 6 Michael Buerk criticises ‘ethical’ watchdog female presenters who Page 5 ‘cry ageism’ Page 8
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he been “a little bit more hungry”; the paper’s former chief Ex-News of the World managing editor reporter Neville Thurlbeck was “very focused and tenacious” while Greg Miskiw was “very hard working”. But, he added “I denies telling staff to falsify names do not think we clicked”. Kuttner described Goodman as an “enigma” who didn’t like Stuart Kuttner tells hacking trial he did not to go out of the office for stories. suggest journalists should give false names Another senior journalist who cannot be named for legal for sources on forms for payments reasons, was described by Kuttner as “impatient”. Kuttner was also asked if he had come across Mulcaire, who Lisa O’Carroll has pleaded guilty to hacking, before his arrest in 2006. “I am loathe to say I had no dealings, but I have no recollection of any dealings with Glenn Mulcaire,” he said. He added that he it was “possible” but he could put it “no higher than that” that he might have telephoned him to say “When can I expect payment?” Kuttner told jurors he reviewed “thousands” of financial documents a week, sometimes so fast he would have almost described it as a “superficial” process. Kuttner, who held the position for 22 years and worked with up to 15 editors, said that controlling the finances was the “major part” of his job, but he also liked to keep his hand in with the journalism on the paper. He said his 29-year career at the paper, was built on “trust”. “The culture in newspapers in my overlong experience is one Ex-News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner has of trust. You trust people bringing in the stories, people who denied telling staff to falsify sources’ names. Photograph: Rex create the financial documents and until proven otherwise, Features until the matters that led me here, as far as I know I was never The former managing editor of the News of the World has flatly let down”. denied telling journalists to “falsify” the names of those the Asked about the quantity of financial documents that would paper made cash payments to for stories or pictures. come before him in any given week he put it at thousands. In his first day in the witness box at the hacking trial, Stuart “That review process sometimes, I was going to say Kuttner said he “most certainly did not” suggest “journalists superficial, but quite fast is the major part of the managing should provide a false name and addresses on the forms” for editor’s work. I was going to say hundreds, but that would be cash payments. a considerable mistake, probably amounts to thousands per Kuttner twice said the number of cash payments were “few”, week,” saying he considered such demands as the equivalent of normal He opened his defence, which the judge has told the jury is requests for payments to contributors to the paper. expected to last four days, by describing his 53-year career in “The suggestion of falsification, deliberate falsification, I newspapers. would reject with all the force I have,” Kuttner told jurors at the He started his career at the Stoke Newington and Hackney Old Bailey. Observer at the age of 16 and after a brief stint on the People The court has previously heard that the former royal editor worked at the Evening Standard under Charles Wintour, whom Clive Goodman used three aliases for cash payments while he described as his “formative editor”. the self-confessed hacker Glenn Mulcaire had a number of He covered many of the big stories in the 1960s and 1970s, pseudonyms for payments, including David Alexander and Paul the jury heard, including the Profumo affair, the Moors murders Williams. in 1965, a coup in Greece in 1967, the Paris student riots in Kuttner has denied a single charge that he conspired with 1968 and the Jeremy Thorpe scandal which led to Thorpe’s others, including former News of the World editors Rebekah acquittal for the murder of Norman Scott in 1979, something he Brooks and Andy Coulson, to hack phones between 2000 and described as an “important” case to investigate. 2006. The jury heard that Kuttner has suffered two heart attacks Goodman and Coulson have denied conspiring to pay public since retirement in 2009 – one in March 2010 and one in July officials for royal telephone directories. Coulson and Brooks 2011. He has also suffered a brain stem stroke. have denied a separate charge that they conspired with Kuttner The trial continues and others to intercept voicemails. Kuttner described Brooks as “a very dedicated, ambitious” person and raised a smile with Coulson in the dock when he described him as “very focused and balanced newspaper man”. Both are previous editors of the News of the World. The 74-year-old newspaper veteran was asked to describe a number of other senior News of the World journalists, including three who have already pleaded guilty to hacking related charges – James Weatherup, a former news editor was not “hungry enough”, and might have progressed further had theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
Game of Thrones 2am simulcast opener Line of Duty set to return for third and watched by 9,000 in the UK fourth series
Sky Atlantic airs first episode of series four BBC confirms return of Jed Mercurio’s at same time as HBO in US, with 1 million acclaimed police corruption drama after watching across two UK broadcasts series two finale drew 3 million viewers
Mark Sweney Mark Sweney
The season four premiere of Game of Thrones was broadcast Line of Duty is based around an anti-corruption unit’s internal at the same time by Sky Atlantic in the UK and HBO in the US. investigations of fellow police officers. Photograph: Unknown/ Photograph: HBO/Sky Atlantic BBC/World Productions Sky Atlantic’s 2am simulcast of the Game of Thrones series Line of Duty, Jed Mercurio’s popular and critically lauded police four premiere for hardcore fans averaged 9,000 viewers, while corruption drama, will be returning to BBC2 for two more more than 1 million watched the episode in the UK across two series. broadcasts or via Sky+ recording on Monday. The BBC confirmed on Tuesday that it had taken the In the US, the Game of Thrones premiere attracted HBO’s relatively unusual step of commissioning two further series of biggest audience since The Sopranos finale in 2007tinyurl. the drama, which drew 3 million viewers to its series two finale com/ppwp9v9 , with 6.6 million for the initial 9pm transmission, last month tinyurl.com/olmw9d3 . and another 1.6 million for an 11pm repeat. Line of Duty, based around an anti-corruption unit’s internal In the UK, BSkyB – which rebranded its Sky Atlantic channel investigations of fellow police officers, will return with two new as the Home of Thrones to hype the launch of the eagerly- series of six one-hour episodes apiece. anticipated fourth series – struck a deal to broadcast the The double commission will be well received by fans, with premiere at the same time as HBO’s first airing to audiences on the show steadily increasing in popularity since it returned in the east coast of the US. February for a second series. When timeshifted viewing – by those who recorded the Line of Duty’s audience grew from the 1.8 million who tuned episode on their Sky+ digital video recorder and watched later in for the second season premiere, to a season-high 3 million in the day – is include, the 2am broadcast airing drew an average tinyurl.com/olmw9d3 overnight audience for the finale, rising to audience of 538,000. 4.1 million taking into account seven day catch up viewing. An average of 675,000 watched at 9pm on Monday night – or Mercurio, the creator of medical dramas Cardiac Arrest and recorded and watched it before 2am on Tuesday morning – the Bodies, which also featured protagonists grappling with the regular Game of Thrones slot for the rest of the series, giving moral dilemmas thrown up by their profession, promised new Sky Atlantic a first-day total audience of 1.21m. guest stars and hinted that some characters from the first two While the 9pm audience was below both the series one series might return. premiere (743,000) tinyurl.com/pc922hp and series three “We’re profoundly grateful to the fans who not only watched launch (710,000) tinyurl.com/oawaxgw , across the day, Game of Line Of Duty but also made it such a talking point, and to BBC2 Thrones appears to have been easily the most popular to date. for this rare and immensely flattering opportunity,” he said. It can be assumed that the vast number of those who chose “For series three and four, I can promise two explosive new to record the 2am session and watch later – 529,000 – would cases for AC-12, new guest stars as police officers investigated have tuned in for the live 9pm airing instead if it was the only for corruption, further twists and turns from the loose ends of slot of the day the show was airing. series two, and maybe even some surprise reappearances.” This would have comfortably seen live TV viewing rise above The new series were ordered by acting BBC2 controller 1 million. Adam Barker and Ben Stephenson, controller of drama Such was the popularity of the return of one of the biggest commissioning, from the independent producer of Line of shows on TV, US broadcaster HBO’s streaming service, HBO Go, Duty, World Productions. crashed due to “overwhelming demand” tinyurl.com/nu8jq3f . Stephenson said: “Line Of Duty shows what the reinvestment of money in drama on BBC2 has achieved theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
– unique, powerful and gripping drama that gets the nation Conan O’Brien, suggesting that their existing viewerships had talking. Bringing it back for two more years is the easiest peaked. decision I have made.” “They’ve realised they’re going to succeed they need to find Other commissions confirmed on Tuesday by BBC2, which new audiences, younger audiences who don’t necessarily spend celebrates its 50th anniversary on 20 April, were the return for their nights watching TV. So they’ve turned to YouTube,” said a second series of comedy thriller The Wrong Mans, starring Carloss, pointing out that in the first two weeks after Fallon James Corden, and women’s history series The World Made by took over The Tonight Show in February, his YouTube channel Women. generated more than 90m views. Barker also announced a new comedy, Nurse, based on the Kimmel is similarly popular. “Kimmel now has a tribe of eponymous BBC Radio 4 series. over 4m on a channel with over 1bn views, “ said Carloss, who The series, written by Fast Show veterans Paul Whitehouse claimed data shows that “as a show’s views go up on YouTube and David Cummings, follows a community psychiatric nurse so do its TV ratings. YouTube is complementary.” and her patients and relatives. He also praised Simon Cowell’s You Generation brand, a Other commissions include Beyond Human, a natural YouTube-focused global talent show, and Disney for the way history series looking at animal senses, and War in Afghanistan, it encouraged fans of its film Frozen to post their own cover a two-parter analysing Britain’s role in the conflict. versions of its songs on YouTube. One by musician Alex Boyé “These new commissions, from some of our most talented has been watched more than 30m times. presenters, film-makers and writers, demonstrate the range “The studio could have very easily issued copyright claims and ambition we have for the channel as we look forward to the against this video and any others and taken them down, but next 50 years,” said Barker. they made a different choice: a fan-friendly choice. They chose to let those videos stay,” said Carloss, suggesting that the buzz around Frozen on YouTube contributed to its strong YouTube wants its creators to build performance at the box office. ‘fanbases’ rather than audiences “Creators everywhere can make the choice Disney did. Allow fans to pay tribute, and you will see the incredible benefits of their passion.” ‘An audience tunes in when they’re told to. YouTube is keen to stress the potential for videos to reach A fanbase chooses when and what to watch’ global audiences – well, fanbases – claiming that on average, says entertainment boss Alex Carloss 60% of views for channels come from outside their home countries, and that for many the figure is much higher. Stuart Dredge That includes the Psy effect: before the global success of his Gangnam Style video, Korean pop (K-Pop) videos had been watched 2bn times on YouTube. Now that figure has risen to 7bn. “Today, the lion’s share of people watching K-Pop videos live outside of Asia – 91% of them outside Korea,” said Carloss. “For so long language has served as a barrier between cultural exchange, but thanks to the power of video and the internet, those barriers are breaking down entirely.” Carloss shared his keynote with Shane Smith, chief executive of Vice Media, which has built its video business on YouTube, including its latest, food-focused channel Munchies tinyurl.com/qhe4q7u , which debuted this week. Smith hailed the global reach of YouTube, citing past comparisons of Vice to YouTube is the new ‘battlefield’ for US chat-show hosts like established media companies MTV, ESPN and CNN. Jimmy Fallon. Photograph: Lloyd Bishop/Associated Press “If you look at what you can do online internationally and YouTube’s global head of entertainment Alex Carloss has how you can reach people, I’m not going to be the next CNN, encouraged channel-owners to focus on building “fanbases” I’m not going to be the next ESPN, I’m not going to be the next rather than simply audiences on Google’s video service. MTV,” said Smith. “I’m going to be 10x CNN, I’m going to be 10x “An audience tunes in when they’re told to, a fanbase ESPN and 10x MTV. Because the number of video views are now chooses when and what to watch,” said Carloss at the MIPTV in the billions. That’s the disruption. That’s the revolution.” television industry conference in Cannes. “An audience changes the channel when their show is over. A fanbase shares, it comments, it curates, it creates.” Carloss’ speech was light on YouTube’s strategic vision in favour of a roll-call of popular celebrities and channels on the * service in recent years, from Susan Boyle and Psy to gamer The Guardian digital edition PewDiePie, who with 25m subscribers is YouTube’s biggest Read the Guardian on the web exactly the channel. way it was printed. Carloss also cited YouTube as the new “battlefield” between With award-winning Guardian US late-night talk-show hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
parliament. Maria Miller row: Johnson calls for Esther McVey, a Tory work and pensions minister tipped for promotion, told ITV that Miller’s 32-second Commons apology ‘ethical’ watchdog for over-claiming expenses was not how she would have done it herself, while Nicola Blackwood, a Tory aide in the business London mayor says culture secretary has department, indicated that she would be “really quite worried been hounded, as a growing number of indeed” if in the same position. senior Tories fail to offer support Jackie Doyle-Price, a backbench Tory, also told the BBC she would not expect support from her colleagues ahead of Rowena Mason, political correspondent local elections if she were in a similar position to the culture secretary. The pressure on Miller from within the Conservatives may come to a head at Wednesday’s meeting of the 1922 committee. The prime minister met Graham Brady, the head of the committee, on Monday and the issue of Miller’s expenses on the reputation of the party was brought up, sources said. Lord Tebbit, a former Tory chairman, and a group calling itself Conservative Grassroots, have previously called for her to be sacked. Throughout the furore over Miller’s over-claimed expenses, David Cameron has said he wants her to keep her job. On Monday, he said the culture secretary had “done the right thing” at all times. However, the first slight crack in Cameron’s position emerged when he acknowledged that there might need Miller was ordered to repay £5,800 in over-claimed mortgage to be changes to the Commons standards committee, including expenses. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA giving a formal power of veto on its decisions to lay members. Boris Johnson has called for a “proper, independent” ethical watchdog for MPs after a controversy over Maria Miller’s expenses as a growing number of senior Conservatives failed to offer the culture secretary their support. The London mayor said Miller had been “hounded” over her expenses claims but would not specifically say she should keep her job. Miller was seen entering Downing Street just after 8am on Tuesday, where she attended a scheduled meeting of the political cabinet at 8:30am. She had refused to answer shouted questions from reporters outside. She has been offered David Cameron’s full support, but has aroused intense irritation about the row from some in her party, including the influential 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Johnson acknowledged there was little public confidence in a system that allowed a committee of MPs to reduce the amount she had *Eat right to pay back. Miller was ordered to repay £5,800 in over-claimed mortgage expenses when an independent commissioner Join the Guardian’s health and originally estimated that she should return £45,000. Asked whether she should keep her job, Johnson said: “I dieting club, Eat Right and don’t know the facts of the case in great detail, but it seems to we’ll design you a personalised me she is being hounded quite a lot and my natural sympathies go out to people in hounded situations – how about that?” healthy eating plan from just He said the impact of the controversy on David Cameron’s £2.99 a week. Membership reputation was “frankly, an irrelevant consideration”. But he added: “The trouble seems to have arisen because includes shopping lists, menus, you’ve got some discrepancy between what the independent expert advice and 24 hour assessor said and what the committee of MPs said. So let’s support to help you achieve get on with it and have a proper, independent system that everybody can have confidence in.” your health and fitness goals. David Laws, a Lib Dem minister who resigned in 2010 over theguardian.com/eatright his expenses, was more direct in saying Miller “of course” has his support as a member of the government. But a number of Tories have begun to distance themselves from her conduct, especially the tone of her short apology to theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
perception of some of the most hated house visitors in the Panorama bailiffs investigation to be country, starred in the BBC1 show The Enforcers as well as Beat the Bailiff. He also makes regular appearances on the BBC’s aired after high court bid fails Money Matters. A BBC statement about the programme stated: “Bailiffs Enforcers star Jamie Waller fails to see recovering debts for local authorities say they do a public injunction granted against BBC programme service, hunting down those who don’t pay up. But Panorama after learning of undercover filming has evidence that some bailiffs are intimidating motorists, exaggerating their powers and pumping up fees. Lisa O’Carroll “As councils report increasing revenues from penalty fines, reporter John Sweeney investigates whether new laws to curb the bailiffs’ worst excesses go far enough.”
Hancock’s Half Hour recreated by BBC
Episodes of 1950s radio sitcom that have been lost from archives to be remade for Radio 4, starring Kevin McNally
Hatty Collier
John Sweeney Panorama investigation went undercover to expose the bailiffs who seize cars and demand huge fees for their services. Photograph: Eamonn Mccabe The bailiff and star of BBC show The Enforcers has failed in a high court bid to stop a John Sweeney Panorama investigation into debt recovery being broadcast. Jamie Waller’s JBW Group tried to get an injunction against the BBC programme, which is due to air on Monday night, after it learned of undercover filming of staff working for the company. Monday night’s Panorama goes undercover to expose the bailiffs who seize cars and demand huge fees in what has Tony Hancock, whose Hancock’s Half Hour was broadcast on become a multi-million pound business chasing unpaid parking the BBC Home Service between 1954 and 1959. Photograph: tickets. George Konig/Rex Features A BBC spokesman confirmed on Monday the attempt to BBC Radio 4 is to recreate lost episodes of 1950s radio sitcom block the programme and said the company had argued in Hancock’s Half Hour, with a new cast including Pirates of the its application that it should be granted the injunction of the Caribbean actor Kevin McNally in the title role originally taken grounds of defamation. It was denied the application by a high by the late Tony Hancock. court judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, on Friday. The Missing Hancocks will consist of five of the 20 episodes JBW said in a statement that it had no option but to apply missing from the BBC archives. They are to be broadcast in for an injunction “to protect the position of its clients and the November to mark the 60th anniversary of the show’s first business”, after the independent production company making transmission. the Panorama film, Snapper, sent a letter alleging that the Hancock’s Half Hour was the first major hit for the writing company “had breached relevant regulation, guidelines and partnership of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, who went on to committed unlawful acts by its agents”. create Steptoe and Son. The pair have chosen the five Hancock The company said it had provided a detailed response to the scripts that will be re-recorded by a cast that also includes letter “comprehensively dealing with all points and allegations Simon Greenall, Kevin Eldon and Robin Sebastian. made by Snapper”. The series begins recording on Tuesday evening in front of JBW added: “Mr Justice Tugendhat gave very clear an audience at the BBC Radio Theatre in central London. indication at court on Friday that for Snapper and the BBC Hancock’s Half Hour, based on a fictionalised version of Tony to disregard our comprehensive response would not only Hancock’s life as a struggling comic and actor, was originally be ‘utterly irresponsible’ and ‘extremely foolish’ but that broadcast on the BBC Home Service between 1954 and 1959, the ‘consequences for the defendant of doing so would be with 103 episodes recorded. A TV version began in 1956, extremely grave’. running for five years and more than 60 episodes. “Justice Tugendhat commented that it was very unlikely Bill Kerr co-starred in the radio version as Hancock’s dim- the BBC would now publish or broadcast the programme as witted Australian lodger while Sid James played a cunning originally intended and outlined in Snapper’s letter.” businessman, who often succeeded in conning Hancock. Hattie Waller founded JBW 20 years ago and, keen to change the Jacques, Kenneth Williams and Moira Lister are among other theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT comedy actors who featured regularly. never heard told before, from such a fresh point of view, and I The series is widely regarded as the first British sitcom, was immediately drawn to the intelligence and humour of it. It focusing on characters and situations over a single half-hour very much reminded me of Sex In The City.” sketch, rather than stand-up comedy or variety which was then Cattrall suggested that where that show talked about sex dominant in British radio. in an “intelligent and humorous” way, Sensitive Skin does the Series co-producer Neil Pearson said the idea came about same thing for the process of getting older, with lead character when he was researching some original Hancock scripts for a Davina coming to terms with the ageing process: “How it feels rare book catalogue and realised many had been “lost” from the to wake up in the morning and see the lines, and gravity taking BBC archive. over,” as Cattrall put it. “We will be re-creating as closely as possible the experience “For me it’s one of the more challenging roles that I’ve ever you would have had listening to your radio all those years ago. had to play. I’m known for playing women who know what they The scripts are perfect and timeless,” Pearson said. “We will want and how to get it, relatively in a short period of time. But be recording the programmes in front of a live audience at BBC to play someone who’s in a crisis and not even totally aware of Radio Theatre and, rather thrillingly, the BBC Concert Orchestra it? This was really a different area of investigation for me. That’s will be re-recording the theme tune for the new series.” why I’m so proud of the end product. It is a departure of sorts,” she said. “I like comedy that makes you question, because I think it’s Kim Cattrall: ‘I don’t want to play a very intelligent way to get rid of fear. You’re laughing, but you someone’s wife and become a joke come away with something you maybe want to question about about plastic surgery’ your own life.” Cattrall has worked constantly since the end of Sex In The City’s TV run, including two spin-off films, but also a succession Sex In The City star says new show Sensitive of theatrical roles in London and on Broadway. Her experience Skin proves ‘women my age have very in the theatre made her choosier about projects that might much to say’ tempt her back to television. “Theatre almost makes it impossible to work in television, Stuart Dredge because the writing is so great,” she said. “When you go from that to reading television scripts, you think… eeuurgh! Especially from a woman’s point of view, they don’t really know what to do with me. I don’t want to play someone’s wife and become a joke about plastic surgery.” Cattrall also talked about industry “pressure to stay young, and be young and bubbly and nubile: it’s suffocating”, but said she is much more encouraged by trends in high-quality television drama in recent years. “It’s brought independent film to everyone. there still is independent film happening, but I know so many people at any age who would rather stay at home and watch a show like Sensitive Skin or Breaking Bad, or reruns of Sex In The City and The Sopranos, because they get their money’s worth,” she said. Kim Cattrall: ‘Theatre almost makes it impossible to work Cattrall is also keen that her new show is not seen by in television, because the writing is so great’. Photograph: broadcasters purely as a drama for women, suggesting that its Fernando Leon/Getty Images themes will appeal strongly to men too. “It’s a human story. Men age too, don’t they?” she said. 10 years on from the last TV episode of Sex In The City, star “I don’t think it’s just women’s programming that we’ve Kim Cattrall hopes her new show Sensitive Skin will encourage done. I would be sad in some ways if it was just considered a broadcasters to commission more shows with strong roles for women’s programme. This is about a relationship, it’s not just older women. about Davina. She’s going through a crisis, but the men in the “I believe that women my age have very much to say, and show are important, and addressing this issue in their own unfortunately this business doesn’t recognise that, most of the specific way as well.” time,” said Cattrall, speaking at the MIPTV television industry Cattrall admitted that Sex In The City hadn’t been harmed by conference in Cannes. “I believe that this show, this story, being positioned as a show aimed at women, but hoped her new deserves a life.” project would not be “cornered and pigeonholed” in the same Cattrall was in Cannes to promote the show, which is way. “I would so much like it to reach a broader audience than currently being sold to broadcasters. It’s a remake of a series just a female audience.” originally launched by the BBC in 2005, when Joanna Lumley took the lead role. Cattrall said she was attracted to the project following a meeting with the BBC’s comedy chief at the time, Jon Plowman, citing Absolutely Fabulous and Extras as inspiration. “A lot of those shows he’s been involved with have been with women: very smart women,” she said. “This is a story that I’ve theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
Buerk discussed his career in the 80s, describing how he Michael Buerk criticises female felt he was “washed up”, as television suddenly became about “yoof”. presenters who ‘cry ageism’ “The BBC’s bosses dropped the lofty Oxbridge langour that had been their trademark to set off in hot pursuit of our Broadcaster says it is ‘fair enough’ for TV children,” he said. bosses to get rid of older employees who “They talked, incomprehensibly, about “focused subgenre were initially given job based on looks slates”, which turned out to be management b******s for cutting edge tripe like Snog, Marry, Avoid. Overnight, to wear a Hatty Collier tie or read the Telegraph was career death.” Buerk argued the “worm has turned” with older presenters becoming surprisingly “trendy” again, quoting 75-year-old David Dimbleby, 86-year-old Bruce Forsyth and 79-year-old Mary Berry as prime examples. “The old faces are back on TV, and not because they’re facing historical sex offence charges,” he said. Buerk claimed that television is now aimed at much older audiences, citing most of BBC1 and BBC2 audiences as over the age of 55. Speaking in an interview by Burke for the RadioTimes, Sue Ayton, the veteran agent to many older presenters including 69- year-old Angela Rippon, agreed that the situation had changed. “A couple of years ago, if you went in with an idea for a show with older presenters aimed at older people, they would laugh Buerk said he felt it was ‘fair enough’ for TV bosses to ‘prune like hyenas and show you the door. Now that’s all changed. the raspberries to make way for new growth’. Photograph: They’ve realised they’ve been ruling out programmes people Justin Williams/Rex Features want to watch,” she said. The broadcaster Michael Buerk, has criticised female television presenters and news readers, arguing that those given jobs because they “look nice”, shouldn’t complain of ageism when Today’s media stories from the papers they lose them. Buerk, 68, condemned the role of presenters as “a very recent job description dreamt up to describe somebody who fronts a programme without any special reason for being on it”. He said he felt it was “fair enough” for TV bosses to get rid of older employees and “prune the raspberries to make way for new growth”. Writing in the RadioTimes, Buerk criticised employees who “cried ageism” and went to tribunals if they were sacked. “If you got the job in the first place mainly because you look nice, I can’t see why you should keep it when you don’t,” he said. “As the wonderfully acerbic Anne Robinson said, ‘The viewers don’t want to watch ugly.’” Buerk was writing in the RadioTimes in light of new ITV Top eight stories on MediaGuardian game show, Amazing Greys, which sees young contestants take Bid to block Panorama bailiffs programme failsEnforcers on some of Britain’s most talented pensioners for a change to star Jamie Waller fails to see injunction granted against BBC win £10,000. programme after learning of undercover filmingMinister Hosted by Angela Rippon and Paddy McGuinness, Amazing criticises Miller’s brief apologyExpenses row continues to Greys, will be broadcast on Saturday at 8.30pm. dominate agenda as culture secretary comes under fire for Buerk’s comments are likely to pit him against the likes of giving wrong message to votersHancock’s Half Hour recreated TV presenter Selina Scott, who has spoken out about ageism on by BBCEpisodes of 1950s radio sitcom that have been lost from television. archives to be remade, starring Kevin McNally in Tony Hancock She reached a settlement with Channel 5 understood to be role worth around £250,000 in 2008, after launching a legal action Kim Cattrall: ‘I don’t want to play someone’s wife’ Sex In for age discrimination. The City star says new show Sensitive Skin proves ‘women my More recently, former BBC presenter Miriam O’Reilly won age have very much to say’ her case for age discrimination in 2011, after she was dropped Vice aims to disrupt ‘dull, bland’ TV cookery shows with from BBC1’s Countryfile. Munchies channelMIPTV conference: ‘The reason young O’Reilly, 57, took the BBC to an employment tribunal people are leaving TV is they don’t do things like this,” says claiming age and sex discrimination after she was one of four chief creative officer Eddy Moretti female presenters, who were dropped from the show. theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com Page G24 Media Tuesday April 8 2014 14:46 GMT
Reading Chronicle editor departs after Hillsborough front Wall Street Journal Europe page controversyProtests came from Liverpool and Reading Editorial: Mozilla CEO resigns. P14, 20Yahoo pushes deeper football clubsGogglebox in line for double Bafta winChannel into online video. P20HTC announces losses. P21Court looms 4 series nominated for two awards, with Dominic West and over VKontakte. P21Kim Dotcom takes next political step. Helena Bonham Carter also shortlisted for honours P21Tech stock sell-off extends. P26Meet Cortana, Microsoft’s Charlie Brooks drank Fairy Liquid as a hangover cure, new personal assistant. P29 hacking trial hearsCharacter witness says husband of former Daily Mail News International chief executive is ‘capable of being Peaches Geldof dies. P1, 2, 3Lost Hancock’s Half Hour completely daft’ episodes to be recreated. P5Maria Miller expenses row. P10, 14, Top comment on MediaGuardian 17After the Bake Off, it’s the Rake Off. P21We must make more Let’s face it, neither MPs nor the press are fit to regulate programmes for older viewers, says ITV boss. P29Battle for themselvesPolly Toynbee: Maria Miller should have been broadband supremacy. P61 sacked. But the papers now baying for her blood are motivated Daily Express by their hatred of oversight Peaches Geldof dies. P5PM backs Maria Miller again. P7Max Clifford trial coverage. P30How Gary Neville became a star of Today’s headlines the screen. P68 The Guardian The Sun Peaches Geldof dies. P1, 3Pressure grows on Maria Miller. Peaches Geldof dies aged 25. P1 — 7Claudia Winkleman set P2Julia Gillard: Game of Thrones and seats of power. P5Phone- to join Tess Daly on Strictly Come Dancing. P9Three media hacking trial coverage. P8US online dramas get first Bafta award giants accused of ripping off costumers. P12Ally Ross on TV. nominations. P9BBC to recreate Hancock’s Half Hour. P12Max P17Kelly Brook and fiancee in talks for wedding reality show. Clifford trial coverage. P14BT poaches Sky boss for TV football P21EastEnders films Lucy Beale’s funeral. P33Interview with battle. P26Polly Toynbee: Neither MPs nor the press are fit to Simon Cowell. P34Jerry Springer admits nothing shocks him regulate themselves. P28 these days. P34XBox teams up with Channel 4 to make thriller. Daily Telegraph P34Bafta nominations. P34 Tory MPs call for Maria Miller to be sacked. P1, 4, 18Peaches Daily Mirror Geldof dies. P1, 3, 25Clarissa Dickson Wright funeral. P2Phone- Peaches Geldof dies. P1, 4, 5, 6, 7Maria Miller expenses hacking trial coverage. P7If you’re on TV for your looks, don’t row. P8, 12Ian Hyland on TV. P13Simon Cowell interview. P16, moan when you’re axed, says Michael Buerk. P9Helena Bonham 17Michael Buerk slams BBC3 ‘drivel’. P18Bertelsmann division Carter in line for first TV Bafta. P11National pride shrinking acquires dance music labels. P50 in the internet age, BBC survey finds. P12Feature: Game of Daily Star Thrones. P20Tech stock sell-off extends. B1Mobile advertising Peaches Geldof dies aged 25. P1, P4, P5Nigella Lawson thanks doubles in a year. B1Microsoft and Yahoo in TV push. B3Former her fans for their support. P2Simon Cowell fears there could be skier finds success in a cloud. B8From hotdog to potdog for a death on Britain’s Got Talent. P10Max Clifford trial coverage. advertising duo. B8 P23Bafta nominations. P33 Financial Times Prime minister offers fresh support for Maria Miller. Go to MediaGuardian P2Feature: Free publicity with no PRs. P12KKR eyes launch of tech fund. P18Bertelsmann division acquires dance music labels. P20BT aims to play for keeps in crowded field. P21Tech stock sell-off extends to Europe and Asia. P30 The Times Maria Miller row grows. P1, 6, 25, 26Peaches Geldof dies. P1, 2, 3Michael Buerk: Don’t moan if career fades with looks. P17Phone-hacking trial coverage. P19Tech stock sell-off extends. P37Bertelsmann division acquires dance music labels. P40Interview: Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance. T2. P4, 5 The Independent Tory MPs grow restless as tide begins to turn against Maria Miller. P7Phone-hacking trial coverage. P12Peaches Geldof dies. P16, 17Comment: The Leveson Inquiry was not revenge for the expenses scandal, despite what journalists attacking Maria Miller may claim. P19Microsoft launches own sci-fi TV series for Xbox. P21Bertelsmann division acquires dance music labels. P49 i Britain’s Got Talent crowned most successful reality TV format. P3David Cameron retreats amid storm over Maria Miller’s expenses scandal. P5Peaches Geldof dies aged 25. P7Phone-hacking trial coverage. P18Bafta nominations. P21Xbox teams up with Channel 4 to make TV thriller. P24BMG buys dance labels Loaded and Sking. P42 theguardian.com © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 theguardian.com