The Story They Always Feared 36 Tenders

Section:GDN M1 PaGe:1 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:17 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

The danger with 24-hour news is that it becomes a rolling service of rumour and speculation Helen Boaden Page 5

Monday 12.09.2005 Inside

Tony Marchant 3 on TV drama Birt was wrong about British PHOTOGRAPH: LARRY W. SMITH W. LARRY PHOTOGRAPH: writers Emily Bell 4 on broadcasting What’s the point of digital switchover Kim Fletcher 7 on the press Newspapers must embrace the internet Peter Wilby 8 on regrets Where I went wrong at the New Statesman

Jobs index

11-26 Creative, Media & Sales Covering the scenes of devastation and evacuation has tested local journalists’ skills and resources to the limit 15 Consultancy Directory 25-26 New Media 27-36 Marketing & PR 35-36 Courses The story they always feared 36 Tenders

Journalists on the Times-Picayune, the New Orleans city newspaper, have defied On the site today Results from DMGT the destruction to cover the biggest story of their lives. By Duncan Campbell and Ulster TV n a corner of Magazine wide. Remarkably, the paper resurfaced President, and we’ll be angry long after “hurricane edition” is a reminder of that Thursday Culture Street in New Orleans, almost immediately, initially in its online our beloved city and surrounding parishes series in a strapline that reads “Katrina: secretary Tessa amidst the wreckage form, and it now produces a 16-page pub- have been pumped dry. Our people the story we’ve always feared.” and the spray-painted lication. Its presses may have been deserved rescuing. Many who could have It has been a strange time for Jim Jowell gives the warnings to looters, a swamped and its staff of 260 more than been were not. That’s to our government’s Amoss, the editor, who has suddenly lowdown on digital newspaper vending halved to around 120 by displacement shame.” The scathing editorial was found his paper the focus for the atten- Omachine remained in- and evacuation but the Times-Picayune quoted throughout the American media tion of the world’s media. “I’ve been switchover. All the tact. The now out-of- has emerged as one of the great survival as the voice of an angry and dismayed dumbfounded by it,” says Amoss, a news as it happens, date paper it was offering for sale carried stories of the hurricane. New Orleans. The piece was a classic ex- native of the city who has edited the the ominous headline “KATRINA TAKES Last week, the paper made waves itself ample of robust American journalism. paper for 15 years and worked for it for guardian.co.uk live from the RTS AIM.” The subeditor who wrote that head- with an editorial in the form of a personal Earlier, out-of-town reporters covering twice that time. He says that usually convention line for the Times-Picayune was right. Ka- message to President Bush telling him to the story had found the series of prescient when a newspaper attracts the attention trina was indeed taking aim and before that sack the entire leadership of the Federal articles that the Times-Picayune ran three of the rest of the media, it is because it Plus Media Monkey: edition could sell out it had hit the city and Emergency Management Agency (Fema), years ago which predicted that just such has embarked on “some grand journalis- making mischief all left, in its wake, the paper’s printing presses particularly Michael Brown, the man Bush a storm could do the damage it did. Above tic feat but we sort of stumbled under water and its staff scattered far and appointed as its head. “We’re angry, Mr the masthead of their current slimline into this”. The leader article that ≥2 media day, every day

Celebrating 50 Years of Entertaining

© Aardman Animations Ltd 2003

itv.com/50 Section:GDN M1 PaGe:2 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:19 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

2 The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 MediaGuardian

Dispatches

Cinema wise neighbour. “Martin had one skin less than he ought to have done and took immediate offence at everything,” re- members Briers. “He was an extraordi- An unbelievable nary character, and Bob Larbey said I was the only actor charming enough to get Tale of tabloid hell away with it.” The two shows have more in com- mon than the setup suggests. Like Ger- From The Great Escape to Gladiator, vais’s David Brent, Brice was a socially cinema’s relationship with authenticity inept middle manager (Mole Valley is notoriously strained. The first of just Valves to Brent’s Wernham Hogg) out of two remarkable things about Rag Tale, a place with the rigours of the modern new British film set at a fictional London world. But while The Office was about, tabloid, is that it leaves Hollywood’s well, the office, Ever Decreasing Circles most heinous historical travesties look- focused on the breakdown of traditional George A Romero’s Land of the Dead ing like masterclasses in verisimilitude. social groups. Like The Office, it was The deputy editor is desperate for funny and sad in equal measure. bylines, when in reality red-top deputies “Martin was like a mild David Brent,” vember, he put together the first issue of rarely write anything. And for some recalls Briers. “We all knew an irritating Little White Lies with Bochenski and reason, “splashes” can appear inside the little man who wanted to manage every- various friends writing about film “in paper as well as on the front page. thing. It was a very recognisable type. But the same way you talk about it in the These, and all the other inaccuracies, we were a cosy, escapist show. Gervais’s pub”. would be forgivable if the film was any stuff is hysterically funny but almost too “If you’re talking about a film you good. Sadly, it is so bad that I am about close for comfort.” don’t endlessly discuss camera angles or to give away the ending. Eddy the editor Gervais has described Briers as “the try to imagine what it would have been is lustily servicing his deputy, who greatest living British sitcom actor”. So like visiting the set,” he argues. “You use happens to be the proprietor’s wife. Journalists on a British tabloid as imagined by actors in new film Rag Tale has he been asked to appear in Extras? the film as a springboard to talk about all What he does not know is that she is af- “My daughter said it would be wonder- sorts of stuff. That’s our philosophy. ter his job. What she does not know is ful,” laughs Briers. “But Madonna is the Each issue of Little White Lies is themed that her husband is actually her father. involved speaking to a genuine journal- last person on their list so I am probably on a film, but then our writers are at lib- At just over two hours long, there is ist was confirmed by the absence of free “Ricky Gervais has quite a long way down it.” Ricky, it’s erty to come up with stuff on whatever rather too much room here. In fact, in booze at the post-premiere party. Need- described Richard over to you. John Plunkett the film inspires in them.” the hands of a half-decent subeditor, the less to say, I made my excuses and left. Thus, the third issue takes George A script would be reduced to about half a James O’Brien, presenter, LBC 97.3 and Briers as ‘the Romero’s Land Of The Dead as a theme page. Indeed, if the director/producer former Daily Express showbusiness editor Publishing to riff on rock stars who should be dead Mary McGuckian had not addressed greatest living British and voodoo practitioners in London, real-life hacks at last week’s London sitcom actor’” while the next issue – on King Kong – launch, the question of how it was made Classic sitcom runs features on great fights in nature would have left me utterly scuppered. A film magazine and the Donkey Kong videogame. Luckily, McGuckian was quick to Since launching the magazine, Miller distance herself from the writer tag that less ordinary has has got his old job at Adrenalin back still appears on the film’s credits, and Ever increasing after a new publisher was found for the stressed that the project had been an title. He’s kept going with Lies, how- “improvisational collaboration” with respect “If you line up most film magazines side ever, and is developing the kind of the actors. Initially, this appeared to be a by side you’ll see that, really, they’re basi- solid, paid-for business plan that recent modest sharing of the credit, but within cally the same magazine – same covers, launches such as Stool Pigeon and Good minutes of the film beginning it looked A 1980s sitcom about a suburban same features, even the same marks for For Nothing have proclaimed impossi- like desperate deflection of blame, for middle-aged couple and their suave each film review,” says Danny Miller, edi- ble. Little White Lies is sold in Borders, the second remarkable thing about Rag hairdresser neighbour sounds like an tor of Little White Lies – a new, under- Virgin and Fopp stores as well as inde- Tale is that it boasts a very impressive cast. unlikely inspiration for Ricky Gervais. ground film quarterly. “When I was grow- pendent clothing and music stores. Rupert Graves, Simon Callowand John The creator of The Office and Extras ing up, I loved magazines so much I’d col- With a cover price of £2.75, it is cur- Sessions are outranked only by Hollywood has described Ever Decreasing Circles as lect them. The only thing I loved more rently shifting a modest 10,000 copies, exile Jennifer Jason Leigh and veteran vil- one of the great forgotten TV comedies. than magazines was film. Gradually, be- but that accounts for almost 80% of the lain Malcolm McDowell. “It was so sweet, melancholic and hon- cause film magazines were so boring, I print run. This renders Rag Tale briefly est,” he told the Media Guardian Edin- stopped buying magazines altogether.” “Obviously we don’t expect the likes interesting. It portrays journalists burgh International TV Festival. Miller’s answer to the problem of of Empire and Total Film to have even viewed through the eyes of actors and, “It was very flattering because Gervais repetitive publishing came to him eight heard of us,” Miller admits, “They sell boy, do they hate us! Like thespians, is such a brilliant man,” says Richard years ago. He conceived Little White 200,000, we sell less than a tenth of journalists are often drunk and some- Briers (pictured), star of the BBC1 sitcom Lies with his schoolfriend Matthew that. But we don’t have their tired for- times dishonest. Unlike thespians, how- that ran for five years from 1984. Written Bochenski when aged 17 and they mula, we don’t cull our news section ever, they are rarely dumb. Here, the by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, who carried the dream with them from the internet and we don’t just clever actors give themselves a few propelled Briers to fame a decade ear- through university and into their choose the same films as everyone else clever lines and the rest, especially Eddy lier in The Good Life, it told the story first jobs at skate and snowboard to run with. That’s all we want to do – (Graves), spout rubbish. of busybody Martin Bryce – played by magazine Adrenalin. When the provide somewhere for people who are My suspicion that the entire mess Briers – whose world is turned upside independent publishers behind really passionate about film to go.” had been concocted without anyone down by the arrival of his worldly Adrenalin collapsed last No- Stephen Armstrong ≥ The story they always feared

demanded the heads of Fema, which has means for the paper is that most of its been quoted all over the world, was not readers will be dispersed across the state typical of the paper’s style. “It was an un- and beyond, with some being evacuated usually strong editorial. We don’t normally as far away as Salt Lake City and Detroit. frame an editorial to the president of the Everyone on the paper is too busy United States. Both in substance and in bringing the editions out to guess how tone, it departed from its conventions.” long it will be before they are back in the

The paper’s circulation of 240,000 has, city. They have been helped out by many OMAR TORRES/AFP PHOT0GRAPH: along with the city it serves, taken a big hit. other media organisations and given a Amoss and his team are printing 60,000 temporary home in nearby Houma, by copies which are snapped up in Baton that city’s local paper, the Courier, for Rouge, the state capital, where one of their which Amoss is full of praise. Some of new temporary offices has been, and their suburban bureaux are already wherever newsagents are reopening. It reopening and a team from the paper has sells for 50 cents, an indication of the in- inspected their offices and presses and flation that has taken place since it was found the damage not as bad as was founded in 1837 and took its name partly feared. But for the time being, there is from the Spanish coin, the picayune, only one story in town. which in those days was worth a quarter “Everybody is covering the story in of a quarter. William Faulkner is one of its some form or another,” says Jim Amoss, past contributors as is William Sidney “whether it’s the money or the sports Porter who wrote under the name O Henry. aspect” (here the main issue is what will “CLEAR OUT OR ELSE” was the head- happen to the Superdome stadium, line on the front of the paper last Thurs- which acted as a somewhat edgy refuge, day as the mayor of New Orleans, Ray Na- and what will happen to the New Orleans gin, told the remaining 10,000 or so of Saints who play there.) The paper’s web- his citizens that the time had come for site, nola.com, run by Jon Donley, has them to leave their homes. What that also become a necessary part of the story, Refugees from Hurricane Katrina read newspapers outside the New Orleans Superdome

able as it is to bring out the news with- escorted to safety to the angry reactions out presses or vending machines. of those who do not want to leave the city. Running a paper from different loca- As for those prophetic papers in aban- LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT JOB? tions is “completely disorientating. It doned vending machines, they may not means reinventing ourselves hour by last too long. Some of the National o Want to meet Britain’s Top TV Executives? hour,” says Amoss who has worked on all Guardsmen patrolling the city centre of the big stories over the years from Ku “We’re angry, Mr were looking out for them as souvenirs. o Does your career need a helping hand? Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke run- One of the latest front pages carries a o Struggling to get that first TV job? ning for governor of Louisiana to that President, and we’ll be photo of a Black Hawk helicopter in a prediction of the storm to come. “This housing development flooded by the o Need training or just sound advice? dwarfs them all,” he says. angry long after our storm as a resident paddles a boat to Calling all Production Staff & Presenters The reporters from the paper are un- safety. Now the paper itself has navigated derstandably slightly frazzled but helpful beloved city and its way into the pages of the history of Check out www.toptvacademy.co.uk to their foreign counterparts. They are surrounding parishes American journalism. 020 8387 1435 having to catalogue some hellish and poignant tales, from Fats Domino being have been pumped dry” ≥ Jeff Jarvis, page 6 Section:GDN M1 PaGe:3 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:21 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 3 MediaGuardian Small screen talent is shouting to be heard

If John Birt can not find the Spooky coincidences ‘raw author’s voice’ in contemporary British television drama, just what Spooks, the pacy MI5 thriller that has helped re-establish the BBC’s reputa- on earth is he watching? tion for contemporary drama, tonight returns in explosive, and potentially Tony Marchant controversial, style. The fourth series opens with a two-part special based around a terrorist attack on London’s In all the furore about John Birt’s Mac- transport network, which originally Taggart lecture in Edinburgh, little men- went into production last November. tion was made of what he had to say about Inevitably, the subject matter caused TV drama. That was until Melvyn Bragg consternation after life imitated art on weighed in last week, calling the former July 7. Although the fictional terrorists BBC director general a “beached grandee" in question are not religous extremists, and suggesting he hadn't seen enough the similarities were sufficient to cause television recently. head of drama Jane Tranter and new So what got Bragg so exercised? A close BBC1 controller Peter Fincham to ago- reading of Birt’s speech reveals the an- nise over whether to drop the episodes. swer. “British television drama is perfectly But executive producerJane Feather- professional,” Birt had told Edinburgh. stone, also managing director of pro- “Of course we need intelligent whodun- duction company Kudos, said that their nits and escapist melodramas. But today's decision showed the extent to which a drama practitioners ought to rent a great drama holds a mirror up to society. skip and throw away the stereotypes and “We reach an audience that doesn’t the formulae.” He went on to say that “to watch Newsnight or Panorama. It’s not understand the pain and joy of the inner lecturing in any way and it’s told through self,” you had to go to the cinema. There, characters that are as flawed as we are you would find the “raw author’s voice” and it will spark debate,” she says. in films such as Paul Haggis’s Crash, Later episodes in the series will exam- Alexander Payne’s Sideways and Thomas ine the threat posed by the far right in Vinterberg’s Festen. All were “fresh, cap- the current climate and issues around tivating and unstereotypical,” Birt said. ID cards and freedom of speech It was a bit like hearing a farmer blam- through the introduction of Juliet Shaw, the national security coordinator, ‘When writers played by Anna Chancellor. find themselves With its tendency to kill off major beholden to ratings characters at brutally regular intervals, they may as well be Spooks does not have to rely on a star. making Rosemary And with a team of writers and direc- and Thyme’ tors and regular guest appearances, Tony Marchant such as Martine McCutcheon in this series, it is an ensemble piece. ing chickens for not being free range, af- “It’s about loyalty to a brand,” says ter he had built the little cages. Featherstone, adding its success is also Even though I’ve been a bit of a doom down to the way it mixes the personal monger myself about TV drama, when it with the political. In the first episode of comes to a comparison with British film, the new series, the characters are gath- there’s no contest. And while the films Birt ered at the funeral of their former col- cites are all excellent, he only came up league Danny when they hear about with three. Last year on TV in Britain we the bombs. had, among others, Shameless, a riotously Shameless, the series about an extended working-class family in Manchester written by Paul Abbott, author also of Clocking Off, The scepticism of many of the best energetic and tender series about work- State of Play and Linda Green, has been a huge critical and popular success for Channel 4 writers had been overcome, says Feath- ing-class lives; Bodies, a scalpel-sharp ex- erstone: “You can come in and write a posure of NHS culture; Conviction, a brave play for us that reaches millions. The and compelling reinvention of the cop voice, only formerly heard with any real missioned, good ones with modest view- were the formulae in Dirty Filthy Love? time of the two-parter is still here but genre; and Outlaws, a excoriating guide to force in single drama and serials, is now ing figures don’t. Remember North Square? Was Sex Traffic not contemporary enough? we need to shift the balance towards the criminal justice system. All were out- coming loud and clear in series too. Writers don’t want for ambition, they Does he think Our Friends in the North, authored series.” standingly original and most significantly However, such writers are finding them- just need courageous broadcasters. They GBH and Holding On belong in a skip? Featherstone argues that Spooks, and of all, they were all authored series. selves beholden to the ratings for their don’t want to find themselves at the There is an ambition, driven by writers, its sibling Hustle, have proved that a As Birt should know, everyone in show’s continued existence. They may as mercy of bad-faith commissioning deci- to give drama series the same “state of the British team of writers can make intelli- British TV is obsessed with what’s hap- well be making Rosemary and Thyme. And sions. It is a particularly convenient kind nation” resonance as singles and serials; gent dramas that are equal to US fare in pening in American TV series, not cinema. when broadcasters start applying the same of myopia that enables Birt to snipe at there is a commitment to make as much scale. “It’s not as though we don’t have US dramas come from a particular world- criteria to both kinds of shows, then we lose writers as if the structures in which they impact as possible. I am even trying to the talent,” she says. “The biggest in- view. Writers are given executive pro- remarkable work such as Buried (which work had no impact. write such a series myself. (In the mean- fluence [on Spooks] has been on the ducer status and real clout, and are at the was as good as Oz) and Outlaws. What In the continued absence of single time, I am about to start filming a three- pace and ambition of the storytelling. heart of the production. Most enviable of starts to look like a really exciting develop- drama, surely the most realistic way to part drama about the moral and ethical We are able to tell big scale stories that all is the glorious patronage that allows an ment in TV drama – the authored series – is nurture the voices of new writers is to put conflicts of the fertility industry.) are quite personal and don’t alienate American writer’s vision and ambition to treated shoddily, moved around in the them to work on the best series, rather Dramatists don’t need to be told to the audience.” With a fifth series al- be sustained for up to 26 weeks, season af- schedules and finally abandoned. What’s than commissioning them to write “per- “break free” as if they were the victims of ready in production, she predicts it will ter season. This kind of support is mostly wrong with having an outstanding and fectly professionally” for the soaps. their own timid imaginations. They need continue. And Spooks has followed the only available on HBO, but British writers original returning drama with an audience In Birt’s view of the TV drama landscape freedom from the timidity of broadcasters. US lead in another sense, she says: have begun to seek and expect the same of 2-3 million? If we are happy to live with he seems not to have spotted works by John Birt really should stay in more. “We’re not afraid to use people who can kind of investment in their work, too. such modest figures for challenging one- Andrew Davies, Russell T Davies, Paul Ab- act but also look good. It’s nothing to Shameless and the others were ad- offs and serials, why can the same faith not bott, Jimmy McGovern, Abi Morgan and Tony Marchant is the author of, among be ashamed of.” mirable examples of what may be a new be kept for series with the same sensibil- Stephen Poliakoff. Was William Ivory’s A others, Holding On, Passer By, Never Never Owen Gibson evolution in British TV drama. The writer’s ity? Bad series with good ratings get recom- Thing Called Love stereotypical? Where and Kid in the Corner

at all clear that in the long term the ITV’s involvement in this project my house) of those for whom this is a unfair. In many ways Sky has saved the consumer interest will be well-served by seems to make little commercial sense – matter of great rejoicing, how did it bacon of the real villain of the piece – the the launch of Freesat. For a start the ITV is already universally available and happen and whose fault is it? England and Wales Cricket Board – and number of homes unable to receive will remain so – and there is no indica- Channel 4 has been attacked for fail- has 5 million households on its books Freeview will reduce sharply as tion of the company gearing up to spend ing to step up to the plate, when in truth who take its sports package. Once it switchover progresses. As the analogue significant amounts of money on it. But they have merely responded to commer- became clear that C4 was unlikely to bid signal is switched off region by region, on the principle that anything Sky cial reality. It might look like a mon- at the same level as before, Sky was pre- so the power of the digital signal can be wouldn’t like must be worth doing – and eyspinner in the middle of the most ex- vailed upon to help out. Not unnatu- increased thus embracing more homes. in the cause of a well-timed announce- citing and closely fought Test series of rally, Sky demanded exclusivity and Steve Hewlett So significant is this that experts ment to give cover to a mediocre recent times, with a new poster boy in while the ECB might have lucked out Media FAQ estimate the number of households set of results – it was probably the form of Freddie Flintoff (pictured given the success of this Ashes series unable to receive digital terrestrial worth a shot. Although judg- right) but spool forward to a wet July none of that looked likely when the deal television by the time switchover is ing by the share price, it Thursday in the middle of a series was done. complete to be as low as 2%. doesn’t appear to have against Pakistan. In reality the ECB has traded the So the idea that Freesat is necessary worked. The BBC has been criticised for failing exposure and long-term brand-building Do we really in the longer term to ensure near And for the government? to do its public duty by not bidding opportunities of terrestrial TV for universal availability of BBC (or ITV) Well, if Freesat provokes Sky seriously for the rights. In the money. The tragedy is that, as anyone need Freesat? services would seem at best overstated – into putting more effort into short term, given the other who knows cricket will acknowledge, especially given that Sky already offers a marketing its own free sports the corporation has most of it will go into shoring up the free satellite service. satellite service, that would taken on since losing cricket, hugely expensive county infrastructure To judge by the coverage of last week’s It is difficult to avoid the suspicion be no bad thing in smothing that is an unfair charge. Al- rather than into developing the game announcement by the the BBC and ITV that what the BBC is really keen to do is the course of digital though in the long term we for the future.Had cricket tackled its of their new alliance to develop and to continue the policy it adopted with switchover. should expect to see the underlying structural problems earlier promote a satellite equivalent to Free- Freeview – the corporation specified BBC and cricket re- it could now be having its cake and view – the answer is yes. In the medium technical standards based around united. eating it. term, we are told, Freesat will enable the “dumb" boxes, so-called because they How did Sky get And Sky has been 25% of households currently unable to cannot be upgraded to pay-TV services. denounced for steal- receive Freeview (digital terrestrial If enough viewers have “dumb" boxes, the cricket? ing the crown jew- Does size matter? television) to go digital as the analogue then the argument for testing subscrip- els, confining Test signal is phased out region by region. In tion as a way of supplementing the li- cricket to the sta- the longer term Freesat is envisaged as a cence fee for BBC services dies at birth. Just as cricket rediscovers its place, tus of exclusive It depends on whether your Berliner is a permanent fixture offering consumers a Whatever the arguments against sub- after years in the wilderness, as a minority interest. newspaper or a doughnut. competitor to Sky and pay-TV in the scription funding for the BBC, to use premier sport and source of national Of all the brick- satellite domain. public cash and its privileged position to pride it is to disappear from terres- bats flying Have you got a burning question for However when looked at more intervene in this way must at least be trial TV screens. Leaving aside the around this is Media Guardian’s agony uncle? Email closely, little is quite as it seems. It is not questionable. sentiments (and yes there is one in possibly the most Steve at [email protected] Section:GDN M1 PaGe:4 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:23 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

4 The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 MediaGuardian Opinion

Digital switchover is Media Monkey’s Diary going ahead, but at Could Andrew Jaspan, former returned to the subs from designer and competences for the reader”. She /editor of Glasgow's Sunday Her- Neville Brody until after 4pm. “Brody hopes to conduct further research, which ald, and briefly of this parish, be making had gone to lunch and nobody wanted will involve discussing the magazine what cost? a premature return to these shores from to bother him, despite all the typogra- with other young women – and perhaps Melbourne, where he went last year to phy problems the great man's redesign a few men. Other papers at the confer- edit broadsheet paper the Age? Rumours had thrown up. Not least among which ence, which continues until Wednesday, are rife that Ron Walker, the new chair- is that word counts for most pieces in will look at a “womanist” interpretation man of Age owner Fairfax, has been the new times2 are about half what they of Sex and the City, Boris Johnson’s per- courting a top-rating talk radio host for were, although nobody bothered to tell sona, and David Beckham’s “meaning”. Emily Bell his job. Jaspan has done himself no any of the writers,” says our disgruntled Feasey says: “I can see people outside favours by making changes that have mole. Plus, did anyone notice the self- the media field thinking this is trivial or not proved popular with readers and referential touch in the definite-article- superficial but myself, and certainly the staff. Meanwhile, Fairfax's other flag- driven opening spread, where Brody students, understand that this is part of ship title, the Sydney Morning Herald, inserted a nod to his greatest claim-to- their everyday life.” She is careful to be continues its search for a new editor. fame by naming one of the irritating lit- modest about her findings: “I’m not pre- tle features the Face? Sorry, “theface". tending this is rocket science.” Monkey he thing about reformatting a news- /Liz Jones’s marriage, claims the feels no further comment is necessary. paper – picking up a topical theme – is Daily Mail’s gigantic introduction Poking fun at media studies is a That brown to its serialisation of her diary, was torn /bit like shooting fish in a barrel, Despite nursing a sling for the that it is done entirely with the reader / wire between apart by her “histrionics, sexual frustra- but Monkey can’t pass up the opportu- arm she broke falling off a horse, in mind rather than just as an amuse- tion and queen-sized insecurity” – the nity presented by Rebecca Feasey, a lec- Madonna joined Apple chief Steve Jobs ment for a news organisation. In your TV and antithesis of the stable, mature women at turer in media communications at Bath by satellite from London last week for other words, you shrink your paper wall – the one whom Paul Dacre’s excitable organ is Spa University. Delegates at a conference the launch of the iPod Nano and the because you are pretty sure people the dog chews aimed. So it is odd that Jones – evasively on “celebrity culture”, which starts at Motorola ROKR “iPhone". She has T and the described in the same super-standfirst as the University of Paisley today, will hear agreed for the first time to allow iTunes will like it, and more people will like “former editor of Marie Claire” – has a key her deliver a paper entitled Reading to sell her songs and albums online. “I it than in its larger format. children play role at the Mail’s London sister title, the Heat: the Meanings and Pleasure of Star got sick of not being able to download Now that isn’t to say that everyone will be wildly with – is Evening Standard: the alleged neurotic Fashion and Celebrity Gossip. The paper my own music," she quipped. Jobs asked enthusiastic about it – some might prefer an even probably too prima donna is its star interviewer. suggests that by fulfilling women’s de- if she had an iPod. “I have several. But crummy to Perhaps Dacre should have a word with sire to be the first to know, Heat maga- every time I get one you bring out a new smaller paper with better colour and a staple or two. the Standard’s editor-in-chief, Paul Dacre. zine picks up on the concept of “cultural one the next week." Madonna also joked Others might regret the loss of a format they were carry the new capital” developed by French sociologist that her new album was called Revenge very used to, and might feel they have had change digital signals /Monkey knows a thing or two Pierre Bourdieu, as well as contributing of the Broken Arm. (It is actually Confes- thrust on them. However, everyone has a choice. about redesigns, so has great to feminine discourse. Her own post- sions on a Dancefloor, out in November.) sympathy with colleagues at Times 2 feminist reading of Heat argued that it Imagine then, the same thing happening to your (sorry, times2). On the Friday before could be read as “an empowering media You can catch up with Monkey every day at TV service, except it is facilitated because it is deemed the first live edition, no proofs were text that validates feminine meanings MediaGuardian.co.uk better for you rather than because you might like it. In fact don’t even imagine it, because it is going to hap- pen. Or, if you are one of the 475 households in Ferry- Letters side or Llanstefan in Wales, it already has. This week, at the Cambridge biennial Royal Televi- sion Society conference, we expect Tessa Jowell to It’s analogue or nothing then he should stand for election, announce more details of the plan to switch off ana- otherwise he should stick to presenting in the east of East Anglia the news. logue TV signals between 2008 and 2012. This will be a Donald Hickerson, Toronto familiar path for Jowell, who has already secured the Steve Ackerman (The real power over 2012 Olympics for London. Hosting the Olympics can digital switchover, September 5) writes • The director general of the BBC, Mark be financially ruinous, and the citizens of the host city “Listeners are the ones who will decide Thompson, in his rebuke of John if buying a digital radio is an attractive Humphrys should take heed of Malvo- might grumble that they were not asked whether they enough proposition”. lio’s words from Twelfth Night: “My wished to pay, but the grumbling is buried under I would love to buy a digital radio and masters, are you mad? Or what are you? commemorative T-shirts and collective bonhomie. listen digitally, but when I inquire I am Have ye no wit, manners, nor honesty?” Similarly, the switch from analogue to digital TV told that digital radio is not available in Philip Hudson, Blackpool will be expensive for the 40% of non-digital house- the east of East Anglia yet, so many BBC radio programmes advertise • John Humphrys states the obvious holds in the UK. The cost of the Welsh trial was £1m, their availability on digital radio. The and the BBC nursemaids rush to protect admittedly in an area with a disproportionately high industry needs to make sure that all our ears. Boring, predictable, pathetic. number of elderly and disabled users. parts of the country can receive digital Pete Landells, Launceston There is little point in debating the merit of the radio before worrying about when it is to switch off the analogue signal or analogue-to-digital switchover, even though there we shall end up with no radio service Standard fare are a considerable number of people who think it will at all. be expensive, pointless, and aggravate the “digital Perhaps Steve Ackerman will lead the Doug Johnson must have his reasons divide”. The debate has been largely closed down by campaign to make digital radio available for his gibe at Barbara Follett (Letters, to all. September 5) but he has used dud the fact it is a fait accompli, and one suspects it will Alan Morris, Great Yarmouth ammunition. Yesterday I found the Lon- be narrowed even further when the BBC receives a don Evening Standard in four Stevenage licence fee settlement, which gives it some responsi- newsagents, one probably the most bility for enthusing us about the conversion. Humphrys? Harrumph! well-known retailer of newspapers The fact is that in the Welsh test area more than (among other things) in the country. John Humphrys is doing a great job. Nor is this so remarkable. Many resi- 80% of users were very enthusiastic, not least be- As a loyal BBC listener, he has my full dents of Old and New Stevenage are cause previously they could only receive four terres- support and I feel that he is right to ex-Londoners who might be expected to trial channels – of which one was S4C. Their enthusi- question politicians, be they Labour retain an interest in their native city's asm, however, could also be traced to the fact that or Tory. The consequences of lies are too activities. Sussex friends tell me you can important to be ignored. Well done, buy the paper in Brighton where, I imag- the equipment was free, as was help with upgrading John, you are doing a great job. Do not ine, similar considerations apply. their aerials – and a surprisingly high 45% needed allow yourself to be intimidated. People in Stevenage read all sorts of some attention. An entertaining passage from the Robert Grandcourt, Brussels things including – I'm afraid – the Daily DCMS report on the trial highlights the fact that Mail. I suspect Mrs Follett knows this • The last I heard, John Humphrys was well and was making a little joke, some- switchover “exposes the inadequacies of the aerial not the leader of the opposition. If he thing I would not wish to discourage. and connectivity infrastructure in most houses”. In wants to “take on” the government, Digital wake-up, but not for everyone Eric Saltford, Stevenage other words that brown wire between your TV and wall – the one the dog chews and the children play with – is probably too crummy to be able to carry the Media tarts Birch new digital signals. The DCMS has indicated that general financial help will not be available, but it is imperative that elderly and disabled people are subsidised financially and supported technically. What needs to be revealed is a breakdown of the cost of the project. An expert analyst in this area lamented to me last week that lodging questions under the Freedom of Information Act had not helped. The DTI apparently said it had lost the cigarette packet on which it had made its first calcula- Write to: Letters tions, and the DCMS claimed that to release such Media Guardian information might be prejudicial to the economy (!). 119 Farringdon Road London EC1R 3DJ We might have no choice in this matter, and we Telephone: might find that our descendants are profoundly 020 7239 9887 grateful that their coaxial cables were all renewed in Fax: 2008, but the real value of digital TV can only be 020 7239 9933 Email: assessed if we know what it costs. [email protected] Section:GDN M1 PaGe:5 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:24 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 5 MediaGuardian

Interview Helen Boaden Have I got news for you

One year into her post, the BBC’s director of news and current affairs talks to Matt Wells about the future of News 24, the appointment of political editor Nick Robinson – and how she loves a great scoop PHOTOGRAPH: DAN CHUNG DAN PHOTOGRAPH:

Lessons learned from the BBC’s tsunami coverage have helped Helen Boaden’s news operation to produce a quick response and assured location reports from the floods in New Orleans

t is not very often you can say that she expects from BBC news, especially its else, and even goes so far as to produce re- of unsolicited pictures. Another issue that the head of the biggest broadcast “News 24 is now rolling news service. “I think News 24 is search that shows this. But Boaden is a plagues BBC directors of news and current news outfit in the world has led beating Sky about being first, right and reliable. The clever competitor, and knows that to build affairs is the scheduling of Panorama. She you up the stairs to her office by danger with 24-hour news is that it be- up the brand, you have to knock the op- believes, however, that the debate is over, the hand, giggling and exchang- consistently in terms comes a rolling service of rumour and spec- position, particularly in the places where and that 10.15pm on Sunday is the least ing anecdotes. But do not be ulation and that is absolutely not what we it is perceived to be weak. Especially as worst option, a slot protected from the Ibeguiled by Helen Boaden's of reach and that want for News 24.” The corporation’s spe- Sky News is about to come out with a competitive peak-time battleground. There touchy-feely exterior, for it is a cial status as a publicly-funded broadcaster, long-awaited (and somewhat delayed) will, however, continue to be plenty of general rule that heads of big broadcast shows there are a lot she says, means it cannot stick its neck out multimillion-pound relaunch. Panorama specials in peak time; more news organisations do not generally get of people out there in the way that rivals can and do. “Because But reading between Boaden’s lines, it is money is going into Real Story, which is where they are today by being touchy- it’s the BBC you want it to be first but you clear that News 24 is not yet the product building a name for itself as a more populist feely all of the time. who want reliability” want it to be right. We are careful; I don’t she wants it to be: “I think it’s starting to be current affairs strand; and there will be a And in the first year in the job as direc- think we’re cautious. The public expects us an incredibly powerful service,” she says. new investigative unit in Manchester. tor of news at the BBC, Boaden’s thick skin to be careful with facts because – cliche “It’s more confident, it looks better, the au- The fiercest criticism faced by Boaden has been tested to the limit. Handed what upon cliche – facts really are sacred, espe- dience is connecting to it, you always want recently was an excoriating attack in the some would describe as the poisoned cially at a time when news is increasingly all your services to continue to improve and Guardian by Polly Toynbee, who was fu- chalice of putting back together an organ- led by opinion and because of the vast ex- I think the future is News 24’s.” Work very rious that Newsnight’s Martha Kearney isation battered by one of the worst rows pansion by a lot of speculation.” much in progress, it seems. had been passed over for the political ed- with government in its 80-year history, And work that has fallen into the hands itor’s job for ITV’s Nick Robinson. There Boaden has also had to fend off the usual Beating Sky of Peter Horrocks, who has been pro- have been suggestions that Boaden array of criticisms that seem to dog all Her vision was clear in the output around moted from the current affairs unit to run favoured Kearney: “There was debate and holders of her office: that BBC News is too the time of the London bombings. Sky News 24 as head of all BBC TV news. He in the end it was an entirely unanimous cautious or too bold; that News 24 is a took an early punt on terrorism, embold- has a reputation as an energetic populist decision,” Boaden says, adding that hopeless excuse for a rolling news net- ened by a witness report of the bus explo- and it will be his job to sort out the service Robinson would be “superb” at the job. work; that BBC journalists never break any sion by one of its producers. But without once and for all. “The appointment of Hor- stories; and that Panorama/Today/News- independent corroboration, the BBC stuck rocks is fantastic news,” says one senior Sense of humour night are pale shadows of their former with the reports of a power surge on the BBC correspondent. “He’s got bags of balls There have also been suggestions that selves. All of that, and steer the organisa- London underground for most of the and he’s not a yes man.” Robinson did not apply for the position. tion through the testing period of covering morning on July 7 – and Boaden says it was Meanwhile Boaden is grappling with the This is the only time in the interview that two global-scale natural disasters abroad right to do so. “There was a moment where bigger-picture issues such as the whole cit- Boaden falters. “Nobody . . . [pause] . . . did and one big terrorist attack at home, and that was what the story was. And we con- izen journalism thing – or “user-generated he apply for it? . . . He did apply for it . . .” the challenges posed by the increased tinued to go with that until we had verifi- content”, as the BBC calls it internally. She Eventually, after prompting from the PR demands of and resources available to the able evidence. Some of our competitors recalls a meeting, soon after she took minder, she says: “Nick did apply for the ordinary viewer and listener – the rise of talked immediately of 90 dead. They charge, when the implications of the new job and we obviously had to protect him as the “citizen journalist”. talked about three bus bombs. That was phenomenon were discussed. It was we protected a range of people who came It has to be said that the verdict on her off a range of various wire services and it thought, she says, that the tipping point from interviews because all of them have tenure so far is mixed. Rank-and-file jour- Curriculum Vitae was complete speculation and we would- would come in two or three years’ time; in other jobs. It was absolutely not a fix.” nalists felt the corporation’s response to the n’t go with that. We would be careful – we fact, it has already arrived. “It began with Funny to use the word “fix” in answer to a tsunami at the end of December was slow, would try to check things out.” Boscastle when all the good footage came question that had not suggested it. and that it was outgunned by Sky and the Age 49 Boaden says her vision is supported by from people using their own equipment. Back on sure ground, Boaden says that lesser-resourced ITV. Boaden was stung by Education BA in English, University of News 24 viewers, who are turning to the The tsunami added to that. And with the Robinson was appointed in part because of the criticism, which she felt was unfair. Sussex, degree in radio journalism, channel in greater numbers than Sky – London bombs we had an extraordinary re- his story-getting abilities. “He’s good with Since then ITV has ridden high on its London College of Printing. Honorary mostly because of the success of Freeview sponse, initially unsolicited, with people words, he’s good with images and he’s got scoops in the aftermath of the London doctorates from Sussex and University and the older, more conservative audi- ringing in, sending emails and sending pic- a sense of humour. He’ll engage the public bombings, particularly its exclusive on the of East Anglia ence this brings. “News 24 is now beating tures from their cameras.” and he gets scoops, and that’s something bungled shooting of Jean Charles de Sky consistently in terms of reach and that But she is cautious about being too over- I’m rather keen on,” she says. At last, per- Menezes, described by Chris Shaw, in Career shows there are an awful lot of people out enthusiastic about the benefits: “I think we haps those damaging remarks by Mark charge of news at rival Five, as probably the 1979 radio journalist, WBAI, New York there who want reliability. They can get are in the honeymoon period for all of this Byford, acting up as director general after best story in the 50-year history of ITN. 1983 news producer, BBC Radio Leeds speculation everywhere.” because there are going to come issues of the resignation of Greg Dyke, when he said But the early verdict on the BBC’s cov- 1991 editor, File on 4 1985 Presenter This is the point at which Nick Pollard, veracity, and there may be a moment where the BBC wasn’t in the business of exclusives erage of the floods in New Orleans is that of Woman’s Hour 1997 head of the head of Sky News, will probably throw rights issues suddenly loom, where people here, there and everywhere, can be laid to it has been exemplary, with lessons business programmes 1998 head of the newspaper across the newsroom (or begin to feel that this material that they’ve rest. There it is in black and white: BBC learned from the tsunami bringing a quick current affairs 2000 controller, Radio 4 be tempted to put his fist through the created is something to make money News boss “keen on scoops”. response to the scale of the disaster and 2002 also controller, BBC 7 2004 computer screen, depending on how he is from.” Boaden points to the Daily Mirror All Boaden needs now is for her journal- assured location reports from the region. director, BBC news and current affairs reading this article): Sky fiercely disputes fake Iraq abuse pictures as an example of ists to get a few of them, and she’ll be laugh- Boaden says she has a clear idea of what that it is wrong any more than anyone why all news organisations must be wary ing. Even more than she does already. Section:GDN M1 PaGe:6 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:25 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

6 The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 MediaGuardian

How Katrina humbled the The funeral of Waleed Khaled, a soundman shot dead in Iraq. His cameraman Haider Kadhem (below) was injured in the same attack American news machine

We soon saw that same anger overflow from the national press as they shared horrifying scenes of disorder and pressed officials for explanations and action. This prompted political comic Bill Maher to rejoice “we got our press back”, and Washington Post critic Howard Kurtz to proclaim “journalism seems to have recovered its reason for being”. True. But Jeff Jarvis it would take a blind, administration- New media toadying fool (and we have a few) not to get angry at the injustice, inequity and incompetence of this situation. I have seen something else new in the n less than a day, Hurricane Kat- US news media during Katrina: a touch rina rendered worthless the print- of humility, an admission that news ing presses and broadcast towers doesn’t come from the mountaintop that made big media big. And that anymore. CNN anchor Aaron Brown will change news forever. The New asked one night whether we yet knew Orleans Times-Picayune found the size of this story. He didn’t get an Iitself with no presses, trucks or answer but didn’t need to, for his ques- newsstands and, as the waters tion was the answer. rose, no office or staff. Two of the city’s The media have been catching up on TV stations lost their studios and trans- every angle: we are only beginning to ad- mitters. And they all lost their audience. dress the deep and profound racial nature So New Orleans’ biggest media out- of the story. Reporters standing knee- lets were forced to flee to the internet, deep in the muck of destruction have where they did incredible jobs reporting taken to slapping around their happy-talk this overwhelming story to anyone hosts to get them to hear just how bad online anywhere. Traffic to the Times- things are. The ethics of rebuilding a city Picayune’s sister site, nola.com (which I where lives can be so quickly lost are only launched and until recently oversaw as now being examined and it will take years president of its corporate parent), multi- to investigate the failures of government.

plied fivefold. The paper’s publisher, AKRAM SALEH/GETTY PHOTOGRAPH: Ashton Phelps, called the internet a life- ut journalism’s rediscov- line. Editor Jim Amoss called the blogs ered courage and newly they used to publish news “absolutely discovered fallibility are, Reporters at risk essential”. Trust me: before Katrina, this I will contend, less pro- is not how American newspaper editors found changes than the talked about the web and weblogs. But one brought on by the after Katrina, they will. Bflooding of presses and Journalists believe recent know what will happen to them," says ducted by an officer from the unit which A month ago, in my first column for the toppling of towers. Richard Engel, a correspondent for the US opened fire. Invariably shooters are Media Guardian, I suggested, brazenly, For at that moment, news was freed deaths and injuries among television network NBC. If something exonerated and victims deemed at least how newsrooms ought to change in the from the shackles of media. Now he who goes wrong, he says, “we don't know what partly culpable. Waleed Khaled's case was internet age. In New Orleans, I’ve controls distribution no longer controls their number based in procedures if any exist to follow up." typical. A three-day investigation con- watched those changes come overnight. news. And news is no longer shaped by Iraq show US troops are The International Federation of Jour- cluded the 35-year-old Reuters soundman Journalists no longer waited for their the pipe that carries it. That is what nalists accused the US military of “in- was driving fast, stopped, immediately re- next edition to tell their stories. To get Katrina did to the news. getting out of control competence, reckless soldiering, and cyn- versed and that he or Haider Kadhem, the the news out, they relied on humble Rex Hammock, a magazine publisher ical disregard" for journalists' lives. The cameraman, leaned out with what ap- weblog tools. Meanwhile, from out-of- and fellow blogger at Rexblog.com, wrote Rory Carroll Baghdad Committee to Protect Journalists said peared to be a weapon. “Our soldiers on the town studios, the TV stations broadcast that the Times-Picayune and nola.com there appeared to be official “indiffer- scene, using established rules of engage- to the web at WWLTV.com and deserve a Pulitzer for their news blogs. I ence" to reporters' deaths. ment and all the training received, decided WDSU.com and they, too, used weblogs, second that. It doesn’t matter whether It was a routine assignment that, like too In addition to shooting them, US forces that it was appropriate to engage that par- forums and other tools to gather and the work came rolling off a press or a many in Iraq, went wrong. Tipped off that have a habit of detaining journalists with- ticular car." In other words the popular, share news. This served the New Orleans blog: it is journalism of the highest calibre police had clashed with gunmen in west- out charge. Weeks can pass before a bu- jokey newsroom presence, the husband of diaspora who could get online. It also and greatest service. The Pulitzer com- ern Baghdad, the Reuters news agency reau is able to confirm that an employee a pregnant wife, the father of a four-year- gave us the unique local perspective on mittee would serve journalism well by dispatched Haider Kadhem, a camera- has been arrested, possibly injured, and old girl, brought it on himself. His colleague the unfolding tragedy. Usually, of course, separating the content from the con- man, and Waleed Khaled, a soundman, to held incommunicado in Abu Ghraib or an- Kadhem, 24, was released without charge we see the big story varnished and pol- tainer, the medium from the message, the scene. As their car headed down other prison. A driver for the Guardian, after three days of questioning about “in- ished by national papers and interna- and recognising great reporting wherever Ghaziliya bridge American troops opened accredited with the US authorities, was consistencies" in his story. tional networks. But with Katrina, local and however and from whomever it fire, hitting Khaled in the face and the held without explanation for five days. US military spokesmen often cite journalists, survivors themselves, comes, with or without a press. chest, killing him instantly and spattering At stake is not only the existence of in- “strong evidence" that an arrested Iraqi exposed their raw nerves and anger. The blood over the US military and Reuters dependent media, says Alastair Macdon- was an insurgent who used his work as Times-Picayune’s online reports have Jeff Jarvis is a media consultant who press cards clipped to his shirt. ald, Reuters' Baghdad bureau chief, but cover. Despite astonishing allegations - in- been blunt and demanding. blogs at BuzzMachine.com By the time relatives and colleagues the credibility of US claims to be fostering cluding the shooting down of a helicopter arrived American armoured vehicles had democracy. “The American ambassador by three journalists – no proof has sealed off the street and Kadhem, slightly recently called us the fourth estate, a pil- emerged publicly. Hardly a surprise given wounded from fragments, was under lar of the democracy, but we're not being that the legal process is secret and reports arrest. Having found nothing suspicious allowed to do our job here." are not published. A smear or not, hinting the troops allowed the car to be towed at evidence can intimidate an employer away and handed relatives a body bag. Driving fast less than 100% sure about a stringer's One soldier told them not to look too When the US military detains employees background. “They make you ask yourself closely at the corpse. “Don't bother. It's media organisations try to sort it out pri- if you really want to bat for this guy," says not worth it." Other soldiers standing a vately, going through regular channels, ap- one bureau chief. few feet away joked among themselves. pealing to the relevant major or colonel, un- Such tactics contrast with the military's For Reuters and many other foreign til it dawns that this does not work. Asked warm embrace of those who “embed", a media organisations in Baghdad the at a recent press conference if there was a well-oiled, largely transparent system August 28 shooting was further evidence special policy for journalists, a handful of which allows journalists to attach them- that American troops are out of control. the 10,000 US-held detainees, Major Gen- selves limpet-like to troops. Everything is Since the 2003 invasion US forces have eral Rick Lynch, a US military spokesman, on the record and what you file, though killed at least 18 media workers in inci- was blunt: “That's a no. What we've got to monitored once published or broadcast, is Peter dents for which no one has been charged do is look at the individual that was indeed uncensored. The openness and access (not or punished. “Whitewashes. There have detained and what was he doing, regard- to mention the food) tends to be better than Wilby been no satisfactory investigations that less of what his profession is." the more controlled British version. ‘New we know of," said Rodney Pinder, direc- Many correspondents say the funda- There is no consensus on why there is tor of the International News Safety In- mental problem is that US forces do not such hostility to independent media. Some Labour stitute (INSI), a Brussels-based advocacy recognise the media's right to work in Iraq. think it reflects the clumsiness of an army is a tightly group. Almost every single Iraqi stringer in Mosul, wrestling with a complicated guerrilla cam- Angry and frustrated, several radio and a volatile northern city, has been arrested, paign. Insurgent cameramen do accom- corseted television networks, agencies and news- including a freelance cameraman for CBS pany gunmen and film attacks which end PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPH AND OVERALL WINNER: ‘KING BEE’ BY MARCUS HARVEY WINNER: ‘KING BEE’ BY AND OVERALL PHOTOGRAPH PORTRAIT suburban papers, including the Guardian, met last who was shot in April and has been de- up on the internet. When a television crew week to chart a joint response to the crisis. tained since without charge. arrives during or immediately after a fight THE SEEDS OF CHANGE party and The gathering agreed to form a foreign cor- Investigations into shootings are con- troops often suspect the crew knew in ad- almost respondents' association and to jointly vance. An urban myth, say the networks, PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION lobby the US military and state department. but a dangerous one when even an estab- IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER FOOD MONTHLY MAGAZINE everybody More journalists have been killed in Iraq lished name like CNN is branded the Com- connected in two years than during the 20 years of munist News Network. There is scant evi- IN MAY WE LAUNCHED OUR COMPETITION FEED YOUR IMAGINATION conflict in Vietnam, according to Re- dence that US troops deliberately target the ASKING FOR IMAGES INSPIRED BY FOOD THAT BRILLIANTLY CAPTURED with it porters Without Borders. It counted 66 press, unlike Israeli soldiers in the West A MEMORY, AN EMOTION OR A STORY. WE RECEIVED OVER 5,000 keeps the dead in Iraq compared to 63 in Vietnam Bank and Gaza. But commanders who view ENTRIES IN THREE CATEGORIES: STILL LIFE, PORTRAITAND REPORTAGE. and 49 in the former Yugoslavia between Iraq as an information war have an interest WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE OVERALL WINNER IS MARCUS HARVEY, WHO PICKS UP THE £10,000 FIRST PRIZE FOR HIS curtains 1991 and 1995. INSI estimates the Iraq toll in blocking images they deem damaging. PHOTOGRAPH ‘KING BEE’. SEE THIS IMAGE ALONG WITH THE RUNNERS- tightly at 81 while the New York-based Commit- In a rare cracking of the opaque military UP AND A SELECTION OF BEST ENTRIES AT THE.GALLERY@OXO. tee to Protect Journalists reckons 74. Phillip Robertson, a reporter for the online drawn lest Insurgents killed most and with few magazine Salon.com, found the sniper who SEPTEMBER 2-18 2005 the exceptions, such as the Italian Enzo Bal- shot his friend Yasser Salihee, an Iraqi em- OPEN DAILY 11AM-6PM, FREE ENTRY doni, the victims were Iraqis. Foreign jour- ployee of the Knight-Ridder newspaper neighbours nalists, based in fortified hotels or com- group. Salihee died instantly when a bul- catch them pounds, can move discreetly around the let entered his right eye as he drove towards THE.GALLERY@OXO, capital and accompany coalition troops on a checkpoint in Baghdad in June. Named OXO TOWER WHARF, BARGEHOUSE STREET, running missions but they routinely rely on Iraqi only as Joe, the sniper said his unit was SOUTHBANK, LONDON SE1 9PH. wild with colleagues for on the ground reporting. In- braced for a suicide bomber and that the WWW.OXOTOWER.CO.UK creasingly US forces pose the graver threat. car appeared suspicious. Joe was troubled ideas’ “It is becoming impossible for us in by the feeling that his victim was not an Page 8 good conscience to send out reporters to insurgent. “I really hope he was a bad guy. gather information because we don't Do you know anything about him?" Section:GDN M1 PaGe:7 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:26 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 7 MediaGuardian

On the press Kim Fletcher

It’s the early bird that How to thrive, not just survive catches the herd

There is an unexpected bounce and o a gorgeous new look for colour about City AM, the free financial the Guardian and a busy paper that launched in London last week. autumn ahead as half of But who is going to read it? When I came Fleet Street tries on new out of Bank station, I was handed three clothes. Look out for a different free magazines, none of them revamped Mail on Sunday, City AM. Fortunately I found a discarded Ssee how the Independent copy on an office doorstep. Over at on Sunday takes to tabloid Canary Wharf a platoon of City AM format and discover what the editor of distributors forced papers on unenthusi- the Sunday Telegraph (to whom I hap- astic office workers emerging from the pen to be married) means when she underground. promises that “something lovely” will But why do you want a free paper happen to her paper. There is more to when you have already arrived at the come from the Daily Telegraph, the office and are about to start work? The Standard is ready to go upmarket again genius of the free Metro lay in the deal and the Times . . . well, I don’t know if with London Underground that got the you have seen the new look T2, but the paper into the hands of commuters at the type faces and point sizes are so eccen- point they wanted something to read – tric they took a newspaper designer I the start of their journey. By the time know back to his student newspaper office workers get their hands on City AM days: “I know we used to whack up the they have other things to think about. point size to fill the space when pieces came in short, but we didn’t expect any- one to say it was good.” You may think the swagger of these changes reflects an underlying confi- dence. In fact there’s gloom around much of the business. We’re not facing the death of newspapers – that has been postponed so many times that we know it will never come – but short-term fears about advertising are becoming long- term fears, while irrepressible internet and phone companies are forcing news- Dummy copies of the Guardian in its new Berliner format roll off the presses in east London paper managements to ask the question they hoped to leave for the next genera- tion: what are newspapers for? problems, legal problems, distribution come rich. They were relieved because profitable national titles disinclined to The fight for advertising revenue is problems – that the visualisation of an the collapse of the medium validated take advice from one that lost £48m last beginning to depress everyone. When a intangible future imposes an unwel- their refusal to get involved in it. Now year on the Guardian and Observer. The front page of City AM team of us showed off the Telegraph come further burden. For journalists, the internet is back. Rupert Murdoch But how do you turn a big rather than Group to would-be buyers last year, strategy is much less interesting than says he is keen, so it must be. Some are a tiny profit from all those digital possi- when I was editorial director, we imag- day-to-day excitements. At the Indepen- even wondering whether they mis- bilities? First, be reassured by the huge I-Spy some new ined we were near the end of the adver- dent last week they worried about judged the Guardian Media Group’s appetite for information and entertain- young readers tising recession. So, presumably, did the columnist Bruce Anderson’s views on resolute, early investment in the inter- ment. It’s not that people don’t want venture capitalist and other bidders who the black residents of New Orleans. At net, though they still wonder how the what newspapers do, it’s just that they pushed the price up to £665m. But more the Sun they want to know when Kelvin group will obtain its return. The short- are not sure they want to buy newspa- Ever since it became clear that Rupert than a year on, national papers are still MacKenzie will start as a columnist. For term profit/long-term investment equa- pers to get it. Second, work out what Bear and I-Spy weren’t always going to do bumping around the bottom of the Mail journalists the only story was the tion is hard to resolve, because, for all you have that is unique. The horrid it for the Express and the Mail, newspa- trough, cheered only by the possibility paper's number four Jon Steafel. What the worries about the future, old news- internet word is “content”, which sites pers have fretted about getting children that rivals are doing even worse. had Paul Dacre promised him to make paper businesses have continued to used as though it could be ordered by to read papers. Young people just aren’t Advertising revenue used to be cycli- him spurn the vacant Daily Telegraph make money, which leaves managers of the bucketful to fill spaces on the web. interested. So how do we account for the cal: you drew in your horns and waited deputy editorship? Joint deputy editor Content is king, said the first round of success of the Newspaper Educational for the money to come back. What’s at the Mail, that's what, with a shuffle of internet entrepreneurs, while spreading Trust, a London charity that has primary different this time is that it might not be desks that saw the Mail on Sunday “Nationals are still it across so many sites that it lost any and secondary school children producing coming back. Are jobs adverts going to deputy Rod Gilchrist say goodbye. regal quality it had ever possessed. their own front pages by the end of a busy the internet for good? Suddenly adver- The traditional problems and human bumping along the But the internet-scanning, iPod wear- day? The trust, backed by West Ferry tising is a strategic issue, which is why dramas of papers are so much easier to ing mobile phone users we are all Printers, the Guardian, the Telegraph and Lord Rothermere at Daily Mail General deal with. You roll up your sleeves and bottom of the trough, becoming are bored if everything reads several businesses, celebrates its 10th Trust and Sly Bailey at Trinity Mirror are get on with them. Many in newspapers or sounds the same. Newspapers have birthday this week. More than 11,000 rushing to buy up recruitment sites. were delighted when the dotcom boom cheered only by the some of the cleverest, funniest creative children have spent a day there. Many Strategy is difficult for newspapers. imploded. They were happy because possibility that rivals talents in the country. They have to find will have become newspaper readers. For management, there are so many new media people were insufferable ways beyond the printed page of taking practical problems every day – print young people who threatened to be- are doing worse” their work to new audiences. [email protected]

My media Mary Kalemkerian OUT NOW

Newspapers Stephen Fry, which was a radio series The Guardian and the Observer. I espe- from a long time ago. I also like House, cially like the Guardian’s media pages. it’s a great vehicle for Hugh Laurie. And Are you switched The Saturday Guardian keeps me going Lost is interesting on Channel 4. all weekend, and I like the little Guide very much. I dip into the Telegraph, es- Radio on to mobile? pecially for the radio reviews by Gillian Obviously I steep myself in the classics. [Reynolds]. When in Scotland I read the My all-time favourite is Round the Sunday Post, with embarrassment. It’s Horne. In the morning it’s between John Given mobile’s saturation of the UK’s population so cosy; it reminds me of my childhood. Humphrys, and the comedians and clas- and the advancement in this technology, it is I would never dream of buying it in Eng- sic comedy on BBC7. I like the 6.30pm no surprise that brands are switching their land. I’m from the Scottish borders and Radio 4 comedy. My favourite is The attention to the medium as a highly effective my mum, who’s 88, still sends me the Now Show, and I like The Bearded new marketing tool. Border Telegraph which I read for the lo- cal gossip. Mary Kalemkerian What is surprising is that to date, there has been little is head of guidance for marketers on the use of this powerful Magazines programmes at medium or a showcase from which to learn about its I like the New Statesman – it keeps me BBC7, the digital politically abreast of things. And, I have radio station. Her creativity and potency. to say, you can’t beat the Radio favourite comedy mobilemarketing 2005 will provide the guide, Times; it’s got the fullest list- is The Now Show The media stripped bare. ings and super articles. I bringing together those who are pioneering its use wouldn’t miss it, even if I did- Ladies, and Hudson and Pepperdine. I in the market today. Can you afford to miss it? n’t work for the BBC. sometimes dip into Oneword, they’ve got that very good book programme The synopses for each of these sessions, together Books with Paul Blezard, Between the with the full list of impressive speakers can be found BRITISH JOURNALISM REVIEW subscription rates (4 issues): Oh God, I’m always so Lines. on www.mobilemarketinguk.com. Delegate Annual introductory individual rate: UK £28 (usually £36) backward in books. I read places can now be booked on-line or by calling US $50 (usually US $63) books on holiday. I like Ads 0845 4900156. Annual institution rate: UK £255 US $447 Alexander McCall Smith, I don’t like car ads, they’re a com- Single issue rate (Volume 16 Number 3 ): UK £10 US $16 who wrote The No 1 plete turn-off. No, ads do not re- Ladies’ Detective ally work for me. mobilemarketing Name: Agency. His books are Address: quirky, and they’re a New media Congress House London | 1 December 2005 Postcode: good, short read. I don’t I really like blogs. Richard Herring’s I enclose a cheque for £ go in for great tomes. daily blog about the Edinburgh Fes- made payable to SAGE Publications tival was good. Because I’m involved in TV comedy and drama, I dip into Headline sponsor: Supported by our national media partner: Please send to: Because I’m a radio person, chortle.co.uk to get an update on SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London, EC1Y 1SP I’m interested in programmes what’s going on and Credit card hotline: 020 7324 8701 Fax: 020 7324 8600 that have transferred from ra- bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/ because I quite Endorsed by: Sponsor: Email: [email protected] Web: www.sagepub.co.uk dio to telly. The two I’m enjoy- like my sci-fi; it gives you all the Hitch- ing at the moment are The hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy stuff plus GU22 Mighty Boosh on BBC3 and spin-offs. Absolute Power with Interview by Katie Shimmon Section:GDN M1 PaGe:8 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:27 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

8 The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 MediaGuardian

Will the new Burchills and Wilby says Tony Blair’s New Labour ideals were ‘no basis for an ideas-driven weekly magazine’ Bakers please stand up

people famous. Hardly anywhere in mag- azines do you find that febrile sense of a subculture creating its own stars such as once applied in computer games or mo- torbike magazines. The columnists who originally made their names in magazines – Jeremy Clarkson, Julie Burchill, Miranda Sawyer and others – are promoted to daily papers where they are pelted with David Hepworth real money. Consequently, when it comes Magazines to the annual awards ceremonies, many magazine publishers have difficulty find- ing names to nominate in the writer cate- gories because they no longer employ BC4’s recent documen- many. The writer of the year for the past tary, Inky Fingers, about two years at the Periodical Publishers’ As- the glory years of the sociation awards has been AA Gill, more NME, was a particular closely associated with newspapers. treat for connoisseurs of Publishers no longer employ many the humbug that maga- writers because a lot of them no longer Bzine journalists talk publish many words. Instead they when somebody points a execute formats. The people who get the camera at them. A bunch of prominent attention are the editors, particularly writers who got their start in NME's those such as Boris Johnson, Jo Elvin pages, ranging from Charles Shaar Mur- and Mark Frith who can represent their ray through Danny Baker to Andrew titles on TV. This is fair enough. Editors Collins, were asked why they had been are the ones who make the money, lose so keen to work for the paper. Their the sleep and get moved on to special avowed motivations ranged from the projects when the curve flattens. But preposterous – wanting to use The Man's that's no reason for this increasingly money to subvert society – to the mis- process-driven medium to have lost its sionary – hoping to spread the word nerve when it comes to finding person- about Good Music. ality, opinion and tone of voice. There Nobody was prepared to confess the could be a new generation of star writers real reason – in the 70s working for the springing up and I've missed them. It NME could bring you all the attention could be they're keeping their heads your heart could hold. The money was down, anonymously executing the tem- rubbish but the kudos was beyond price. plate and subverting their voices to the

This didn't extend to everyone, of course, greater personality of the title. Then REUTERS PHOTOGRAPH: and the fame didn't go far beyond the maybe they go home and vent their true boundaries of planet rock, but a few drank feelings via, say, their own blog. deep of the heady wine of something approaching fame, a fame they still enjoy. t's particularly odd that maga- Statesman-like regrets Julie Burchill, Nick Kent, Tony Par- zines are so reluctant to develop sons, Charles Shaar Murray, Danny their own stars because they set Baker and Paul Morley are just a few such store by celebrity achieved who were hired by the NME because elsewhere. Witness the radio DJs, third way, the NS was the place to look. operating losses, if not to break even. they had opinions and expressed them TV presenters, reality TV “house- The former editor of the His vision, like Page's, had something to Lacking the marketing wherewithal, I colourfully. They were Star Writers. Imates" and defrocked MPs who New Statesman explains be said for it. The old Hampstead intell- needed to ensure the NS's identity was un- Their celebrity could get them to the top have been signed up by maga- ectual was extinct, not least because so equivocally stated through its content. I of a guest list, bag any amount of promo- zines to write a column or tell us the how over-eclectic many of the things that had moved him now think I was too eclectic, commis- tional swag and even result in them secrets of the stars only to be quietly commissioning, a lack of were no longer issues. But after Howard, sioning writers from John Pilger, who re- occasionally being asked for their auto- uninstalled a few weeks later when it no editor lasted long enough, or was sup- gards Tony Blair as a war criminal, through graphs. Were they sufficiently lacking in becomes plain that they have nothing humorous writers and the ported by a big enough marketing spend, Anthony Giddens, guru of the third way, scruple, they could probably have taken to say and if they did they certainly left’s identity crisis to create a fresh idea in readers' minds as to Simon Heffer, the Thatcherite jihadist. advantage of the fact that there were wouldn't tell the readers. to what the NS was about. The two main The second problem was to find suffi- people out there sufficiently impressed I'm sure research would have said that affected his tenure weekly magazines of the right, meanwhile, cient humour and wit on the left. This is by their bylines to extend them the base the readers of the 70s NME had no inter- were developing a clear identity. not to suggest that amusing leftwingers currency of fame, sexual favours. est in the writers' opinions. But I can still Peter Wilby The Economist became the interna- don't exist. Nick Cohen, Paul Routledge, Unless I'm missing something, this sit here, close my eyes and inaccurately tional business executive's magazine, the Mark Thomas and Suzanne Moore, for doesn't go on much any more. The NME quote Charlie Murray's line about judg- bible of globalisation and the free market. example, all wrote wittily and well for the was the last magazine to make that many ing a guitar solo by how fast it is played I edited the New Statesman from 1998 to The Spectator became the fogeys' maga- NS. But such writers were not plentiful being like judging a novel by how quickly 2005. I was the longest-serving occupant zine, more playful than the Economist and we frequently enlisted others who it was typed; Julie Burchill's comment of that chair since Kingsley Martin, to and less enamoured of something as new- read amusingly elsewhere but seemed to about nothing making the young heart whose record 29 years I never aspired. fangled as globalisation. believe a heavier tone was necessary in run free like a favourite song coming un- Martin took the view that “an editor's If Hargreaves aspired to a leftwing the NS. Jokes, many seemed to believe, Publishers no longer bidden over the radio; and Danny Baker paper should be his mistress" and, like Economist, I aspired to a leftwing Specta- were dangerous because they might fall describing Johnny Rotten as having seen him, I “ate, drank and slept” with the New tor. The New Statesman, I thought, had foul of one of the left’s numerous prohi- employ many writers more sex than a policeman's torch. It Statesman. Was it all worth it? Did I acquired a reputation for dull writing and bitions on offending women, gays, etc. because a lot of them would be encouraging to think that some reverse the long-term decline of the NS earnestness. It needed better prose, more Perhaps the most important problem hip young gunslingers were tapping out and end the general consensus, which had mischief, wit and humour. It should be a was that the identity crisis of the NS was no longer publish prose of that quality in some magazine existed almost since Martin's retirement treat, a magazine people wanted to read bound up with the identity crisis of the today. If they are, let me know. in 1959, that its best days were behind it? rather than one they felt they ought to left itself. Whatever the failings of the many words Not, I fear, if the circulation figures read. It also, I believed, needed to move Conservative party, the right remains con- David Hepworth is editorial director of were any guide. The day I took over, the sharply to the left, distancing itself from fident and aggressive. New Labour's mis- Development Hell Ltd. NS was selling 22,500 copies, having ex- New Labour while staying mainstream. sion, by contrast, was to reject many of the [email protected] ceeded 25,000 during the dawn of New Without excluding dissenting voices, the left's traditions and start afresh, adopting Labour in 1997 and again in the aftermath NS should be as unashamedly leftwing as much of the Thatcher agenda and re- of 9/11. I scarcely improved on the circu- the Spectator was rightwing. interpreting it to achieve centre-left goals. Oppenheim - John Downes lation that I inherited. It was a meagre re- There were several problems with my For many Labour activists, starved of suc- ward for my years of effort, even though vision, or at least with the way I imple- cess and power for so long, this was Memorial Awards I could claim to have played a significant mented it. First, I had no marketing bud- enough to restore their enthusiasm. But The Oppenheim - John Downes Memorial Trust will be making awards in December 2005 to role in turning a substantial financial loss get to establish a new identity. The owner, it was no basis for an ideas-driven weekly deserving artists of any kind whether writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers and craftsmen who are unable to pursue their vocation by reason of their poverty. Awards are into a healthy operating profit and, unlike Geoffrey Robinson MP, invested heavily magazine. New Labour welcomed ideas restricted to persons who are natural born British subjects, of parents both of whom are British a number of editors, avoided both alco- after he took control in 1996. Now, quite only within very tight boundaries, most subjects (Section 34 of the Race Relations Act applies) and applicants must be over 30 years holism and mental breakdown. The New reasonably, he expected it to cut its of them technocratic rather than inspira- of age. Statesman's future is more secure now tional. New Labour is a tightly-corseted, Application forms may be obtained from the Trustees, The Oppenheim - John Downes than it has been for many years, making suburban party, and almost everybody Memorial Trust (Ref: HCF) c/o 50 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H 0BL. that “Staggers" nickname redundant. But “We frequently connected with it – in academia as well as email: [email protected] according to the goals I set myself I failed. enlisted writers in Westminster – keeps the curtains tightly Completed application forms must be returned by 15 October 2005. Where did I go wrong? First, a little his- drawn lest the neighbours catch them tory. Kingsley Martin's New Statesman who read amusingly running wild with ideas. Who gave was essentially a paper of the middle- If I failed to overcome these difficulties, Humphrys classes – “knowing, knowledgeable and elsewhere but seemed I blame nobody but myself. Staff, con- somewhat superior", as Alan Watkins later tributors and readers bear no responsibil- most described it. It was the house journal, not to believe a heavier ity for an editor's shortcomings, still less attention so much of the Labour party in general, tone was necessary the government. If there was a lack of fer- but of what have been called the Hamp- ment, it was partly my job to create it. My last week? stead intellectuals. It was anti-colonialist, in the NS” goal was to make the New Statesman a Find out anti-hanging and anti-censorship. It was witty, readable, confident and ground- oppositionalist by instinct, even when breaking paper of the left. I believe I par- which Labour was in power. tially succeeded in those aims. I did not national Until 1978, when Anthony Howard succeed as much as I had hoped – or did departed, the nature of the paper scarcely not succeed in convincing enough read- paper changed. But his successor, Bruce Page, ers of my achievement – because I was covered thought the NS represented an outdated, swimming against the tide, and I was not, Creative futures Oxbridge-based English elitism. Instead as it proved, a strong enough swimmer. I the BBC of being a journal of laconic comment, he wish my successor better luck. Find out how artists are helping teachers inject creativity row in thought, it should make waves through into the curriculum in a special supplement, free inside ground-breaking investigations. Over the Peter Wilby now writes a media column for tomorrow’s Education Guardian greatest next 20 years, the NS passed through a the New Statesman. A longer version of this detail. succession of editors, all of whom had article is in British Journalism Review, Vol 16 quite distinct visions of its role. My No 3, from SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, See immediate predecessor, Ian Hargreaves, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP. Subscription opposite put the paper at the forefront of the New hotline: 020-7324 8703. Labour project. If you wanted to find the [email protected] Section:GDN M1 PaGe:9 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:28 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 9 MediaGuardian

Go figure Newspaper ABCs It is Year Zero for sales of the nationals Zeitgeist Top 10 ads 1 The Magical World of Roald Dahl (170 spots) 2 Motorola Razr V3 (129) (pictured) Roy Greenslade National newspaper circulation 3 Powergen (125) 4 Topps Tiles (113) It is like the calm before the storm. The 5 Learn Direct (106) latest set of circulation figures show that August 2005 August 2004 % change August 2005 March - March - % change the year-long trends at the quality end of 6 Flora Pro-Activ (97) (inc. bulks) August 05 August 04 the daily market have continued as before. 7 Asda (91) In August, the Times went on rising while Dailies 8 Kellogg’s (90) the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian fell Sun 3,361,204 3,363,612 -0.07 3,361,306 3,276,961 3,355,592 –2.34 and the Independent slipped again. Daily Mirror 1,769,771 1,821,206 -2.82 1,769,771 1,746,569 1,851,799 -5.68 9 LG U8180 3G mobile phone (89) Daily Star 893,601 919,279 -2.79 893,601 865,121 903,781 -4.28 But you are reading this column in a 10Inland Revenue (88) newspaper that could well change the Daily Record 473,293 498,078 -4.98 474,186 466,150 493,083 -5.46 whole picture within a couple of weeks. Daily Mail 2,278,937 2,310,532 -1.37 2,384,943 2,275,677 2,311,196 -1.54 The Guardian hopes that its new format Daily Express 876,563 893,566 -1.90 876,563 857,412 885,941 -3.22 will reverse the sales decline that began Daily Telegraph 854,510 874,471 -2.28 904,660 860,201 874,716 -1.66 when its two rivals, the Times and the Times 642,160 607,963 5.62 680,214 642,791 613,095 4.84 Independent, changed from broadsheet FT 382,005 380,539 0.39 413,882 392,484 406,850 -3.53 to tabloid shape. Guardian 324,790 338,323 -4.00 341,698 337,520 352,368 -4.21 Now the Guardian is offering a format Independent 219,797 227,681 –3.46 255,906 223,974 227,844 -1.70 that it believes will be more reader- Sundays friendly along with a changed editorial News Of The World 3,759,343 3,746,579 0.34 3,759,443 3,664,128 3,780,454 -3.08 concept that challenges both the views- Sunday Mirror 1,558,367 1,659,072 –6.07 1,558,367 1,527,792 1,577,418 -3.15 paper approach pioneered by the Indy and People 945,803 1,021,399 -7.40 945,803 942,481 1,020,875 –7.68 the busy, crunched-down style adopted Sunday Mail 567,094 596,808 –4.98 567,704 557,341 589,690 -5.49 by the Times. Daily Star Sunday 434,863 509,268 –14.61 434,863 439,116 507,661 -13.50 Even so, with the Guardian relaunch to- day, the August 2005 sales statistics will Mail on Sunday 2,190,962 2,266,852 -3.35 2,272,476 2,211,897 2,279,989 –2.99 With The Magical World of Roald Dahl become an important benchmark in the Sunday Express 919,583 977,324 -5.91 919,583 887,617 909,971 -2.46 partwork at No 1, and sightings of a Marvel coming months and years, a newspaper Sunday Times 1,342,574 1,309,331 2.54 1,357,916 1,338,137 1,331,164 0.52 character’s partwork outside the top 10, equivalent of Year Zero. Every analysis Sunday Telegraph 631,190 676,457 –6.69 669,747 646,739 671,288 –3.66 this is a faintly peculiar spread of ads for will refer to the state of play just before Observer 397,197 402,982 –1.44 425,737 412,538 418,147 –1.34 ITV’s autumn. Topps Tiles and partworks this paper’s publication. Independent on Sunday 166,132 183,834 -9.63 202,248 170,608 177,776 -4.03 are in the “buy cheap and stack high” So let us look as calmly as we can at the school of advertising, and partworks tend current situation while we sit in the eye All figures exclude bulks unless stated. Source: ABC to buy one spot every hour – which is why of the storm. The Times has undoubtedly they’re so annoying. Mobile phone prospered since November last year companies tend to be all over satellite like when it began publishing only in compact potentially more valuable. Indeed, the August, a historic low, and its own switch It is now the worst performer at the seri- a rash, in search of young viewers – youth form, though not as dramatically as might Times has almost 100,000 cheap-rate sub- to compact will have to compete with the ous end of the market. is not one of ITV’s strengths. All of this be believed. Then it sold 640,000 and, as scribers too. Observer’s relaunch in the Berliner shape At the other end, the Daily Star is well points to one thing: ITV is selling its the chart shows, it has just achieved The tit-for-tat public relations battle be- early in the new year. Both titles will be down on a year ago – but its rivals appear autumn airtime at a lower rate than even 642,160. tween the pair tends to divert attention hoping to eat further into the soft under- to be on the verge of stopping the rot. last year. “TV, and ITV, is better value than To set that in context, though, making from the relentless downward trend that belly of the Sunday Telegraph, which suf- Their sales show some signs of stabilising, its ever been,” says Neil Johnston, head of similar comparisons with its rivals over is afflicting all newspapers. But they are fered yet another sales blow last month. with both the Sun and Daily Mirror doing TV at OMD UK. “That’s why you’re finding the same period, the losses for the in a far better position than the Indepen- better than for many months. Meanwhile, companies coming on air that don’t usually Guardian, Telegraph and Indy have been dent. Its revolutionary adoption of the the Daily Mail and Daily Express are striv- spend the kind of money it takes to be on 27,000, 17,000 and 7,000 respectively. compact shape appeared to have reversed “The Independent ing to reach a circulation plateau as they ITV in the autumn.” Good news for the The Times remains cock-a-hoop about its fortunes. Now, though, it is struggling face up to competition from the red-tops advertisers, of course, but how cheerful its full-price sales being greater than once again, selling more than 3% fewer is struggling once below and the Times above. can ITV’s shareholders be? those of the Telegraph, but there is much copies than a year ago, despite a boost Things are not looking good for the Stephen Armstrong justice in the Telegraph’s contention from reintroducing Bridget Jones. again, despite a boost Sunday red-tops, though. The News of the that having more than 300,000 buyers If anything, the situation is worse for from reintroducing World is holding up, but all its rivals are Top 10 advertising brands on ITV1 by spots, signed up to long-term contracts, even its Sunday stablemate. The Independent suffering badly. Sex does not appear to be seven days to September 8. if they do pay a discounted price, is on Sunday sold just 166,000 copies in Bridget Jones” selling as well as it used to. Source: www.thomson-intermedia.com billion dollars – recent NewsCorp’s internet spend percentage The rise in ITV’s profits percentage The in ITV’s fall ad revenue The proportion of The people who young use TV sets don’t TV to watch 1 60 3.5 1/3 42 Richie Benaud’s as a years commentator Performance review Column inches John Humphrys Quote of the week ”We’ve made it clear Two new celebrity reality shows began in hinged on the fact that Lisa – who seems Words devoted to the row about the Today presenter’s after-dinner speech - to Sept 8 to him that this must non-earnest last week – Totally Scott-Lee sweetly affable but short of the talent on MTV and US import Kept, on VH1. (If to back up her ambition – will trundle not happen again” Daily Mail 5,737 you’re looking for actual music on these along like an old banger, backfiring as Mark Thompson yellow-cards channels, you might want to pack a lunch, she goes. but that’s another article altogether). Kept It’s an eight-part gallop through the life John Humphrys over his comments is familiar stuff – The Apprentice meets of the former Steps star and seeming P45- Times 5,516 on politicians The Graduate, in which 12 himbos compete made-flesh as she attempts to fashion a to become Jerry Hall’s “kept man”. solo career. Totally Scott-Lee, on the other hand, Adding an element of 24-style clock- Daily Telegraph 3,412 probes new levels of Schadenfreude. It’s ticking is the fact that she is pledging to abandon her recording career altogether if she fails to penetrate the top 10. The last Guardian 2,598 episode will be broadcast live, as Lisa finds out her chart position. Ask any Smash Hits Independent 1,666 reader and they’ll tell you the only way she’ll reach the No 1 spot is if she’s disguised as Franz Ferdinand. Observer 1,453 Few things have been as brilliantly cynical as Totally Scott-Lee. On the one hand, you could see this as the next step Mail on Sunday 669 towards a dystopian future. But more than likely, it is an unmissable combination of excitement, trepidation and pure Sunday Times 480 mortification – television’s equivalent of viewing your mobile’s “Sent” items after a night out. Independent on Sunday 235 Lisa Scott-Lee, centre, with co-stars Gary Ryan Section:GDN M1 PaGe:10 Edition Date:050912 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 10/9/2005 0:31 cYanmaGentaYellowblack

10 The Guardian | Monday September 12 2005 MediaGuardian Clashing bumper ads are How to save commercial TV a waste of airtime ITV faces unprecedented the point entirely. Why confine your competition in its 50th message to 15 or 10 seconds, when, if you use the allotted time to communi- year. Legalising product cate the association between brand and placement would help, says programme in a compelling way, you will be remembered through the follow- one leading creative ing 30 minutes, or even two hours of TV? The more a brand grabs all the credit Peter Bazalgette time to talk about itself exclusively, the Tess Alps more it undermines the association it Advertising was seeking to build. The Germans have the right word for Creative agencies, which used to turn product placement: schleichwerbung. In their noses up at making TV sponsorship fact, the producers of an ARD soap opera credits, are now very keen. Production have recently been stood down while ’ve now lost it with Lost. Seduced budgets have consequently increased their involvement in a product-placement by stunning programme advertis- and quite right too. Production values scandal is investigated. Such payments ing, I’d been watching it since need to match those of the programme. do, indeed, amount to a bung because the episode one. There have been Clemmow Hornby Inge’s work for Talk- practice is illegal in Europe. But surely it is many factors – absurdly glam- Talk on this year’s Big Brother tie-up was time to reform this antiquated system. orous cast, preposterous story, exemplary; exquisite and engaging, it Fifty years ago commercial television Idesigner wounds that refuse to never outstayed its welcome, which is came to Britain. The first advert showed go brown and scabby – but the no mean feat when dedicated viewers a tube of Colgate toothpaste captured in 118 118.com sponsorship credits topped were seeing perhaps 20 bumpers every a block of ice. The political reaction was the list. I am not alone in hating these, day for two and a half months. equally frosty. The Labour opposition but there are many people I respect It’s challenging enough to get spon- pledged to close this ghastly new ITV who like them. The admirers cite their sorship creativity right for entertain- channel as soon as they returned to humour, the variety of executions and ment, lifestyle or factual genres. But 118 power. That same channel is now, half a the way they integrate themselves into 118.com has taken on the hardest cre- century on, confronting a different threat. the programme using drama. The haters ative nut, TV drama. Drama demands an The commercials that have sustained it James Bond’s Aston Martin is a classic example of product placement (just me?) cite their humour and the way even higher level of sensitivity. Drama face an uncertain future. Later this week, they integrate themselves using drama. (including narrative comedy) evokes the Royal Television Society will be de- The variety I like. some of the strongest emotional in- bating the looming crisis at its convention tions and institute a new regime based on that you could watch a James Bond film These credits use the 118 118 twin volvement from viewers. It has story in Cambridge. And next month a report transparency not separation. Without on ITV, stuffed with product-placed Aston runners – one of the most successful ad- arcs and characters. If a sponsor tries to will be delivered to the Ofcom board that this, commercial television will eventu- Martins, and then watch a chaste ITV vertising and branding icons of recent interweave another narrative into this is expected to outline how our tough reg- ally become as extinct as the horsedrawn drama where no such skulduggery was years, created by WCRS – in comic thread at every break, the result is in- ulations could be relaxed. omnibus or the Betamax tape. allowed. At the MediaGuardian Edinburgh sketches, parodying dramatic scenarios variably gruesome. It is one of the great cliches of our Advertisers must be allowed to migrate International Television Festival, Andy in Lost (pictured below) specifically, and industry that the personal video recorder out of the commercial breaks towards the Duncan, chief executive of Channel 4, ex- in TV drama generically. In short, they on’t try and beat the (PVR) will kill off spot advertising. A new programmes. As sponsors they should be pressed reservations about product place- take the piss out of it. programme at its own generation of technophile self-schedulers, allowed to integrate their brands into title ment. But Andy, let the viewers decide. Sponsorship remains one of the most game. The same is true timeshifting their viewing, will fast for- and credit sequences. And product place- Make it transparent and if viewers feel a acceptable and positively viewed meth- for comedy; it’s rarely ward through all those glossy commer- ment should be legalised – but broadcast- product has over-influenced a plot or ods a brand can use to make connection a good idea to think cials honed by Soho’s finest. Like all ers should have to reveal all commercial script they will cease watching. with a consumer. From logos on sports you can make sponsor cliches it is true. But no one knows pre- deals in the credits. Should sponsorship and product place- shirts to branded events, people under- Dcredits that are as cisely when. Only 8% of US households Sponsorship rules demand a separation ment be allowed in all genres? If it is done stand sponsorship is a commercial activ- funny as Frasier or The have a PVR at the moment. Will this grow of the brand message and the programme transparently the public can decide. Stew- ity but they still attribute a degree of al- Simpsons (though if you can, quit adver- to 23% (PricewaterhouseCoopers) or 40% titles. This leads to advertising agencies art Purvis, the former head of ITN, who is truism to the sponsor. They believe they tising immediately and get on a plane to (Accenture) by 2009? In Britain, Sky+ is in creating independent sequences that chairing this week’s RTS session, believes benefit from a sponsor’s investment and LA). fewer than a million homes. Even when either bear no relation to the programme even sponsored news would be justified they can decode the implicit brand mes- 118 118.com compounds that mistake penetration of PVRs reaches the halfway or that heavy-handedly allude to it. My if it was the price of keeping it on ITV. sage in the association. In such in- with the mismatch of “comic” credits on mark, perhaps within six or seven years, it particular bête noir is Leerdammer Cheese Some of those connected umbilically stances of sponsorship, the brand logo is a drama that takes itself very seriously will only be denting rather than destroy- and its awful sponsorship bumpers for to spot advertising (commercial broad- the only reference possible, apart from indeed. Very Brechtian. God knows, I’d ing spot advertising. But in the end this Midsomer Murders. Integration of the se- casters, media buyers, ad agencies) maybe a simple strapline, though adver- appreciate the odd smile during Lost. technology will allow us to avoid ads. quence would come as a great relief. Then oppose its reform. They remind me of the tisers can amplify their partnership But this sponsor makes the onerous task Advertising revenues still pay for more PVR addicts, leaping like salmon across proverbial frog in the pan of water. As long through other activity. Most forms of of suspending my disbelief impossible. I than one third of programmes. Viewers the commercial breaks, would still pick up as it heats up gradually the frog doesn’t media sponsorship offer the potential to suspect that these were developed in would be very sorry if this shift in televi- the commercial message as the pro- realise it needs to get out. The PVR is rais- deliver an extended message for the isolation, as an ad would be, and never sion’s tectonic plates deprived them of gramme begins. But what if they also tried ing the industry’s temperature, but so brand sponsor, and few can resist. viewed in the context in which viewers The X Factor or Coronation Street. How to vault the title sequence? That’s where slowly it is easy to ignore. TV sponsorship is moving up the ad- would experience them. Sponsorship can commercially funded content be product placement comes in. The US is leading the way. One of my vertising food chain. It is relatively im- should be symbiotic. When one organ- preserved? The answer is simple. Allow It was Stephen Carter, Ofcom’s chief ex- own company’s shows for ABC, Extreme mune to the fast-forwarding that occurs ism attaches itself to another, at the advertisers to get closer to programmes. ecutive, who observed how peculiar it was Makeover: Home Edition, has a range of in PVR homes and the regulations sur- expense of the host, that’s parasitic. The principle behind advertising regu- product placement deals. They are well rounding the creative work have been lation has always been separation. So cor- known and cause no anxiety among view- further relaxed recently. The temptation Tess Alps is chairman of PHD Group UK rupting were these commercial messages “Viewers would be very ers. And Endemol gets to share in the rev- now is to push break bumpers as close to that they had to be prevented from cont- enue, a point that independent producers being a TV ad as possible. This misses aminating the programmes. Sponsors’ sorry if the shift in in the UK should contemplate. For too messages had to be clearly delineated television’s tectonic long television advertising has been a from programme titles, while product stitch-up between broadcasters and ad- placement – that was the work of the plates deprived them vertisers. Reform will not only preserve devil. This was all part of a regime which funding for programmes, it will also share made television far more heavily regu- of The X Factor or out the benefits more equitably. Drama demands a high lated than any other medium. We now Coronation Street” level of sensitivity. need to make a bonfire of these regula- Peter Bazalgette is chairman of Endemol UK Don’t try and beat the programme at its Media law own game Beach proves stony ground for ad ban

Dan Tench Advertising Standards Authority, for print be justified as being necessary to protect advertising, and the various codes for one of several specified factors such as na- advertising on radio or TV. Like TfL, some tional security, the safety of the public or Head of Communications The advert seemed tempting. Under a pic- of those carrying ads impose further re- the rights and reputation of others, but ture of a family strolling along a beach strictions and, in some areas, such as that it must meet some pressing social Circa 45,000 beneath the fortress of Kyrenia, it declared medicines, there are specific statutory need and be proportionate. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Fire Authority “pure Mediterranean – a sanctuary of requirements. Until now, advertisers have The judge was not satisfied that the unspoilt beauty". But the ad, seen on Lon- had little legal ammunition when adverts prohibition could be justified. He noted We’ve got a challenge for you… don buses last November, caused contro- were limited or banned. that TfL had proceeded on the basis that versy as it was issued by the Northern When the poster for Northern Cyprus Turkey itself was in occupation of North- How do you make a fire that didn’t happen the top story? Cyprus Tourism Centre and promoted hol- appeared, Brian Coleman, chairman of the ern Cyprus even though this was a A prevention message is much more difficult to sell - yet that’s the idays in Northern Cyprus. After a com- London Assembly, wrote to TfL stating controversial interpretation of the situa- challenge you face in this role. We’ve been rated as ‘Good’ in our CPA but plaint from the London Assembly, Trans- that Northern Cyprus was not recognised tion. Moreover, TfL has failed to establish need you to help us improve further. By focusing on prevention and community safety we believe we can make Cambridgeshire a safer place to The week port for London (TfL) banned the ad as it by any government other than that of any pressing social need for the ban, pre- live. We need a Head of Communications to help us get our messages in media was “likely to cause widespread offence". Turkey which had “illegally occupied the vious advertising for the centre had gone across both to the public and our staff. The centre took the case to the high territory for the past 30 years". He asked ahead without any apparent complaint, As well as leading external and internal communications, you will also Keep up court, where Mr Justice Newman said the that the advert be withdrawn from public and was disproportionate since it banned support the public involvement process, manage public consultation and the ban was unlawful as it was irrational and transport. Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of all ads for Northern Cyprus regardless of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service brand. You will also control and with all manage the development of our website and intranet. breached the centre's freedom of expres- London, had previously issued directions how sensitively they had been prepared. You will have significant experience of communications and public relations the latest sion under article 10 of the European Con- that “advertisements should not be ap- It is true that this case rather turned on within a large, complex public or private sector organisation, together with a news with vention on Human Rights. Article 10 has proved for . . . TfL vehicles if they . . . are its own facts and it does not suggest that successful track record in developing and implementing diverse internal and long been used to protect journalism and likely to cause widespread or serious of- any prohibition on advertising or other external communications strategies. our daily artistic free speech, but this is the first fence". This February, TfL banned ads from forms of commercial speech will be over- We offer the opportunity to work with a vibrant and effective management time it has been used successfully in a the centre (and it seemed all ads for holi- turned by the courts. However, in light of team and make a real difference in the delivery of safer communities. media For an application pack or to discussion the role informally please email domestic court to overturn restrictions on days in Northern Cyprus) on the ground the decision, any advertiser restricted in [email protected] or telephone 01480 444506. business expression in a commercial context. that they would cause such offence. its advertising may wish to take the body Closing date for applications: Thursday 6 October 2005 (noon) page and On top of the provisions of general law, So the centre sued TfL, arguing that the imposing the restriction to task if the ban Shortlisting: Friday 7 October 2005 such as defamation and trade-mark ban was irrational and contrary to the cen- seems unjustified. Assessment centre: Wednesday 12 October 2005 on our infringement, those advertising in this tre's right to freedom of expression under Working Together To Improve Community Safety website country must comply with the British Code article 10. Article 10 requires not only that Dan Tench is the head of public law and a of Advertising, as administered by the any restriction on freedom of expression media partner at Olswang