Media Brief
I'm the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's media correspondent and this is my brief selection of what's going on.
The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú has confirmed in a press release that its deputy director general Mark Byford is to be made redundant. The story [registration required] last night. It says he is expected to get a redundancy package of between £800,000 and £900,000. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú reports Mr Byford's salary is currently £475,000.
The that several of Britain's largest media organisations have written to the Business Secretary Vince Cable urging him to consider blocking News Corporation's planned bid for 100% ownership of BSkyB. The move was predicted last week. The heads of the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Guardian Media Group, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, BT, Trinity Mirror and Channel 4 say the "proposed takeover could have serious and far-reaching consequences for media plurality". Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation already owns four UK national newspapers and 40% of BSkyB. It points out that the signatories are all its competitors and says its plans are not finalised.
Former Sky executive . David Elstein said it was very unwise for the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú and Channel 4 to get involved in "a commercial spat".
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The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is publishing new editorial guidelines this morning, after the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Trust asked licence-fee payers for their views. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú reports that they include new restrictions on the use of "humiliating and derogatory remarks" for entertainment purposes. Controversies in religion and science must be covered with "due impartiality", as applies in cases of political and industrial controversy.
The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's newspaper review shows new revelations about the death of kidnapped British aid worker Linda Norgrove in Afghanistan during a rescue attempt feature heavily in the papers.
Links in full
• Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú | Press office Post of Deputy Director-General to close and Mark Byford to step down after 32 years service
• Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú | Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú deputy director general Mark Byford to leave
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• Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú | New Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú guidelines to restrict 'derogatory' remarks
• Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú | Newspaper review
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