Time for deeds, not words, from our media titans
Opinion
From the new Observer to Ofcom’s new code to the BBC review, the UK’s biggest media names have a chance to prove their worth right now.
There have been some signs of rebirth in the British media in recent days — in newspapers, broadcasting and regulation — or, in some cases, signs that at last things are being done that should have been done a long time ago.
First, there was controversy, and not a little bitterness, surrounding the takeover of 234-year-old Sunday newspaper The Observer by Tortoise Media.
But it is there, complete with its own website for the first time, and it looks good and we can only wish this latest incarnation of this iconic newspaper well for the future.
As James Harding, founder of Tortoise and editor of The Observer, said to mark the first edition, “the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper is also going to be the newest”, before adding that change would be gradual.
There was also a gentle, favourable, financial breeze blowing in Tortoise’s direction for the publication — as British insurance tycoon Sir Clive Cowdery made it clear that he plans to take a minority stake and join the Tortoise board.
It is an obvious intellectual and political fit. Cowdery set up the leftwards-leaning Resolution Foundation and is the publisher of Prospect magazine edited by former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, who was sceptical of the sale to Tortoise.
Cowdery will join fellow investor Gary Lubner, the South African businessman and Labour donor.
Now all Harding, former head of BBC News and editor of The Times, has to do is make a success of uniting a media group that has increasingly specialised in podcasts with a historic newspaper and its brand-new website. And then expand the new creation many times over.
Scoop at The Guardian
For good or ill, there is now at least clarity of purpose at The Guardian, which cannot claim that The Observer was either a distraction or a possible future financial threat to its existence.
The Guardian now also has to get on with it and first signs suggest the paper is doing just that with what it does best: producing considerable stories.
The paper that broke the phone-hacking scandal has returned to the fray with the news that former prime minister Gordon Brown is making a criminal complaint to the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, alleging obstruction of justice by News Corp.
Brown says he has spoken to officers involved in the initial inquiry who now believe there was “significant evidence” that News Group Newspapers may have perverted the course of justice by deleting millions of emails.
The officers say that, had they been aware of the background of the deletions at the time, they would have pushed for further action.
While NGN denies there was destruction of evidence, there still could be tricky times ahead for senior Rupert Murdoch executives at the time.
What if the Met and the CPS decide to reopen the entire issue of how Brown and former deputy Labour leader Tom Watson were treated and bring new prosecutions to court?
New chapter at the Telegraph?
The Guardian also had an interesting story about the never-ending saga over the ownership of The Daily Telegraph.
US private equity group RedBird Capital has reportedly said it is confident of tabling a deal soon to take control of the Telegraph.
A deal by RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale, either through a consortium or by self-funding a takeover, would end two years of “paralysis and unhappiness” at the title, which is a mere 170 years old.
RedBird’s initial effort was blocked because 75% of its funding came from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice-president of the United Arab Emirates.
Following the last government’s decision to ban foreign states or associated individuals from owning newspaper assets in the UK, we can assume that RedBird will be a bit more careful about who they jump into bed with this time.
The size of potential foreign stakes could become an issue, with culture secretary Lisa Nandy said to be looking at setting the bar at between 10% and 15%.
The way forward to a £500m conclusion — surely a good thing for both the Telegraph and the newspaper industry — would be a RedBird-led consortium that might even include minority stakes from Lord Rothermere’s DMGT, owner of the Daily Mail, and Murdoch’s News UK.
Communications regulator Ofcom would have an important role to play in deciding where the public interest lies, as it did last time over the involvement of Sheikh Mansour.
Ofcom’s crucial role
In the past, Ofcom has been slow to deal with serious media matters such as politicians interviewing each other on GB News. And it is being criticised again for not going far enough in its new code designed to protect children from online harm.
Parents who hold high-tech owners responsible for the suicide of their children are among the very public critics of the code.
It is, however, a welcome — if belated — response to an increasing social problem.
If the internet giants do not implement the code, which includes having “highly effective” age checks and changing algorithms responsible for harmful content, by July they can face considerable fines and ultimately an approach to the courts to block their services in the UK.
There is the opportunity for Ofcom to enhance its reputation for effectiveness — but only if the regulator clamps down on serious abuse rather than imposing fly-swat fines.
It has the power to impose fines of £18m or 10% of global revenues, whichever is greater.
There will be a time of settling down and adjustment to the new code, but if after a period of reasonable warnings the tech platforms still fail to comply, then nothing will do but an eye-watering 10% fine. In the case of Meta, for example, this could be in the billions of pounds.
Nothing else will get the attention of the platforms or rescue Ofcom’s reputation.
Damage control
Meanwhile, action at last — or at least the promise of action — by the BBC to deal with its bullies, sexual abusers and “untouchable” star presenters.
The Workplace Culture Review, based on an independent report by Change Associates, found the BBC had rewarded bullies and punished those who had raised fears in defence of its reputation.
BBC chairman Samir Shah has promised there will be no place for such people or behaviour at the corporation in future.
As with Ofcom’s response to online harm, there is a chance for the BBC to enhance its reputation — but only if words are turned into deeds.
Raymond Snoddy is a media consultant, national newspaper columnist and former presenter of NewsWatch on BBC News. He writes for The Media Leader on Wednesdays — bookmark his column here.
Snoddy co-edited the new Pandering to Populism: Journalism and Politics in a Post Truth Age, published by Bite Sized Books on 8 May.