THE academic behind a study that concluded that media coverage was biased against last year’s referendum on Scots independence – and which then involved a spat with BBC Scotland – has self-published a book on the topic.
Professor John Robertson, of the University of the West of Scotland, has self-published, online, ‘Scotland’s Propaganda War: The Media and the 2014 Independence Referendum’.
He writes: “The book is based on his own research, which triggered a heated dispute with BBC Scotland, a summons to the Scottish Parliament and a storm of debate in social media.”
He has made the book available for free, here.
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THE Edinburgh International Television Festival has kicked off today, with the event – celebrating its 40th anniversary – continuing until Friday.
And among those on the bill today: John Whittingdale MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Delia Bushell, MD of TV and sport at BT; and Charlotte Moore, controller of BBC One.
The day culminates with the keynote, MacTaggart Lecture, this year being delivered by the Oscar-nominated writer, director, producer and Scot, Armando Iannucci.
View today’s programme, here.
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BEGINS The Herald: “Labour has accused the SNP and Conservative governments of trying to “bully” the BBC ahead of a review of the broadcaster’s governing charter.
“First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and Tory Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, are both due to outline their visions for the corporation’s future in Edinburgh this week.”
Read more, here.
The story is picked up too by The Guardian, here.
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AN impressive 38 in golf’s Stableford scoring system has earned a sports writer with the Daily Star of Scotland a five-night holiday.
To mark golf’s 144th Open Championship in St Andrews last month, local hotel – Fairmont St Andrews – invited members of the media to play its on-site course, any time over a six-week period.
Groups of two upwards took part so that eventually over 100 people completed the challenge, with Iain MacFarlane’s score securing him five nights’ bed and breakfast for two at a Fairmont Hotel anywhere in the world.
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THE organisers of an annual festival in the UK, celebrating the best of radio, last night unveiled more details of the upcoming event, taking place late next month in London.
They begin: “The first announcements of some of the contributors to this years Radio Festival have been announced and we’ve received fantastic interest, followed swiftly by the announcement that the amazing Brian Eno will be delivering the John Peel Lecture on the Sunday evening the 27th September.”
For more information, read here.
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BEGINS The Scotsman: “A Scot who has been hailed one of the top ten commercial directors in the world began his career filming his friend’s music videos in parks, and spending hours on end making amateur show reels, he has revealed.
“Dougal Wilson is the director of the latest hit advert by John Lewis to melt the hearts of British TV audiences, as an earnest young ballet dancer bumps her way round her house to the tune of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer.”
Read more, here.
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